Overview
The Access to Finance Specialist will be responsible for establishing and managing the Grants and Revolving Fund components of the ECoWYERT project, focusing on micro and small enterprises to advance finance for cross-border traders and MSMEs.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the establishment of the Grants and Revolving Fund components, including design and structuring of blended finance facilities.
- Identify, appraise, conduct due diligence, contract, and onboard strategic partners.
- Ensure effective disbursement of funds to project participants, including beneficiary pipeline review and risk management.
- Deliver training-of-trainer programs on financial literacy and management.
- Collaborate with internal and external teams for coordinated implementation.
- Oversee and manage the Grants and Revolving Fund component and relevant partners.
- Plan, implement, and facilitate stakeholder convenings related to access to finance.
- Ensure integration of youth, gender mainstreaming, and disability inclusion.
- Develop risk assessment, disbursement, and monitoring frameworks for the fund components.
- Manage and report on activity budgets and prepare technical and financial reports.
- Conduct impact monitoring and evaluation of the fund components.
- Review documents, identify problems, and recommend corrective actions.
- Participate in field missions and provide strategic support.
- Identify and mitigate project risks.
- Conduct research on Access to Finance aspects, including emerging issues and trends.
- Support the development of research-based business cases for tailored financial products.
- Optimize data, information, and analytics to support institutional engagements.
- Contribute to project knowledge products and communications.
- Provide orientation on Grant and Revolving Fund aspects.
- Participate in relevant sector and project-related convenings.
- Promote knowledge sharing, documentation of lessons learned, and dissemination of best practices.
Required Experience
- Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in banking, impact finance, development finance or similar with sound knowledge of structuring blended finance.
- 5 -7 years progressively responsible experience in designing, structuring and implementing innovative and blended finance initiatives.
- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc).
- Strong financial analysis skills/experience.
- Demonstrable experience in building effective relationships and working with partners in the public and private (financial) sector.
- In depth understanding of MSME financing needs and challenges including in the informal trade sector.
- Advanced professional and technical writing and communication skills/experience.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance, Business Administration, Actuarial Science, Management, Economics or a related field OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience.
