Overview
The Officer- SME Access to Finance will lead the design and implementation of project interventions aimed at improving access to finance for small and medium enterprises, particularly in war-affected communities.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform rapid assessments of needs and development opportunities for local businesses, communities, and other stakeholders.
- Facilitate and promote access to finance for SMEs by strengthening their capacity to prepare bankable projects and complete application packages for lending programmes.
- Support SMEs and start-ups to access available financial instruments.
- Examine and map SME finance support mechanisms for war-affected groups and prepare recommendations.
- Provide technical and advisory support to improve SMEs and start-ups bankability.
- Coordinate with business support organizations to link skills training with viable self-employment and enterprise creation pathways.
- Offer technical and thematic direction and supervise individual consultants and contracting companies.
- Coordinate implementation of UNDP low-value grant programs.
- Ensure operational management of assigned tasks.
- Develop project planning process and ensure work plan and budget are prepared.
- Coordinate/manage day-to-day activities of the assigned portfolio and overall implementation process.
- Provide subject matter technical advice and support.
- Ensure implementation activities align with UNDP policy and programme management procedures and integrate a gender equality perspective.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners.
- Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and analysis.
- Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives.
- Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
- Provide technical support to implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and partners.
- Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.
- Review the results framework and update indicators, baselines, and targets.
- Develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting.
- Provide inputs for ABR ActivityInfo platform.
- Monitor implementation and progress in achieving goals and targets.
- Identify, analyze, and take adequate measures to manage emerging issues, problems, and risks.
- Conduct field visits to project location sites.
- Liaise with the Finance team to ensure administrative requirements, budgets and use of financial resources are managed appropriately.
- Prepare corporate, donor and government reports.
- Contribute to proper operational and financial closure of the project.
- Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned.
- Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate.
- Assist with ensuring the Programme contributes to the promotion of gender equality.
- Use the principles of gender-responsive communications.
- Be aware of relevant gender issues and concerns.
- Support the promotion of team culture of gender equality and zero tolerance to any sexual misconduct.
- Assist with informing and briefing personnel and partners about corporate sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse policies.
- Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary.
Required Experience
- Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing economic or financial advisory services, and/or hands-on experience in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of humanitarian or development projects or other relevant areas.
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
- Experience of working in international/multilateral organizations (desirable).
- Proven ability to draft, edit and produce written proposals, advisory documents, terms of reference, analytical documents and results-focused reports (demonstrated).
- Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining effective professional networks and developing strategic partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Knowledge and experience in labor market support, entrepreneurship promotion, business development or other relevant economic filed.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, or related field is required.
- OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
