Overview
The Investment Specialist – SME Trade Finance role provides leadership in technical, operational, and strategic components of programme delivery, focusing on trade finance innovation and market development for small and medium enterprises.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide overall direction and management of programme activities under the Trade Finance Innovation workstream.
- Provide capacity building support to local financial institutions on SME trade finance best practices and risk management.
- Develop trade finance readiness programs for SMEs.
- Support digitalization initiatives in trade finance.
- Contribute to policy dialogue on trade finance gaps and regulatory reforms.
- Conduct comprehensive financial and operational due diligence on SME trade finance opportunities.
- Evaluate creditworthiness of SME borrowers and their trading partners.
- Structure and underwrite trade finance instruments.
- Assess sector-specific trade risks.
- Design and structure blended finance solutions.
- Develop innovative trade finance products tailored to SME needs.
- Create risk-sharing mechanisms with local financial institutions, export credit agencies, and development finance partners.
- Structure syndicated trade finance facilities and club deals.
- Build and maintain relationships with commercial banks, trade finance institutions, and fintech platforms.
- Coordinate with export promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, and SME associations.
- Engage with supply chain anchors to develop supplier and distributor financing programs.
- Collaborate with trade facilitation organizations and customs authorities.
- Monitor trade finance portfolio performance.
- Track developmental impact indicators.
- Implement early warning systems for trade finance exposures.
- Prepare quarterly portfolio reports.
- Act as Programme Manager, providing programme oversight.
- Lead donor engagement and resource mobilization efforts.
- Oversee programme monitoring, evaluation and learning activities.
- Participate in high-level forums on SME trade finance.
- Lead knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing.
Required Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years (with master’s Degree) or 7 years (with bachelor's degree) in Trade Finance is required.
- At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in project management in the context of SME finance is required.
- Proven track record of working in international development projects with financial service providers (e.g. commercial and/or development banks, export credit agencies), ministries (e.g. for trade and commerce) and regulators (e.g. central banks) is required.
- Demonstrated experience in engaging and collaborating with multilateral and bilateral organizations, donors, private foundations, and government bodies to build partnerships and manage external relations is required.
- Proven experience in collaborating with SME entrepreneurship incubation and/or acceleration programmes is desired.
- Experience and expert knowledge of key challenges and opportunities in financing SMEs and technology startups is desired.
- Familiarity with the policy and regulatory environment for trade and SME finance in the programming countries, including engagement with institutions such as Central Banks and Ministries of Trade is desired.
- Experience working on EU–funded projects, with a clear understanding of EU reporting requirements and compliance standards is desired.
- Experience working in the context of joint-UN programming is desired.
- Experience and knowledge of UNCDF/UNDP’s corporate policies, operational processes, and programme frameworks is desired.
Qualifications
- Advance university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance, Banking, Economics, Social or Development Studies, Business Administration, or a 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.
