Senior Programme Officer (Access to Finance and Investment), DECI/SEC

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 168,113 USD and 216,746 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness Section (SEC), Division of Enterprises and Institutions (DECI). SEC delivers market-driven solutions for SMEs’ trade competitiveness by providing a full-service highly specialized portfolio of technical offerings focusing on international trade development. Its for pillars of delivery include:

• Strategy: Enterprise diagnostic, strategy and export management development that help SMEs “design for export”
• Operations: Quality, logistics, packaging services that help SMEs “produce to export”
• Markets: Marketing, branding and e-solutions that help SMEs “connect to export”
• Resources: Talent management, access to finance and technology and linking with resources within ITC to optimize the technical assistance portfolio to “enable exports”.

SEC leverages partnerships and networks to help scale-up and achieve broad-based outreach. This includes making better use of e-learning channels for delivery.

Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead, SME Performance and overall supervision of the Chief, SEC, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Develops, implements and evaluates assigned programmes/projects, etc.; monitors and analyzes programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions. Supports financial institutions in beneficiary countries in developing new MSME financing instruments, developing and streamlining policies and procedures for assessing the creditworthiness of MSMEs, and developing new distribution approaches and channels to facilitate MSME lending.
• Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning facilitating workshops on access to finance, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change.
• Researches, analyzes and presents access to finance and investment information gathered from diverse sources.
• Coordinates policy recommendations on access to finance and investment, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies,
• Generates survey initiatives; designs data collection tools; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identify problems/issues and prepares conclusions.
• Organizes and prepares written outputs on access to finance and investment, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations on access to finance and investment issues.
• Participates in or take the lead in specific inter-agency or expert task forces or working groups either internally or with outside parties.
• Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops designs, manages and monitors the implementation of capacity building projects on access to finance and investment., makes presentations and prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff on access to finance and investment issues.
• Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, to develop working relations with financial institutions, investors, and other private sector actors to facilitate MSMEs access to finance and investment.
• Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).

• Performs other duties as required.

  Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services. Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs. Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas. Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks "outside the box." Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things. Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, management, economics or a related field such as finance.

A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience A minimum of seven years of relevant experience in project or programme management is required.

Experience in supporting MSMEs access finance and investment is desirable.

Experience in carrying out analyzing SME lending markets and diagnosing problems to effective lending and proposing technical solutions is desirable.

Experience in blended finance is desirable.

Experience setting-up or managing grant schemes is desirable.

Experience setting-up or managing loans or mini-loans schemes is desirable.

Languages For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French and/or Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice The conditions of service are governed by the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations. This is a fixed term appointment for an initial period of one (1) year. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. ITC also offers attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work/life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully. Applications from women and nationalities from developing and least developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. For information on salary and entitlements, please consult the International Civil Service Commission website: http://icsc.un.org

United Nations Considerations In accordance with the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Candidates will not be considered for employment with ITC if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.

Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances, and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in Inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision, or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee ITC does NOT charge any fees or request money from candidates at any stage of the recruitment process, nor does it concern itself with bank account details of applicants. Requests of this nature allegedly made on behalf of ITC are fraudulent and should be disregarded.