Access to Finance Specialist

Overview

This role supports a regional project focused on expanding access to finance for women- and youth-led enterprises that participate in cross-border trade and operate as micro and small businesses. The position sits within a project implementation unit in Lusaka, Zambia, and is centered on creating, running, and overseeing the project’s Grants and Revolving Fund components. The work is tied to a wider effort to strengthen resilience, reduce poverty, and improve enterprise readiness for opportunities created through African regional trade.

Project context

The assignment is part of an initiative that backs women and youth-led MSMEs so they can better benefit from regional trade opportunities. The programme combines access to finance, business development support, digital inclusion, market access, and improvements in the enabling policy and collaboration environment. It operates across Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with implementation coordinated from Lusaka.

Tiered application process

This vacancy follows a tiered eligibility approach used for many organizational roles. Applicants should pay attention to any tier referenced in the title and make sure they are eligible under the relevant category.

• Tier 0: Permanent and fixed-term staff whose roles will be removed, or whose contracts will end or not be renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other permanent and fixed-term staff.
• Tier 2: Temporary staff, personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers.
• Tier 3 or no tier shown: Other contract types from the organization and other agencies, as well as external candidates.

Core purpose of the role

The specialist will lead the establishment and day-to-day management of the project’s Grants and Revolving Fund facilities, with a strong focus on micro and small enterprises. The role requires shaping the finance facilities, managing risk, ensuring proper disbursement, building partner capacity, and monitoring performance and outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Set up the project’s Grants and Revolving Fund mechanisms and guide their overall structure.
• Design innovative blended finance solutions that support the project’s finance facilities.
• Identify, assess, conduct due diligence on, contract, and onboard strategic partners from both the private and public sectors, including BSOs and SACCOs.
• Ensure timely and effective release of funds to participating project beneficiaries.
• Review the beneficiary pipeline, apply due diligence, and maintain quality control and risk safeguards.
• Deliver training-of-trainers programmes that strengthen local partners and grassroots financial institutions so they can train MSMEs in financial literacy and financial management.
• Work closely with project colleagues, finance and legal teams, and external partners to keep implementation coordinated and efficient.
• Oversee the Grants and Revolving Fund portfolio, along with consultants, partners, and beneficiaries involved in the component.
• Organize and facilitate workshops, roundtables, webinars, and other stakeholder sessions related to access to finance.
• Ensure youth inclusion, gender mainstreaming, and disability inclusion across all work areas, with implementation designed so that women receive more than 70% of the benefits.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on the performance of the Grants and Revolving Fund.
• Work with the M&E specialist to build risk frameworks, disbursement plans, and monitoring systems aligned with the broader project framework.
• Track activity budgets and prepare technical and financial reports, including related financial analysis, with support from the project finance and administration specialist.
• Carry out impact monitoring and evaluation for the finance facilities and associated activities.
• Review reports and other documents, identify issues, recommend corrective actions, and follow up with relevant stakeholders.
• Take part in field missions and provide strategic substantive support during those visits.
• Spot project risks and respond with appropriate mitigation measures and adaptive management.
• Contribute to knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the project.
• Research access-to-finance trends, emerging risks, market gaps, and other developments using data from multiple sources.
• Support evidence-based business cases for financial products suited to target sectors and help engage financial institutions to adopt them.
• Use data, information, and analytics to strengthen engagement with project partners and government counterparts.
• Help prepare project knowledge products and communication materials.
• Orient project staff, participants, and partners on the project’s grant and revolving fund arrangements.
• Participate in relevant sector and project convenings.
• Document lessons learned, share good practices, and support broader learning and policy uptake.
• Contribute to the project’s knowledge management and learning agenda.
• Perform additional duties within the functional scope as needed for effective project delivery.

Working arrangement

The post reports jointly to the ITC Senior Access to Finance Officer and the ECoWYERT Project Manager, and works closely with the project team. The role involves regular interaction with UNDP and ITC staff, government officials, financial institutions, community groups, private companies, international organizations, consultants, and other project partners.

Education and experience

A master’s degree, or equivalent advanced university degree, in Finance, Business Administration, Actuarial Science, Management, Economics, or a related discipline is required. A bachelor’s degree in one of these areas may be accepted if paired with two additional years of relevant experience.

Candidates are expected to have at least 7 years of progressively responsible experience at national or international level if they hold a master’s degree, or 9 years if they hold a bachelor’s degree, in banking, impact finance, development finance, or a related field with solid blended finance expertise.

Additional experience should include designing, structuring, and implementing innovative blended finance initiatives; strong use of office software and computing tools; financial analysis capability; partnership-building across public and private sectors; a strong understanding of MSME financing needs, including informal trade; and advanced professional writing and communication skills.

Desired background

Experience in international organizations or government institutions is considered advantageous. Prior work on UN or UNDP projects, or comparable development initiatives, is a strong plus. Experience engaging national counterparts during project implementation is also preferred. Exposure to blended finance design and delivery for grassroots-level initiatives is beneficial.

Competencies

• Delivering results and managing multiple priorities effectively.
• Developing practical and original solutions to complex challenges.
• Continuously learning and broadening professional capability.
• Adapting quickly and handling competing demands with agility.
• Persisting through barriers and pushing work forward decisively.
• Building partnerships and navigating complex stakeholder settings.
• Promoting diversity, inclusion, and equitable participation.
• Communicating clearly and tailoring messages to different audiences.
• Facilitating knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement.
• Using digital tools confidently and understanding their impact.
• Turning research and information into useful knowledge.
• Applying systems thinking to understand interlinked project elements.

Additional note

The incumbent may be assigned other tasks within the functional profile when needed to ensure the project runs effectively.