Officer- SME Access to Finance, NPSA-9, DS - Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Nationals only

Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a UN agency that works in about 170 countries and territories, helping eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience. It thereby helps them sustain progress and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. In Ukraine, UNDP operates in three programme priorities: Democratic Governance and Inclusive Social Fabric, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Recovery and Growth, and Sustainable Environment and Energy Transformation.

Since the start of the hostilities in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022, UNDP in Ukraine has been present on the ground, through its hubs around the country, supporting regional and local authorities and civil society partners in their emergency response and crisis management.

Lessons from the past years informed the development of UNDP’s Country Programme Document (2025-2029) and the scale-up of the Area-Based Recovery (ABR) Framework. The Framework’s programmatic pillars of Reconstruction, Returns, Resilience, and Reforms are focused on ensuring community recovery and creating conditions for the return to a development pathway in Ukraine.

Addressing the country’s complex reconstruction and recovery requires a holistic, systems-based response that empowers all parts of society - including government, local authorities, the private sector, and citizens - with the capacity and resources to respond effectively. To ensure a whole-of-society approach, the framework offers an integrated, participatory, and inclusive methodology to advance recovery in communities most affected by the war.

In this context, 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; strengthen SME capacity to develop bankable projects, facilitate linkages with financial institutions and funding mechanisms. Regular duty trips to partner hromadas throughout target oblasts will be required to ensure effective outreach, coordination, and monitoring of ABR economic recovery initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Perform effective project planning and implementation

• Perform rapid assessments of needs and development opportunities for local businesses, communities, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate and promote access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by strengthening SMEs’ capacity to prepare bankable projects and complete application packages for lending programmes of commercial banks, IFI credit lines, programs of the National Development Institution, including the “5-7-9” programme, and other national entrepreneurship promotion programs.
• Support SMEs and start-ups to access available financial instruments, including concessional loans, guarantees, grants, IFI-backed facilities, and bank products dedicated to vulnerable groups, including IDPs, veterans, etc.
• Examine and map SME finance support mechanisms for war-affected groups, including veterans, women, youth, IDPs and persons with disabilities, and prepare prioritised recommendations for UNDP interventions in the target hromadas.
• Provide technical and advisory support improve SMEs and start-ups bankability, including business planning, financial modelling, credit application support, preparation of investment‑grade documentation, financial literacy, cash-flow management, and investment readiness.
• Coordinate with business support organizations (and other actors) to link skills training with viable self-employment and enterprise creation pathways.
• Offer technical and thematic direction and supervise individual consultants and contracting companies responsible for conducting economic assessments, carrying out research, and developing knowledge and learning products ensuring methodological rigor, quality assurance, and timely delivery.
• Coordinate implementation of UNDP low-value grant programs for NGOs and business service providers.
• Ensure operational management of assigned tasks including through timely procurement of goods, services and/or infrastructure (as relevant), effective management of technical and financial resources, etc.
• Develop project planning process and ensure the work plan and a fully costed budget are prepared based on sound capacity assessments and in accordance with UNDP POPP/PPM Guidelines.
• Coordinate / manage the day-to-day activities of the assigned portfolio and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring in order to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives and results specified in project document.
• Provide subject matter technical advice and support and ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget and specified constraints, and to high-quality standards.
• Ensure implementation activities are in alignment with UNDP policy and programme management procedures and all project interventions integrate a gender equality perspective/gender equality mainstreaming to the extent local context allows.

2. Establish partnerships and open channels of communication

• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with implementing and development partners, government officials, local authorities, businesses, international stakeholders on the ground (including other UN agencies), NGOs, banks, other national stakeholders, and beneficiaries to support key objectives and ensure inclusive implementation and participation of key stakeholders in assigned portfolio.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify stakeholder needs and how best to leverage their participation and/or strengthen their engagement. 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 within the ABR framework.
• Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
• Support resource mobilization efforts and project development.

3.Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set

• Review the results framework and update the indicators, baselines, and targets of the assigned portfolio. 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 in accordance with the established quality criteria and UNDP rules, regulations, and standards. 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 and executed in a timely and appropriate manner and within UNDP and donor rules and regulations.
• Prepare corporate, donor and government reports in line with the reporting schedule and UNDP and donor requirements.
• Contribute to proper operational and financial closure of the project.

4. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas.

• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues.
• Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.

5. Ensure the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations in the field of expertise, and promote a safe, enabling environment free of discrimination and abusive behaviour in line with corporate standards

• Assist with ensuring the Programme contributes to the promotion of gender equality by reaching, involving, and benefiting both women and men.
• Use the principles of gender-responsive communications in line with the UNDP corporate standards.
• Be aware of relevant gender issues and concerns in the field of expertise.
• Support the promotion of team culture of gender equality and zero tolerance to any sexual misconduct in the team through leadership and personal example.
• Assist with informing and briefing personnel and partners about corporate sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse policies.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Officer-SME Access to Finance works under the direct supervision of the ABR Economic Recovery Specialist and the overall direction of the Head of Area-Based Recovery; may supervise ABR Programme’s support personnel.

Competencies

Core Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies Thematic Area Name Definition Business Direction & Strategy System Thinking

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Development Knowledge Facilitation

• Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange

Business Management Project Management

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Management Partnerships Management

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Management Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Business Management Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

2030 Agenda: People - Gender Gender

• Gender and Crisis

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Education requirements

• 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

Minimum years of relevant work 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, Knowledge and Skills

• 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.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in international/multilateral organizations.
• Proven ability to draft, edit and produce written proposals, advisory documents, terms of reference, analytical documents and results-focused reports.
• 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.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required

Professional Certificates n/a

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

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