Technical Officer - Banking sector

Introduction

“Promotion of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq” is a five-year project funded by the KFW.

The project aims to provide sustainable access to financial services for already operating but also start-up SMEs in Iraq for an improved job creation with focus on youth and women. This will take place through credit guarantees offered to commercial banks which lend to SMEs. Capacity building within project national partners including ICBG and participating financial institutions is a first step followed by funds injection in ICBG. The overall objective is to contribute to Iraq’s private sector development through enhancing the productivity of SMEs and hence their job creation potential.

The proposed Project structure combines three components, which are considered necessary for a significant contribution to the financial inclusion of SMEs in Iraq:

(i) SME window established by selected private PFIs through their own capital funds for SMEs

(ii)  an effective credit guarantee scheme: which is critical to overcome the obstacles that SMEs face in securing acceptable collaterals.

(iii) Technical assistance to capacitate the Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), Iraqi Company for Banking Guarantees (ICBG), as well as the SMEs

Reporting lines

The Technical Officer will report to the Chief Technical Advisor and will work under the overall supervision of the ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq. The incumbent will receive technical guidance from the Regional Enterprise Specialist in the Decent Work Team in Beirut, as well as Social Finance and SMEs units of the HQ Enterprise Department.

Description of Duties

The Technical Officer will:

1. Assist the CTA in the effective implementation of project components related to access to finance for SMEs, with a specific focus on the Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs). This includes building their capacity in developing SME-specific products, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other relevant tools, as well as training their staff. This will be achieved through providing timely inputs and outputs, undertaking field missions to plan, control, and monitor project activities, and providing technical support and advice to national implementing partners, project partners, and consultants, all in conformity with ILO policies and project strategies, and in accordance with ILO programming guidelines and country/action programs, and administrative and financial procedures. In collaboration with national project partners, and in coordination with the technical officer for guarantees, develop a detailed action plan for the implementation of activities related to the access to finance for SMEs and entrepreneurship components.

2. Identify potential national project partners namely PFIs, lead negotiations and capacity building measures and establish cooperation agreements with a view of facilitating systemic change in the wider financial sector.

3. Prepare and submit technical reports related to project implementation, including progress reports, mission reports, and financial reports, for submission to donors and other partners.

4. Coordinate with the other agencies on entrepreneurship development activities namely referrals pathways and maintain close liaison with constituents, key stakeholders, and financial institutions to ensure smooth implementation of the project. 

5. Draft and/or provide technical input into the development, peer review and editing of policy briefs, working papers, reports, publications and other knowledge products and contribute to their dissemination. Provide evidence-based technical content for social media, digital and other knowledge-sharing tools and platforms, with a view to reaching broad and diverse audiences.

Description of Duties (continued)

6. Synthesize and share good practices and lessons learned, taking into account complementarities with other technical areas of the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

7. Prepare related training and learning materials and activities. Deliver training to diverse audiences using innovative methods and communication tools, leveraging the use of digital technologies. Provide substantive inputs to the design, development, implementation, monitoring, reporting to the project.

8. Participate in national, regional, international and UN inter-agency and other stakeholder working groups, consultations and forums to engage with potential and existing partners to present and promote the ILO approach on the matter and discuss joint work/initiatives.

9. Organize, assist in and/or facilitate meetings and other events in the areas of access to finance, and entrepreneurship, including proposing agenda items, identifying participants, preparing technical materials, proposing facilitation techniques, preparing, and delivering presentations, drafting summary reports and monitoring follow-up.

10. Perform any other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced level university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, development studies or other relevant fields.

A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the afore-mentioned field(s) or other relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience, in addition to the experience stated below, will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least five years of relevant professional experience at the national and/or international level, including significant experience within the banking sector, involving access to finance to SMEs in the context of local economic development, entrepreneurship, and business start-up development, including non-financial business development service provision.

Experience working directly with financial institutions is mandatory.

Familiarity with ILO enterprise development work is an asset.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies the following is required:

• Good knowledge and understanding of theories, trends and approaches in the area of SMEs development, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.
• Knowledge of the substantive nature of Organization’s work programmes and activities.
• Knowledge of IT applications for information collection, management and dissemination.
• Excellent knowledge of financial institutions and SME development issues in conflict-affected settings and good understanding of entrepreneurship and business start-up development, knowledge of credit guarantee tools is an asset.
• Good understanding of the local economic and political contexts in Iraq.
• Ability to use analytical tools and qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Ability to identify sources and develop methods for data collection.
• Good research and analytical skills. 
• Good drafting skills.

Competencies (continued)

• Ability to adapt quickly to new IT software and systems.
• Good communication skills, presentation skills. Persuasion and ability to present technical arguments to convince counterparts on a course of action.
• Ability to maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders and work well in a tripartite context.
• Ability to present/promote the technical area of work and the ILO's position on it to partners using a wide range of techniques and technologies.
• Ability to assess, adapt and amend individual and group assignments (policies, approaches, models) to meet new or changed needs and situations.
• Ability to share knowledge and provide technical advice and guidance in the technical area.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate and model gender-responsive, non-discriminatory, and inclusive behavior and attitudes.

optional section (if needed)

Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered to be eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.