Principal, SME F&D Grants Unit

Principal, SME F&D Grants Unit

EBRD - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

London, United Kingdom

Purpose of Job

The Principal is responsible for assisting with the fundraising activity of the Unit, overseeing new product development initiatives, managing selected donor relationships, with a focus on the EU, to mobilise funding, and ensure timely reporting. In addition, the Principal plays a key role in enabling the SME F&D Grants team to achieve annual targets by undertaking a range of activities, such as: i) assisting in the development of strategies to cover the different aspects of the group’s work and the necessary funding, ii) reviewing market and product development activities and business development, iii) conducting quality assurance, iv) contribute to the internal approval procedures for the use of grants resources from the Grants Review Unit (GRU) v) participate in planning, designing, procuring, facilitating implementation, monitoring and reporting on TC- or Bank-funded consultancy assignments and on non-TC grants, blended with financing.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Supervise day-to-day SME F&D Grants activities to ensure team objectives to be achieved.
• Oversee the successful development of programmes and products that involve key stakeholders from across the bank, donors, and the relative fund raising
• Establish and sustain good relations with selected donors, with a particular specialisation on the EU, and other stakeholders to develop funding proposals.
• Manage timely production of reports on programmes to inform funding donors on progress and impact.
• Work with country teams to design and review new products, new programmes or multi-country initiatives to maximise the transition impact and sustainability of TC and non-TC projects.
• Conduct quality assurance and due diligence to ensure effective management and delivery of TC and non-TC project portfolio, especially in view of the EFSD+
• Manage delivery of special initiatives such as thematic or regional programmes that for instance require coordination between SME F&D country teams and regions and/or partnership with other teams in the Bank.
• Assist and coordinate the internal approval process procedures for the use of grants resources from the Grants Review Unit (GRU).
• Contribute to the development of global communication and visibility material to promote SME F&D activities to internal and external stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

Education/Professional qualifications

• Strong academic background with relevant Master’s degree (Economics, MBA, MPA, International Development etc.) from a leading university in the country of education.

Experience

• Relevant professional experience, preferably gained from an IFI, the EU, development organisation, commercial management consultancy or bank, donor organisation, or international support programme.
• Knowledge of donor funded work, donor organisations and experience in donor fund mobilisation desirable, particularly specialised knowledge of the EU
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively, Ability to multi-task and react quickly.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills and ability to draw insightful conclusions.
• Strong numerical skills, experience in impact measurement and assessments or similar (econometric analysis); experience working with databases desirable.
• Strong writing skills; experience in writing reports and donor proposals desirable.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to interface with multi-country teams.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal. Fluency in Russian, French, as well as other languages of countries of operations would be an advantage.
• Computer literate: excellent knowledge of Excel, Power Point and SAP, knowledge of STATA or similar systems desirable, ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Business / financial analytical skills, with the ability to interpret accounts, understanding of local accounting principles and practice of company financial analysis desirable.
• A developing track record in managing processes and different teams in order to successfully bring programmes and products from the “drawing board to the market”.

General

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the EBRD mandate, passionate about private sector development.
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environment.