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MSME Banking Expert - Positive Planet West Africa

BACKGROUND
Positive Planet is an international non-profit organization with a mission to promote social and economic inclusion. Positive Planet aims to support populations that live in poverty to achieve autonomy, allowing future generations to live better lives.
Positive Planet is a broad organisation that developed out of PlaNet Finance, which was initially solely dedicated to the worldwide development of financial inclusion for populations living in poverty. Financial inclusion has evolved over the last 20 years becoming a major movement offering financial services to hundreds of millions of people.
Amplifying this movement, Positive Planet now implements programs focusing on additional dimensions of economic inclusion, to enable access to entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, clean energy, housing, food security and water. For more info please visit www.positiveplanet.ngo
PURPOSE
Positive Planet is seeking suitably qualified candidates to fill the position of MSME Banking Expert, in support of its operations in West Africa, to:
  1. Provide Technical Assistance to local MFIs and Banks in various domains (including product development, business planning, risk management, staff training, social performance);
  2. Coordinate and support the development of the microfinance sector in the region through capacity building and contributing to the promotion of sound microfinance policy and regulatory framework through advocacy and stakeholder engagement;
  3. Support the development of more responsible inclusive finance market in the region through development and promotion of appropriate initiatives such as financial education programmes and SMART’s client protection principles.
ASSIGNMENTS
  • Conduct needs assessments of financial institutions, prepare TORs to mobilise STE (short-term experts) and provide quality control of their deliverables
  • Support the Team Leader with the implementation of technical assistance activities with partner lending Institutions
  • Prepare training sessions and/or mobilise STEs (including drafting TOR, quality control, training evaluation, guidance to trainees, reporting the obtained attendance, performance, satisfaction, and other indices relating to the functioning of the training programme or consulting activities delivered
  • Design, coordinate and implement training sessions on risk management, product development, and other topics identified as needs during the needs assessment
  • Write reports to enable project progress monitoring of results and impacts achieved
REPORTING
The MSME Banking Expert will work closely with other experts and will report to the Regional Director on a weekly basis.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
  • Master’s degree in any of the following: Banking, Development Finance, Business Management, Economics or related field
  • Five years of experience in management or operational credit management experience from a banking/microfinance institutions
  • Minimum of six years professional experience within an SME Finance provider, with specific focus on credit and financial analysis, risk management, and SME lending, non-performing loan management, identification of key lending risks, and participation in the drafting of loan contracts to mitigate and control identified risks
  • Commercial lending experience with a credit analysis focus. Experience of EIB financial facilities would be an added advantage
  • Good management skills, preferably in the financial and credit analysis function in a credit department / corporate lending department of a microfinance institution with a minimum of five years in management
  • Good analytical skills in economic and MSME project finance planning and implementation (market and financial analysis risk analysis techniques, and ability to implement computer based models to analyze balance sheets, calculate key financial ratios, and make proactive recommendations in drafting loan documentation and security arrangements), fully conversant with market and financial analysis risk analysis techniques, and ability to implement computer based models to analyze balance sheets and calculate key financial ratios for lending analysis.
  • Practical experience and proven track record in organising and delivering TA to MFIs and Banks and training programmes and development of curricula and training materials in West Africa.
  • Strong written and oral communications skills in English and in French. Portuguese an advantage.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
  • Demonstrated organizational skills and strong track record in meeting deliverables and deadlines.
  • Good interpersonal, quantitative and analytical skills
  • Proven in-country experience in West Africa
  • Excellent proficiency with MS Office to create reports and customised spreadsheets for financial analysis purposes and database management reporting purposes
  • Good writing and communication skills
  • Ability to travel across West African countries

HOW TO APPLY:
Documents to be sent: CV + Motivation letter