Principal Manager, Advice for Small Businesses at EBRD

Under the supervision of Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, the Principal should maintain open and constructive relations both internally within the EBRD (e.g. RO, sector teams and departments across the bank) and externally with the local business and consulting community, financial institutions, donors and key private sector and government stakeholders.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director/Regional Head, and in cooperation with respective SME bankers, contribute to the development of annual operational plan including the objectives of the Small Business Initiative (SBI) for the country, setting operational targets, innovative initiatives, including the grant guideline matrix for projects.
• Responsible and accountable for the local ASB country teams’ delivery  or “Relevant ASB activities” in full alignment with the Bank’s policies, donor requirements, internally set quality, internal controls and compliance standards, as well as highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct working with credible and respectable counterparties and mitigating financial or reputational risks to the Bank or donor.
• Act as a lead, reference and support to the overall team in the respective region for a “Relevant ASB Activities”.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, contribute to the business development activities in order to increase the outreach to quality clients and generate pipeline for banking. Ensure close co-operation with respective SME F&D and Sector Teams’ (including IF in the context of integrated products) bankers for a maximum synergy between advisory and banking.
• Coordinate a regular analysis of the ASB portfolio to generate ideas for follow-up support and new initiatives.
• Follow market trends and contribute with innovative ideas and products to address evolving market needs.
• Under the supervision of Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, manage the implementation of EBRD and SME F&D’s priority agenda (e.g. digital, green, and inclusion) to raise awareness and interest in order to generate more projects in priority areas. Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, manage the donor-funded budget for the country, including monitoring grant and operational disbursements via local bank accounts, to ensure the budget is managed efficiently, effectively, and transparently with maximum duty of care.
• Qualify/approve new local consultants and sign-off on international experts, as well as manage relation with them in accordance with internal policies and procedures, ensuring engagement of high quality and integrity professionals.
• Under the guidelines of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, implement visibility activities in the country to raise awareness of the relevant advisory work in order to reach out to prospective clients across the country, and ensure maximum visibility for EBRD and donors.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, coordinate relations with a diverse stakeholder group, such as local stakeholders, including relevant government institutions, business organisations, and representatives of international organisations.
• Support Regional Principal Manager/ Associate Director/Regional Head and HQ in effective management of donor funds, including through regular reporting, audits and evaluations, so to always be able to demonstrate and verify that public funding has been used prudently, for the intended purpose, and with impact that justifies its expenditure.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, responsible for the engagement and effective overall management of the Team including recruitment, performance management, coaching and development. Where matrix reporting is in place, work jointly with the country counterpart when setting objectives and completing performance appraisals for relevant staff.
• Responsible for the management of the local team in accordance with EBRD Behavioural competences and best practice in order to ensure healthy, respectful and stimulating working environment for the team.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

Education/Professional qualifications

• BA/MA from a recognised programme in international development, finance, economics or business and/or equivalent work experience

Experience

• Relevant professional experience, preferably from commercial management consultancy, corporates or bank, donor organisation, or international financial institution, or support programme.
• Knowledge of local/regional business environment, SME and consultancy market.
• Expertise or solid experience working in at least one of the SME F&D Priority Areas (e.g. ESG, sustainable supply chains, digitalisation, Risk Sharing Facility/Supply Chain Financing, Blue Ribbon, Digitalization, or Management Information Systems/Internal Quality Assurance), as well as market trends in these areas.
• Knowledge of business advisory services.
• Knowledge of relevant stakeholders such as SME Associations or support organisations, development agencies, chambers of commerce & industry, and other relevant partners.
• Knowledge of donor funded work, donor organisations is desirable, with experience in managing programme and project budgets.
• Familiarity with the topics of green economy and economic inclusion.
• Experience and ability to manage the team in a complex and matrix organizational structures, within the context of an international and multicultural setting, as well as complex processes and initiatives
• Ability to effectively present relevant ASB Activities at different public fora and media/communication channels.

Skills

• Business / financial analytical skills, with the ability to interpret accounts, understanding of accounting principles and practice of company financial analysis.
• People management (recruitment, mentoring, coaching) skills.
• Experience with and understanding of local small businesses – their development challenges, financing needs, strengths and weaknesses.
• Strong business diagnostics skills.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively.
• Effective communication, presentation and negotiation skills and ability to manage relations with a diverse group of, including clients and consultants and local stakeholders.
• Skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, and representatives of international organisations.
• Fluency in English and local language(s), both written and verbal. Strong writing skills in English and local language(s).
• Experience in writing project proposals, terms of references or reports.
• Computer literate: excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel and Power Point, ability to learn new systems quickly.

General

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the EBRD mandate, passionate about private sector development.
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environment.
• Multi-tasking, self-initiative.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively within the country and internationally.
• Strong presentation skills to represent EBRD in public fora, and with interlocutors at ministerial level.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience in leading at a senior level, interpreting and delivering strategies and programmes.
• Ability to convincingly articulate strategy and resource needs to EBRD senior management.
• Strategic vision to recognise opportunities to innovate and lead the team in developing those opportunities into initiatives/projects that can be implemented.