Project Technical Analyst – MSME Finance

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is hiring a Project Technical Analyst – Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Finance to support the strengthening of programme management, compliance, monitoring and evaluation, and technical service delivery systems to facilitate and promote access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The role will contribute to the rollout of the MSME financing strategy, delivery of targeted technical assistance interventions, and effective stakeholder coordination, including management of the EU–Tourism funding partnership.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure Effective Project Implementation and Coordination
• Lead the implementation of a USD 9 million European Union–funded partnership aimed at expanding access to finance for MSMEs in the sustainable tourism value chain.
• Coordinate day-to-day project activities to ensure timely delivery of outputs in line with approved workplans, budgets, and donor requirements.
• Monitor progress against targets and milestones, compiling quality inputs for periodic technical and financial reports to the donor.
• Contribute to the partner selection process, including drafting RFAs, supporting application screening and evaluation, participating in due diligence, and assisting with contract finalization and onboarding in line with UNCDF guidelines.
• Provide technical support to partner companies to strengthen implementation performance, track compliance with contractual obligations, and address emerging bottlenecks.
• Maintain and regularly update programme and budget tracking tools, working closely with the Project Officer to ensure alignment between financial delivery and programmatic progress.
• Facilitate coordination with internal teams, consultants, and external stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation and timely resolution of operational issues.
• Ensure Quality Assurance and Compliance
• Ensure the timely delivery of high-quality results under the Sustainable Tourism Financing project, in line with approved workplans and performance targets.
• Maintain full compliance with UNCDF and UNDP policies, procedures, and internal control frameworks across all project activities and transactions.
• Maintain and regularly update programme and budget tracking tools in collaboration with the Project Officer to ensure financial accuracy, transparency, and alignment with implementation progress.
• Contribute to the preparation of accurate, high-quality technical and donor reports, ensuring consistency between narrative progress, financial delivery, and results achieved.
• Review project documents, agreements, and contracts under the FinWise portfolio to ensure alignment with UNDP/UNCDF policies, supplementary guidelines, and standard operating procedures.
• Support the development and operationalization of the project’s Results Measurement Framework in Uganda, ensuring clear indicators, baselines, and reporting mechanisms are in place.
• Work closely with the Results Measurement team to strengthen portfolio monitoring, performance tracking, and impact reporting, contributing to a high-performing and accountable investment portfolio.
• Assist in the planning, coordination, and follow-up of project audits, evaluations, and monitoring missions, ensuring timely documentation, compliance, and implementation of recommendations.
• Ensure Monitoring, Knowledge Management, and Advocacy
• Manage and regularly update the project Results Framework (logframe), ensuring accurate tracking of outputs, outcomes, and key performance indicators.
• Support the implementation and continuous refinement of the project’s Results Measurement Framework in Uganda, ensuring clear data collection, verification, and reporting processes.
• Work closely with the Results Measurement team to strengthen portfolio monitoring, performance analysis, and impact measurement, contributing to a high-performing investment portfolio.
• Document lessons learned, success stories, and operational insights, and support their dissemination through briefs, reports, and knowledge products.
• Contribute to UNCDF knowledge products and thought leadership initiatives on MSME financing within the sustainable tourism sector.
• Support the organization of learning events, workshops, and experience-sharing platforms for government counterparts, private sector actors, national associations, and other key stakeholders.
• Facilitate internal knowledge sharing to promote adaptive management and continuous improvement across the project portfolio.
• Build Partnerships and Stakeholder Management
• Manage the partnership with UNDP technical team – as a joint implementing partner.
• Coordinate engagement with consortium partners (Enabel, UNESCO) to ensure harmonized delivery of the EU programme.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government counterparts and industry stakeholders in the Sustainable Tourism Value chain
• Keeps abreast with key changes in policy/regulatory environment, strategic focus of development partners and market developments.
• Identify areas of cooperation and coordination with other UNCDF initiatives, UN agencies, and other development partners and market facilitators that will help create an enabling environment for Micro, Small and Medium size businesses.
• Develop partnerships with new funders to ensure continuity of UNCDF’s work in green economy and climate change; draft proposals; and manage contracts especially reporting obligations.
• Manage the strategic partnership with the UNDP technical team, serving as a joint implementing partner to ensure effective coordination, alignment, and delivery of programme results.
• Coordinate engagement with consortium – implementing – partners, to ensure harmonized implementation, coherence of interventions, and achievement of the EU programme objectives.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with government counterparts, private sector actors, and industry associations across the Sustainable Tourism value chain.
• Monitor and analyze key developments in the policy and regulatory environment, development partner strategies, and market trends to inform programme positioning and strategic decision-making.
• Identify and advance areas of cooperation and coordination with other UNCDF initiatives, UN agencies, development partners, and market facilitators to strengthen the enabling environment for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Develop and cultivate partnerships with new and existing funders to ensure sustainability and scale of UNCDF’s green economy and climate change portfolio – including drafting of idea notes and concept notes.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.
• Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: manage and supervise Digital Finance Analyst (NPSA 9)

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Education:

• An advanced university degree (a master’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Economics, Finance, Accounting, Development Studies, Management, or a related discipline is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of two (2) years (with masters’ degree), or four (4) years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in Development Finance;
• At least 2 years of which should be in Uganda’s renewable energy sector in areas of market development and project/programme management in progressively senior & responsible managerial positions is required.
• Experience in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) financing is required.
• Experience in managing country operations, projects and/or programmes and supervising teams is required.
• Experience working with multinational and bilateral organizations and government bodies is required.
• Experience in providing business development and investment readiness services to Micro, Small and Medium enterprises is desired.
• Experience working in Digital Financial Services is desired.
• Experience in providing technical assistance to private sector actors that serve MSMEs to access finance is desired.
• Experience drafting RFAs, supporting application screening and evaluation, participating in due diligence is desired.
• Experience working for the United Nations is desired.
• Experience developing idea notes and concept notes for new project development and fundraising is desired.
• Fluency in English is required

Competencies

Core Competencies – UNDP Core Competencies can be found here

• 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:

• Business Direction and Strategy – Systems 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 Management – Portfolio Management:
• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management
• Business Management – Partnership Management:
• 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
• Finance – Finance and Process Innovation:
• Financial and business process engineering expertise required to innovate, design, change and implement new financial business models, financial instruments, financing opportunities, business processes, policies and procedures, and technological solution
• Finance – Development Finance Expertise:
• Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.
• Digital and Innovation – Digital inclusion:
• Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society
• Partnership management – Relationship management:
• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and Interested applicants should apply online at the link below.

Click Here

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.