Call for Talent-National Ghanaian experts

Position Summary

The Experts will provide technical and advisory support for the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of financial instruments and capacity-strengthening activities aimed at improving access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise on the Ghanaian financial sector and its capacity to support MSMEs.
• Assess the needs, capabilities and constraints of banks, non-bank financial institutions, development finance institutions and other relevant financial sector actors in relation to MSME lending and financing.
• Advise on approaches to improving access to finance for MSMEs, including those operating in underserved and climate-relevant sectors.
• Support engagement and coordination with relevant financial institutions and other stakeholders in Ghana.
• Provide local market expertise to support the design and development of climate-aligned credit guarantee products and related risk-sharing mechanisms.
• Assess market demand, financial institution requirements and potential MSME beneficiary segments.
• Advise on the alignment of guarantee products with Ghana's financial sector regulations, climate priorities and market conditions.
• Support the development of product structures, eligibility criteria, operational procedures and monitoring frameworks.
• Engage relevant stakeholders to facilitate the adoption and implementation of climate-aligned financial products.
• Support the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks for credit and guarantee portfolios.
• Monitor portfolio performance, outreach, additionality, development impact and other relevant indicators.
• Conduct assessments and analyses of MSME-focused portfolios supported by IFIs, MDBs and other development finance partners.
• Identify portfolio risks, implementation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Contribute to periodic monitoring reports, portfolio reviews, evaluations and recommendations for corrective action.
• Provide up-to-date local expertise on Ghana's financial sector, regulatory environment and institutional landscape.
• Advise on relevant national regulations, policies, guidelines and market practices affecting financial institutions, MSME finance, guarantees and development finance.
• Map and engage relevant public- and private-sector stakeholders, including regulators, financial institutions, government agencies, business associations and development partners.
• Support effective coordination and stakeholder engagement throughout the implementation of the assignment.
• Provide local expertise on Ghanaian environmental and social legislation, regulations, standards and safeguards relevant to financial sector and MSME financing activities.
• Support the integration of appropriate environmental and social risk considerations into financial products, guarantee mechanisms and portfolio monitoring systems.
• Advise participating financial institutions on the practical application of environmental and social safeguards and risk management procedures.
• Support alignment, where applicable, with the environmental and social requirements of IFIs and MDBs.
• Provide advisory services to Ghanaian stakeholders on opportunities to access development finance.
• Identify potential financing sources and instruments available through development finance institutions, IFIs, MDBs, climate finance mechanisms and other relevant sources.
• Advise stakeholders on approaches to mobilising capital and improving access to local and international financing.
• Provide guidance on opportunities and requirements relating to Ghanaian and regional capital markets.
• Support the preparation of recommendations, financing strategies and stakeholder engagement approaches.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in Finance, Economics, Banking, Business Administration, Development Finance, Public Policy or another relevant field.
• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in the financial sector, development finance, banking, MSME finance, credit, guarantees or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience of working with financial institutions in Ghana, including banks, non-bank financial institutions, development finance institutions or other relevant financial sector entities.
• Proven experience in supporting MSME access to finance and/or MSME lending programmes in Ghana.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation, management or evaluation of credit guarantee schemes, risk-sharing facilities or similar financial instruments.
• Experience in climate finance or climate-aligned financial product development is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in the monitoring and evaluation of credit and/or guarantee portfolios, preferably under projects financed or supported by IFIs, MDBs or other development finance partners.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting training needs assessments and designing and delivering capacity-strengthening programmes for financial institutions.
• Strong knowledge of the Ghanaian financial sector, including relevant regulations, institutions, market dynamics and stakeholder landscape.
• Good knowledge of Ghanaian environmental and social legislation and safeguards applicable to investment, lending and financial sector activities.
• Experience in advising on access to development finance, blended finance, guarantee instruments and/or capital markets is an advantage.
• Familiarity with the requirements, standards and operating practices of IFIs and MDBs is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, report-writing, stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of relevant Ghanaian languages is an advantage.