Finance and Lending consultant

Contract Duration: 9  months

Expected Starting Date: 10th April, 2020

BACKGROUND

The Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection for Workers (PFESP) was established by Presidential Decree No. 9 of 2003 as a national institution with legal personality and independent financial authority to support economic development by activating and motivating labour market policies, and implementing programs aimed at creating permanent employment opportunities. 

Start-up Palestine is one of the main long term projects that PFESP implement, it aimed at tackling the need of credit of vulnerable categories (such as women, young graduates, small and medium farmers) and financing micro and small entrepreneurship’s initiatives through existing financial institutions. Also, it aimed at expanding the operational capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in order to stimulate employment opportunities.

OBJECTIVE

Under Start up Palestine Project, the Palestinian Fund for Employment is seeking a qualified “Financing and Lending consultant”, who will be responsible for improving the quality of provided services related to the lending and financing mechanisms, develop new financial tools and instruments, ensure effective planning of managing the portfolios on mid-term and long-term level, and to ensure the quality control of the MFIs project agreements. The consultant will also provide direct capacity building and support on financial management to the partners and the beneficiaries when required, and to develop lending and financing policies, test their effectiveness, monitor the current situation and, develop new effective policies, procedures, practices, lending system and templates that are not currently available. Also, the consultant is required to develop an inclusive, transparent, and comprehensive manual to address all programs, including the current and potential needs and promoting PFESP connections with new finance partners

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Improve the quality of providing services related to the lending mechanisms and to ensure that it is fully in line with the project agreements to the MFIs.
  • Provide direct capacity building and support to the partners and beneficiaries on financial and lending management.
  • The consultant will also work to create new valuable financial products that can be proposed to be implemented through Start up projects.
  • To ensure the capacity building service and related activities are valued and trusted by our partners.
  • Ensuing that the PFESP is following/complying the principles of sound financial planning in accordance with international best practices on lending and financing.
  • Develop TOR for finance and lending system, and support the development of financing and lending digital system.
  • Assist to develop formal written policies and procedures on detailed tasks and sectors and duties (cash management, accounting/financial recording, procurement, operational management, authorization, and lending and financing manual and procedures).
  • Train PFESP staff on written policies and procedures to ensure that operating practices and procedures comply with the PFESP written policies.
  • Develop new proposals for long-term loans and to promoting PFESP connections with new financing institutions and/or organizations (i.e. FIS, EIB, EBRD, etc.)

DUTY STATION

  • The consultant will be located/based at the PFESP head office in Ramallah

 

Qualifications:

 

  • Master degree in Finance or Accounting, and preferably having a CPA or a CFA.
  • A minimum of 15 years of relevant assignment experience.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience in undertaking policies and procedures review and formation, especially in the lending and financing field.
  • Demonstrated relevant experience with financing institutions.
  • Excellent English and Arabic skills.
  • Personal commitment and effectiveness.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and meeting strict deadlines.
  • The ability to work individually and as part of a team.

Only applicants who have the required qualities, experience and skills will be considered. Interested applicants must include a resume and a covering letter explaining their suitability for the position (in English)

Please submit your application by e- mail to jobs@pfesp.ps to the attention of the HR Department no later than March 14, 2020.

Please include the job title in the subject line.

Applications received after this date or do not meet the qualifications above will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.