Debt Finance Advisor

Economic Transformation Cluster ETC

Duty station- Addis Ababa

Contract duration-31/05/2028

Ethiopia is undergoing a major economic shift away from a state-led economic model towards a more liberal, market-based one. This transformation is driven by Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda 2.0 (HGER 2.0) and accompanying macroeconomic reforms initiated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The HGER 2.0 and the supplementary 10-Year Development Plan (2021-2030) aim to promote private sector-led economic growth, achieve macroeconomic stabilization, and initiate structural transformations. This includes the liberalization of key sectors, the promotion of foreign investment and the integration of Ethiopia into the global economy.

The project “Private Sector Development in Ethiopia” (PSD-E), implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Government and co-financed by the European Union (EU), contributes to Ethiopia’s reform efforts of promoting a private sector-led economic transformation. The project specifically aims to strengthen the Ethiopian private sector to become more competitive and resilient. This is accomplished by strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of local, transformative companies with high growth potential and scalable business models, start-ups in the growth phase and other MSMEs – especially those that act as service providers, suppliers or customers of the transformative companies. The project also works with financial institutions (FIs) and the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) to improve the conditions for companies to access finance. Additionally, it also supports Ministry of Revenue (MoR) and Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC) to improve selected customs and tax procedures. Finally the project also and strengthens the resilience of, particularly women-led MSMEs, in (post-)conflict regions in Ethiopia by enhancing their business performance and creditworthiness.

The relevant intervention area for this job advertisement is to cooperate with FIs and the National Bank of Ethiopia to improve the conditions for companies to access finance. This position contributes to improving access to finance for companies particularly (M)SMEs and transformative companies by strengthening the capacities and service offerings of financial institutions and supporting the NBE in advancing an inclusive financial system.

To support the above-described intervention area, the PSD-E project is looking for an experienced, dynamic and proactive Debt Finance Advisor (m/f) with in-depth expertise in financial product development, capacity building of FIs and project management with experience in international organizations.

Thus, are you an expert in the finance industry and are very familiar with the financial market landscape of Ethiopia? Do you have experience with working in international institutions? Are you passionate about working with and advising financial institutions? Do you want to work in an international team with nice and motivated colleagues? Then apply for this exciting position!!

Job Summary:

The Debt Finance Advisor will support improved access to debt financing for MSMEs, startups in growth phase, and transformative companies in Ethiopia. The role focuses on working with banks, MFIs, leasing institutions, and regulators to improve lending products, credit processes, and institutional capacity.

The advisor will help companies access loans and other debt instruments that enable growth, competitiveness, and resilience.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Advisory Service:

• Conduct comprehensive market assessments to identify barriers that hinder businesses access finance, including regulatory, institutional, and market-related challenges
• Provide tailored advisory services for FIs, assessing their financial product and service portfolio
• Support and coordinate training for staff of FIs on new financial products and services
• Support for the development and implementation of innovative financial products designed to increase access to finance, including piloting of financial products, scaling successful models.
• Provide Advisory to companies to become credit-worthy.

Project Management/Coordination:

• Manage contracts with national and international consultants (i.e., including steering of weekly meetings, close follow-up to ensure high quality of their deliveries and timely financial reporting, etc.)
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to create and monitor detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, and performance indicators; esp. proactive contribution to GIZ’s Access to finance and Competitiveness team.
• Build and maintain robust relationships with FIs, government agencies, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing

Where appropriate and reasonable, the position holder shall perform tasks outside the scope of the job description

Qualifications and experience:

• Master’s degree in finance, Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies or a related field.
• Minimum of five years demonstrated experience working with commercial banks, microfinance institutions, leasing companies, or cooperative finance institutions.
• Strong understanding of MSME lending, credit risk management, portfolio quality monitoring, and loan recovery practices.
• Experience in designing, advising, and roll-out of multiple financial products such as working capital loans, term loans, asset finance, agricultural finance, trade finance, or value chain finance.
• Knowledge of collateral systems, credit information systems, guarantee schemes, and alternative credit assessment tools.
• Practical familiarity with digital tools, including digital lending platforms relevant to financial services, credit processes, portfolio management, etc.
• Certifications in finance is an added advantage.
• Experience with international organizations is an advantage.

Skills:

• Strong digital skill.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Amharic.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Ability to present technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong negotiation and facilitation skills.
• Good project management and coordination skills.
• Strong teamwork and ability to work in multicultural environments.

Language Proficiency:

• Excellent knowledge of English and Amharic both in speaking and writing