About Palladium

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

Project Overview

The goal of the USAID UMST Activity is to enhance sustainable and inclusive economic growth by strengthening businesses and the business-enabling environment in targeted sectors, while addressing the barriers faced by women, youth, and underrepresented groups. This Activity has the following specific objectives:

Objective 1: Reduced barriers to private sector growth in the ICT, tourism, and textiles sectors and green economy sub-sectors.
Objective 2: Increased private sector investment and access to finance in ICT, tourism, and textiles sectors and green economy sub-sectors.

Purpose of Position

Palladium seeks an Objective 2 Lead who will provide technical assistance, partnership management, and implementation oversight to project activities.

Duration

The USAID UMST Activity is projected for 5 years (September 30, 2023, to September 29, 2028).

Location

This position is located in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Reporting and Supervision

This position will report to the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP).

Responsibilities

Provide technical and managerial leadership, overseeing all technical activities and grant awards under Objective 2: Increased private sector investment and access to finance in the target sectors.
Support initial financial landscape analysis, including understanding supply and demand for SME financial products. Ensure findings on financial landscape analysis are integrated into sector approaches and grantee partnerships.
Identify opportunities to increase private sector investment in the target sectors, from both domestic and international investment funds.
Work with Sector Leads and relevant business associations to identify Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) seeking financing to meet buyer requirements.
Cultivate and foster a network of Financial Facilitators (FFs) to establish the framework for significant results in private sector engagement.
Support Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs) and Financial Institutions (FIs) in preparing applications for the project’s grant mechanism to receive technical assistance to increase lending products that target SMEs.
Link SMEs to FFs appropriate funds in Uzbekistan and provide technical assistance.
Participate in the review of concept notes and selection process of grantees.
Lead Objective 2 work planning and implementation to ensure program meets targets.
Provide necessary input for Objective 2 related monitoring, evaluation, and learning; gender and youth inclusion strategy; communication; and budgets.
Oversee all activities and staff ensuring compliance and delivery of results.
Any other activities assigned by the DCOP.

Required Qualifications

Degree in business, finance, trade, economics, international development, or another relevant field.
Minimum of five years’ experience creating concrete market opportunities in the private sector.
Proven experience in innovative financing and product development for SMEs, including transaction facilitation.
Proven experience in providing product development and financial literacy and supporting SMEs to develop bankable proposals.
Experience linking SMEs to investors in Uzbekistan.
Experience in establishing and strengthening productive and collaborative partnerships with international and local private sectors actors.
Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking and planning, management, and presentation skills.
Advanced communication and relationship building skills.
Fluency in the English language and strong written and spoken communication skills.

Application Deadline

This application will close on January 12, 2024.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.