Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:

Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)

Tier 2: Staff holding UNDP temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts and Expert and Specialist UNVs with host entity UNDP

Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Background

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of Nepal’s economy, contributing approximately 82% of total employment and 22% to value-added GDP. Despite their significance, access to finance remains a critical barrier to MSMEs’ growth and job creation—particularly in the agricultural sector, where smallholder farmers and agri-MSMEs often face challenges such as high collateral requirements, elevated interest rates, and limited tailored financial products.

Recognizing this persistent gap, the Government of Nepal has established the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund (DCGF) as the primary public institution to facilitate access to finance for MSMEs by providing partial credit guarantees to the financial institutions. However, DCGF’s current guarantee mechanism faces serious limitations: an over-leveraged portfolio, weak incentives for financial institutions to engage in genuine risk-sharing, and procedural barriers in claims processing. These factors have contributed to limit the effectiveness in improving MSME lending conditions, particularly for higher-risk and underserved segments such as agriculture.

To address these challenges, UNDP, in partnership with DCGF and UNCDF, is designing an Agriculture Credit Guarantee Scheme (Agri-CGS) as part of the Joint Programme “Innovative Financial Solutions for Local Food Systems Transformation in Nepal”, funded by Joint SDG Fund. The scheme aims to create a dedicated, blended finance guarantee window within DCGF to de-risk agricultural lending, crowd in private sector financing, and improve financial access for rural borrowers.

The Credit Guarantee Analyst is responsible to effectively rollout and operationalize these Schemes. The Credit Guarantee Analyst will provide technical leadership in finalizing the Agri-CGS strategy and roadmap, drafting core operational documents (operational manual, investment strategy, guarantee product specifications), and leading the design of the first individual guarantee product. S/he will also support consultations with participating financial institutions (PFIs), local governments, and development partners, while working closely with both UNDP and UNCDF. Where specialized expertise (e.g., legal, ICT, actuarial) is required, the incumbent will prepare Terms of Reference and guide the mobilization of additional support.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Credit Guarantee Analyst shall work under overall supervision of Asistant Resident Representative, Inclusive Economic Growth Portfolio, UNDP Nepal and directly report to the Project Manager. The incumbent will work in close coordination with the Chief Executive Officer at Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund (DCGF), which will host the Agri-CGS window. S/he will take guidance from Regional Blended Finance Specialist at UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) and closely collaborate with UNCDF. S/he shall coordinate with Strategic Specialist at UNDP on a day to day basis. The incumbent will have working space stationed at DCGF. 

The Credit Guarantee Analyst will provide technical leadership in the design and operationalization of the Agri-CGS under DCGF, working closely with UNDP, UNCDF and DCGF. The incumbent will ensure that the scheme is designed in line with international best practices and adapted to the context of Nepal’s financial sector. The scope of work combines strategic design, technical drafting, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building. The details are given below:

1. Product design and roll out:

• Coordinate the design of the pilot individual credit guarantee product under the project
• Lead the development of negotiating frameworks and other required documents to pilot the guarantee product
• Facilitate consultations with participating financial institutions, local governments, cooperatives, and development partners for validation, operationalization and improvement of the designed guarantee product
• Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders

2. Technical support for policy instruments and operational tools 

• Provide technical support for the development of standardized templates, operational manual and other operational tools
• Ensure effective oversight, transparency, and accountability in the operationalization of guarantee product

3. Advisory support, capacity building, knowledge management and reporting 

• Provide technical support for the development of monitoring tools, reporting templates, impact measurement framework and digital solutions
• Draft the required Terms of Reference (ToRs) under the programme
• Provide capacilty building support to the DCGF staff, PFIs, local governments, and other relevant stakeholders 
• Provide technical support to DCGF and Programme on guarantee operations, risk management, claims handling, guarantee underwriting, portfolio monitoring, and reporting
• Prepare periodic progress reports for UNDP
• Provide additional day-to-day technical support to the DCGF in consultation with UNDP and UNCDF as necessary.

4. Ensure mainstreaming of Gender & Social Inclusion (GESI)

• Ensure that GESI is well captured and mainstreamed in all policy documents and operational tools
• Provide technical support to DCGF and Programme in integrating GESI in training, monitoring and capacity building activities. 
• Work closely with the Programme to ensure GESI related results          

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

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 development    

• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Business management     

• Partnerships 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
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Resource Management: Allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with business needs and priorities and principles of accountability and integrity

2030 Agenda: People    

• Gender: Gender Mainstreaming

2030 Agenda: Peace    

• Governance: Inclusion and Participation

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Banking and Finance, Microfinance, Development Finance, Development Economics, Business Management, or a related field is required; or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum two years (with Master´s degree) or four years (with Bachelor´s degree) of work experience in the field of development finance, feasibility studies related to improving access to finance.

Required skills:

• Good knowledge in the usage of computer and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.)

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Experience in designing and implementing credit guarantee schemes.
• Experience in designing and implementing agriculture schemes.
• Familiarity with the economic and financial landscape of Nepal.
• Experience of strong stakeholder engagement and experience working with governments, financial institutions, and development agencies.
• Experience of working with financial intermediaries such as banks, microfinance, insurance companies, and others.
• Proven strong analytical aptitude and writing skills
• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills
• Experience in accommodating the issues of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in the field of development finance
• Gender Equality and Social Inclusion will be considered.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral English and Nepali language is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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