Technical Associate-Access to Finance

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Post Date :2026-04-15 Close Date :2026-04-22

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Job location:	KABUL	Organization:
Nationality:	Afghan	Years of Experience:	3-7 Year's
Category :	Technical Associate-Access to Finance	Contract Duration:	4-Month
Employment Type:	Short Term	Gender:	Any
Salary:	2,500$	Education:	Master Degree
Vacancy Number:	0792	Number of Available Positions:	1

About :

Job Summary :

Technical Associate-Access to Finance

Job Requirements :

UNDP Global Mission Statement:

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

 UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement:

UNDP has been working across Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods and rule of law. Guided by the government and its Development Councils, our work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework. As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Project background:

Afghanistan’s financial sector has faced profound disruption following the political transition in August 2021, resulting in severe liquidity constraints, weakened financial intermediation, and widespread financial exclusion. An estimated majority of adults remain unbanked, with women disproportionately affected due to structural barriers, mobility restrictions, and limited access to formal financial services. While informal mechanisms such as hawala continue to function, access to regulated, consumer‑protected, and Shariah‑compliant financial products remains extremely limited, constraining private sector activity, MSME growth, and household income stabilization. These challenges are further compounded by international sanctions, reduced correspondent banking relationships, and heightened risk aversion among financial institutions operating in a fragile and highly constrained environment.

In response, UNDP Afghanistan has launched the Access to Finance (A2F) Flagship Initiative as a strategic, systems‑level intervention to revitalize the private sector and expand inclusive access to finance in line with Islamic finance principles. With a planned investment of approximately USD 6.1 million in 2026, A2F is designed to address critical market failures by strengthening Islamic finance infrastructure, unlocking capital for MSMEs, particularly women‑led enterprises—and expanding digital financial inclusion. The initiative complements UNDP’s Area‑Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives (ABADEI) by providing the financial infrastructure and market systems necessary for community‑level economic recovery, resilience, and sustainable livelihoods, thereby helping shift from short‑term emergency assistance toward longer‑term, market‑driven solutions.

A2F adopts a coordinated delivery model that combines technical assistance, risk‑sharing mechanisms, and partnerships with vetted private sector actors, financial institutions, and non‑governmental organizations, while operating fully within UN engagement principles and regulatory constraints. Key pillars of the initiative include the establishment of the Afghanistan Center of Excellence for Islamic Finance (ACEIF) to institutionalize Shariah‑compliant finance capabilities; the expansion of gender‑responsive financing instruments such as credit guarantees and a Women’s Enterprise Fund; the scaling of digital payment solutions to reach underserved and low‑connectivity populations; and targeted support to MSME competitiveness and market access. Through these mutually reinforcing components, A2F aims to catalyze private capital, reduce lending risk, and create sustainable pathways for economic participation, with a strong focus on women, youth, returnees, and other vulnerable groups.

Job Summary:

The Technical Associate (Access to Finance) will provide dedicated technical, coordination, and field‑level implementation support to UNDP Afghanistan’s Access to Finance (A2F) Flagship Initiative. Working under the supervision of the A2F Project Manager / Private Sector Specialist, the incumbent will play a critical role in translating A2F’s strategic objectives into operational results by supporting the rollout of Islamic finance instruments, gender‑responsive financing mechanisms, and digital financial inclusion interventions targeting MSMEs, with a particular focus on women‑owned enterprises and vulnerable groups. The assignment requires close collaboration with financial institutions, UN agencies, development partners, NGOs, and relevant regulatory stakeholders to ensure that A2F interventions are well‑coordinated, context‑appropriate, and compliant with UNDP standards.

The Technical Associate will combine hands‑on implementation support with strong monitoring and quality assurance functions, including field verification of results, stakeholder coordination, data tracking, and reporting. The role is designed to strengthen the effectiveness, credibility, and scalability of A2F interventions by identifying operational bottlenecks, supporting partner capacity, and ensuring that financial services reach intended beneficiaries in a safe, inclusive, and sustainable manner. Operating in a complex and high‑risk environment, the Technical Associate is expected to work proactively, demonstrate sound judgment, and contribute substantively to adaptive project management, knowledge generation, and evidence‑based decision‑making under the A2F programme.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The consultants will work closely with the the A2F Project Manager to support the activities implementation and perform the following tasks:

·       Support operationalization of the Afghanistan Center of Excellence for Islamic Finance (ACEIF), including coordination with ICPSD and partner institutions.

·       Support engagement with banks/MFIs on the deployment and scaling of Shariah‑compliant financial products.

·       Support implementation of gender‑responsive lending mechanisms, including the Women’s Enterprise Fund and credit guarantee schemes, in coordination with UN Women.

·       Assist in scaling digital financial services, including mobile money, e‑wallets, and USSD‑based solutions, in coordination with UNCDF.

·       Coordinate with UN agencies (UN Women, UNCDF, UNCTAD) and development partners to ensure alignment with joint workplans.

·       Liaise with financial institutions, fintechs, telecom operators, and business associations to identify bottlenecks and support solutions.

·       Support technical engagement with Da Afghanistan Bank and relevant authorities, under UNDP guidance.

·       Coordinate with NGOs and community organizations to extend outreach, especially to women‑owned MSMEs.

·       Conduct field monitoring missions and verify reported outputs and beneficiary data.

·       Ensure sex‑disaggregated data collection and alignment with the project results framework.

·       Support compliance with UNDP Social and Environmental Standards (SES).

·       Contribute to donor reports, progress updates, and project review meetings.

·       Review technical deliverables produced by partners and consultants for quality and coherence.

·       Document lessons learned, success stories, and innovation cases.

·       Support preparation of ToRs, procurement inputs, partner reporting reviews, and logistical arrangements as required.

·       Perform other related duties assigned by the supervisor.

 

 

Skills:

Language:

• Excellent written and oral English skills a necessary requirement.
• Excellent spoken and verbal skills of Pashto and Dari languages required.

 

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

 

Functional Competencies:

·       Knowledge Management and Learning.

·       In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

·       Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

 

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure.
• Proven networking, team building, organizational and communication skills.

 

Qualifications

 

Years of experience:

·       At least 3-7 years of relevant field experience in in finance, economics, business administration, development studies, or a related field is required.

·       Demonstrated experience in working with or within financial institutions (banks, MFIs, fintech companies) on product development, digital finance, or lending programs for MSMEs. Prior work on credit guarantee schemes, SME loan portfolios, or women-focused financial programs will be viewed favorably.

• Financial analysis and risk assessment skills.

·       Familiarity with digital financial services.

·       Monitoring, evaluation, and data analysis skills.

·       Strong reporting and documentation skills.

·       Experience with government, UN and donor agencies in Afghanistan is an advantage.

·       Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages.

 

Job Location:

·       Kabul.

·       Possible Travel to other different districts/provinces (The consultant is required to pay the travel expenses from the salary paid to them)

·       Payment:  Payment will be made by Moore Afghanistan against timesheets approved by UNDP Area Manager.

·       Duration of the assignment: (03 May – 31^st August 2026 )

·       Travel Cost and DSA: Salary is inclusive of DSA and Travel Cost

Office Facility:

v  UNDP will not provide office facilities during this assignment.

v  The consultant is expected to bring his/her laptop with him/her.

v  Consultant is expected to come well-equipped with his/her own technological solutions (i.e. roaming mobile, personal email address).

v  Office Supplies and Printing Facilities: UNDP will not provide office supplies or printing facilities during this assignment.

v  Communication Facilities: UNDP will not provide access to internet during this assignment and missions, except when the consultants is presented inside the UNDP office premises.

Education:       

·       Master’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, development studies, or other relevant fields.

 

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  

Submission Guideline :

Submission Guideline: Qualified candidates should submit a Cover Letter and Resume through Jobs.af.

Submission Email :