Back Principal Manager, Advice for Small Businesses

Requisition ID 35950 Office Country Iraq Office City Baghdad Division Banking Sectors Contract Type Fixed Term Contract Length 2 years Posting End Date 26/08/2025

The date of appointment of the successful candidate to the Principal Manager position in EBRD’s office in Iraq will be subject to necessary approval to open an office in Iraq being obtained. While this process is still under way, EBRD will issue a conditional offer to the successful candidate and will confirm the employment start date as soon as the institutional approval process is completed.

As this role involves collaboration with international teams, we kindly ask that you submit your resume in English.

Purpose of Job

Under the supervision of Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director/Regional Head, the Principal is responsible for managing Advice for Small Businesses (ASB) activities in the country with the small scope of operation (small country or a team of less than [5] people, “Small Country / Team”) or leading sub-set of these activities (“Relevant ASB Line of Business”). The Relevant ASB Line of Business may include but not be limited to MIS approvals or respective programmes to act as a lead/key point of contact, resource and support to the overall team in the respective geography (region/large country) at the operational level (e.g. Star Venture, Women in Business, Youth in Business, Risk Sharing Facility, Supply Chain Financing, Digitalization or similar). The Principal will contribute to the development and implementation of the country’s annual business plan, quality assurance of the delivery of ASB or Relevant ASB Line of Business, taking responsibility for managing the conception, implementation, completion and evaluation of ASB projects in a small country. Under the supervision of RPM/AD, the Principal will manage the project portfolio, design and implementation of market development, business development, visibility and outreach activities, policy dialogue, as well as the finance and administration of the local operation in a small county. The Principal is responsible for creating productive and stimulating working environment in order to promote and generate innovation and creative ideas and products addressing the evolving Bank’s strategic priorities (e.g. digital, green, inclusion), consistent with best practices in the industry and IFIs. Importantly, the Principal will personally champion and role model the Bank’s ethics culture by ensuring the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in the team’s performance.

Under the supervision of Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, the Principal should maintain open and constructive relations both internally within the EBRD (e.g. RO, sector teams and departments across the bank) and externally with the local business and consulting community, financial institutions, donors and key private sector and government stakeholders.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director/Regional Head, and in cooperation with respective SME bankers, contribute to the development of annual operational plan including the objectives of the Small Business Initiative (SBI) for the country, setting operational targets, innovative initiatives, including the grant guideline matrix for projects.
• Responsible and accountable for the local ASB country teams’ delivery or “Relevant ASB activities” in full alignment with the Bank’s policies, donor requirements, internally set quality, internal controls and compliance standards, as well as highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct working with credible and respectable counterparties and mitigating financial or reputational risks to the Bank or donor.
• Act as a lead, reference, and support to the overall team in the respective region for a “Relevant ASB Activities”.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, contribute to the business development activities to increase the outreach to quality clients and generate pipeline for banking. Ensure close co-operation with respective SME F&D and Sector Teams’ (including IF in the context of integrated products) bankers for a maximum synergy between advisory and banking.
• Coordinate a regular analysis of the ASB portfolio to generate ideas for follow-up support and new initiatives.
• Follow market trends and contribute with innovative ideas and products to address evolving market needs.
• Under the supervision of Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, manage the implementation of EBRD and SME F&D’s priority agenda (e.g. digital, green, and inclusion) to raise awareness and interest to generate more projects in priority areas. Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, manage the donor-funded budget for the country, including monitoring grant and operational disbursements via local bank accounts, to ensure the budget is managed efficiently, effectively, and transparently with maximum duty of care.
• Qualify/approve new local consultants and sign-off on international experts, as well as manage relation with them in accordance with internal policies and procedures, ensuring engagement of high quality and integrity professionals.
• Under the guidelines of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, implement visibility activities in the country to raise awareness of the relevant advisory work to reach out to prospective clients across the country, and ensure maximum visibility for EBRD and donors.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, coordinate relations with a diverse stakeholder group, such as local stakeholders, including relevant government institutions, business organisations, and representatives of international organisations.
• Support Regional Principal Manager/ Associate Director/Regional Head and HQ in effective management of donor funds, including through regular reporting, audits and evaluations, so to always be able to demonstrate and verify that public funding has been used prudently, for the intended purpose, and with impact that justifies its expenditure.
• Under the supervision of the Regional Principal Manager/Associate Director, responsible for the engagement and effective overall management of the Team including recruitment, performance management, coaching and development. Where matrix reporting is in place, work jointly with the country counterpart when setting objectives and completing performance appraisals for relevant staff.
• Responsible for the management of the local team in accordance with EBRD Behavioural competences and best practice to ensure healthy, respectful and stimulating working environment for the team.

  Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

  • Education/Professional qualifications
  • BA/MA from a recognised programme in international development, finance, economics or business and/or equivalent work experience

    Experience

    • Relevant professional experience, preferably from commercial management consultancy, corporates or bank, donor organisation, or international financial institution, or support programme.
    • Knowledge of local/regional business environment, SME and consultancy market.
    • Expertise or solid experience working in at least one of the SME F&D Priority Areas (e.g. ESG, sustainable supply chains, digitalisation, Risk Sharing Facility/Supply Chain Financing, Blue Ribbon, Digitalization, or Management Information Systems/Internal Quality Assurance), as well as market trends in these areas.
    • Knowledge of business advisory services.
    • Knowledge of relevant stakeholders such as SME Associations or support organisations, development agencies, chambers of commerce & industry, and other relevant partners.
    • Knowledge of donor funded work, donor organisations is desirable, with experience in managing programme and project budgets.
    • Familiarity with the topics of green economy and economic inclusion.
    • Experience and ability to manage the team in a complex and matrix organizational structures, within the context of an international and multicultural setting, as well as complex processes and initiatives Ability to effectively present relevant ASB Activities at different public fora and media/communication channels.

      Skills

      • Business / financial analytical skills, with the ability to interpret accounts, understanding of accounting principles and practice of company financial analysis.
      • People management (recruitment, mentoring, coaching) skills.
      • Experience with and understanding of local small businesses – their development challenges, financing needs, strengths and weaknesses.
      • Strong business diagnostics skills.
      • Strong project management and organisational skills.
      • Strong problem solving skills and ability to think creatively.
      • Effective communication, presentation and negotiation skills and ability to manage relations with a diverse group of, including clients and consultants and local stakeholders.
      • Skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with relevant stakeholders, and representatives of international organisations.
      • Fluency in English and local language(s), both written and verbal. Strong writing skills in English and local language(s).
      • Experience in writing project proposals, terms of references or reports.
      • Computer literate: excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel and Power Point, ability to learn new systems quickly.

        General

        📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

        ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

        • Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the EBRD mandate, passionate about private sector development.
        • Ability to work in multi-cultural environment.
        • Multi-tasking, self-initiative.
        • Ability to meet deadlines.
        • Ability and willingness to travel extensively within the country and internationally.
        • Strong presentation skills to represent EBRD in public fora, and with interlocutors at ministerial level.
        • Strong leadership skills, with experience in leading at a senior level, interpreting and delivering strategies and programmes.
        • Ability to convincingly articulate strategy and resource needs to EBRD senior management.
        • Strategic vision to recognise opportunities to innovate and lead the team in developing those opportunities into initiatives/projects that can be implemented.

          What is it like to work at the EBRD? / About EBRD

          Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people's lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in.

          At EBRD, our Values – Inclusiveness, Innovation, Trust, and Responsibility – are at the heart of how we work. We bring these to life through our Workplace Behaviours: listening well and speaking up, collaborating smartly, acting decisively with full commitment, and simplifying to amplify our impact. These principles shape our culture and define our success. We seek individuals who not only share these values but are also committed to embedding them in their daily work, fostering a positive and high-performing environment.

          The EBRD environment provides you with:

        • Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in.
        • A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity. Our workforce reflects a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, bringing fresh ideas, energy, and innovation and enhancing our ability to serve our clients, shareholders, and counterparties effectively.
        • A hybrid workplace that offers flexibility to teams and individuals; that is based on trust, flexibility and connectedness.
        • An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital transformation at the heart of what we do.
        • A workplace that prioritises employee wellbeing and provides a comprehensive suite of competitive benefits.

          Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic background or disability.

          Please note, that due to the high volume of applications received, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted (for further consideration).