Senior Technical Advisor, Commercial Lending Partnerships

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Guatemala, +2 more countries.

📋 Description

• Lead the CRS strategy aimed at enhancing commercial lending partnerships to support inclusive financing for SMEs and vulnerable populations.

• Develop and manage relationships with commercial banks and financial institutions.

• Act as the technical lead for SME commercial lending solutions, including guarantees, first-loss structures, subordinated loans, and technical assistance.

• Create and document flexible approaches, tools, and guidelines.

• Guide readiness and capacity-building initiatives for regional and country teams.

• Foster cross-regional learning and knowledge sharing.

• Assist regional and country teams, as well as initiatives like Azure, Isidro Fund, and Blue Harvest, in identifying local lending opportunities and partnerships.

• Provide technical direction in proposal development, project design, and program management related to commercial lending and blended finance.

• Contribute to knowledge management through practices, lessons learned, case studies, partnership models, and implementation evidence.

• Track trends in commercial banking, impact investing, blended finance, and SME financing.

• Advise CRS leadership along with regional and country teams on financing partnerships and resource mobilization.

• Represent CRS at global and regional forums, networks, and partnerships.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Master's degree in finance, economics, business administration, or a related field.

• A minimum of ten years of professional experience with increasing responsibilities in blended finance or similar domains.

• At least five years of international experience across various regions in a technical advisory or program management role within a commercial lending partnerships program or a multi-sector project involving a lending institution component.

• Proven experience collaborating with donors, development banks, and funds to facilitate local bank lending for SMEs.

• In-depth understanding of commercial bank priorities, lending constraints, incentives, and operations, along with direct experience in executing SME lending.

• Comprehensive knowledge of financial structures and mechanisms utilized in development programming.

• Exceptional skills in relationship management, strategic planning, analytical thinking, problem-solving, systems thinking, written communication, and verbal communication.

• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Spanish.

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 35% of the time.

• Experience in the agriculture and water sectors is preferred.

• Strong preference for experience working in multicultural teams and in the LACRO region.

• Must have the legal right to work in the location where the position is based.

🏝️ Benefits

• For U.S.-based staff: medical, dental, life insurance, vision coverage, and a generous retirement savings plan.

• Benefits packages for candidates employed outside the U.S. will be tailored based on the country of employment or in-country office.

• A collaborative and mission-driven work culture.

• Commitment to equal opportunity employment.

• Organizational policies and Code of Conduct focused on safeguarding.