Background
The project is designed to address the gender-specific barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan, with a focus on improving access to resources, capacity building, mentorship, and advocacy for systemic change. The outcome of the project is to empower women entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan by enhancing their access to resources, the skills to sustainably grow their businesses, and advocating for policy reforms to create a gender-responsive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The project aims to significantly enhance the performance and growth of women-led SMEs by providing tailored business acceleration programs. These programs will improve business practices, increase access to financing, and equip women entrepreneurs with essential skills, such as financial literacy, business strategy development, and loan application procedures. The project will focus on developing a gender-sensitive capacity-building curriculum and a comprehensive mentoring framework that takes into account the unique challenges faced by women. This is expected to result in stronger, more resilient women-led businesses that are better positioned to access new markets and resources.
Through the implementation of a robust mentorship program, the project will connect women entrepreneurs with experienced mentors who can provide personalized guidance. The mentorship will focus on strategic business growth, leadership skills, financial planning, and overcoming gender-specific barriers in entrepreneurship. By fostering a supportive peer network, the mentorship program will also help build long-term relationships among women entrepreneurs, strengthening their confidence and capacity for business leadership. Over time, this will contribute to increasing the number of women entrepreneurs successfully scaling their businesses and taking on leadership roles in Uzbekistanโs economy.
The project will also drive systemic change by improving the research, policy advocacy, and broader entrepreneurial ecosystem for women entrepreneurs. By conducting in-depth research on the needs of women-led businesses, including access to finance, markets, and resources, the project will provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers and financial institutions. This will create a more supportive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, resulting in improved access to finance, mentorship, and market opportunities.
Duties and Responsibilities
Support the Project Specialist in coordinating project activities on the digital entrepreneurship environment and digital skills of young entrepreneursโ development by undertaking day-to-day responsibilities, including the following:
Identify digital capacity gaps and operationalize online tools for comprehensive analysis of youth-led businesses. Analyze data and based on that design digital training programs for the youth; Guide and support ย to identify future skills needs in the context of technological change (focusing on digital and green economy) and innovation, including a sector-based approach; Establish partnerships with training centres and Business Development Service (BDS) providers; Provide digital entrepreneurship development training (for youth-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, individual entrepreneurs, and self-employed youth by enhancing their digital entrepreneurship skills, including women-led and from rural areas); Provide youth-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with advisory support on digital transformation, identification of digitalization opportunities, developing digitalization strategies and access to digital Business Advisory Services (BDS); Pilot the digital BDS support service to youth- led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in collaboration with national partners; Develop and pilot context-adapted and gender-sensitive emerging technology solutions for the digital transformation of youth-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises companies; Pilot digitalization of the value chains based on a comprehensive analysis of each phase of value creation; Provide inputs for annual reports, work plans and any other planning, and monitoring documents required by the UNDP; Liaise with relevant stakeholders to obtain any support and guidance required for the implementation of project activities; Guide and support the Project Manager in preparing and submitting promptly, other programmatic reports and ensure that the reports meet corporate quality standards; Be proactive in advising response to opportunities for resource mobilization and fundraising; Liaise with other UNDP projects to implement possible synergies; Document lessons learned and best practices; Access global best practices, share them with relevant local and international stakeholders and ensure their incorporation into the project implementation and design process; Provide any other necessary support in coaching and guidance for the project staff that will boost their capacity to deliver results.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Project Analyst will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager. The Project Analyst will ensure smooth and timely delivery of operations specified in the ToR in accordance with the annual work plan and annual plan of activities of the Project through performing the required duties and responsibilities.
Competencies
Core Competencies
Achieve Results:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline. Think Innovatively:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is a pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements. Learn Continuously:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open-minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback. Adapt with Agility:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible. Act with Determination:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in the face of adversity, confident. Engage and Partner:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships. Enable Diversity and Inclusion:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.Cross-functionalย &ย Technicalย Competenciesย
Business Acumen:ย ย ย ย Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome.ย Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks.ย Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization. Knowledge Generation:ย ย ย ย Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.ย Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.ย Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations. Monitoring & Evaluation:ย ย ย ย Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively.ย Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.ย Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.ย Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.ย Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.ย Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.ย Data Analysis:ย ย ย ย Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making. Digital Inclusion:ย Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society. Gender:ย ย ย ย Communication and Advocacy for Gender Equality. Inclusive Growth:ย ย ย ย Green Economy.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Experience:
Applicants with a masterโs degree in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.ย Applicants with a bachelorโs degree are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in the field of digitalization, start-up development, capacity-building programs, economic development, development of MSME, gender equality and youth issues.ยRequired Skills:
Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.Desired Skills:
Strong skills in project coordination, M&E, financial management, and policy research. Experienced in budgeting, impact assessment, and reporting, ensuring alignment with economic development, finance, and social policy goals; Proven ability to collaborate with governments, partners, and private sector;ย Skilled in capacity-building, training, and workshops. Strong communication and report-writing expertise for structured, impactful documentation;ย Advanced digital skills in data visualization, management systems, and reporting tools;ย Strong problem-solving, multitasking, and UNDP policy knowledge, ensuring effective project implementation, monitoring, and alignment with development goals;ย Previous work experience in any development organization or dealing with international and national experts and institutions is an advantage; Proven experience in the development of research papers and reports, publications and analytical notes is desired; Experience and good understanding of private sector development issues, digital economy, IT and innovative technologies and systems, business and entrepreneurship regulatory environment and financing mechanisms is an advantage; Proven experience and knowledge of the countryโs institutional framework and policies on employment and labour markets would be desirable.ยRequiredย Languages:
Fluency in English and Uzbek is required.ย A good command of the Russian language is desirable.Others:
Women candidates are strongly recommended to apply.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.ย
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.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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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