MSME Resilience Expert in Serbia

The consultant will provide technical support on building MSMEs resilience in the Republic of Serbia as part of the Strengthening Transboundary Collaboration and Capacities on Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning System in the Western Balkans initiative. The role involves assessing MSME resilience needs, adapting UNDRR resilience tools, supporting business continuity planning advisory services, piloting resilience tools with MSMEs, and fostering dialogue among stakeholders to promote MSME resilience.

Responsibilities

• Assess existing MSME resilience needs, policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, and support services in Serbia through consultations with public and private sector stakeholders.
• Adapt and promote UNDRR's MSME resilience tools to ensure their relevance, accessibility, translation, and uptake in Serbia.
• Support the establishment of a sustainable Business Continuity Planning (BCP) advisory service within the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, integrating the use of the tailored tools and guidance developed into existing advisory services for MSMEs.
• Pilot the application of the adapted resilience tools and advisory approach with MSMEs to validate their practical relevance and identify opportunities for improvement and scale-up.
• Support dialogue among government institutions, financial institutions, business associations, MSMEs, and other relevant stakeholders to promote a sustainable enabling environment for MSME resilience.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in economics, statistics, public administration, social sciences, or related area is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with at least two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five years of working experience in the field of economic development, SMEs, business resilience, sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, or related areas is required.
• Experience supporting the resilience capacity of SME's in Serbia is desirable.
• Fluency in English and Serbian is required.

Skills

• Economic Development
• SME Resilience
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Business Continuity
• Resilience Assessment
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Sustainable Development
• Technical Advisory
• Resilience Tools Adaptation
• Transboundary Collaboration

Languages

English, Serbian