Before year's end, draw level (4)
I believe the answer is:
tier
'level' is the definition.
('tier' can be a synonym of 'level')
'before year's end draw' is the wordplay.
'before' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'end' says to take the final letters.
'draw' becomes 'tie' ('tie' can be a synonym of 'draw'**).
The final letter of 'year' is 'r'.
'r' put after 'tie' is 'TIER'.
(Other definitions for tier that I've seen before include "Row, level" , "he hasn't won?" , "Row in theatre" , "Row, layer" , "Level within hierarchy" .)