With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

A. Main Responsibilities:

1. Market assessment and capacity building:

Collaborate the VFI Senior Technical Agriculture Finance Advisor and independent consultant to conduct comprehensive market assessments to understand the financing needs of farmers and off-farm agricultural enterprises.Conduct a comprehensive review of current agricultural loan products, Identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.Establish organisation capacity gaps based on the market needs within SMT and the resultant organization and build the capacity of internal teams to navigate and adapt to the dynamic agricultural landscape.Offer guidance on mitigating the impact of climate change within the agricultural lending context. This will be done in to context of VFI Climate strategy (currently under review).

2. Deep dives and strategic analysis:

Based on the market analysis, undertake in-depth analyses of existing MFU products and advise how to extract pointers for building better Agri finance product.Research, analyze and collect market intelligence on market trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements in the agriculture financing space in the country.

 3. Country agriculture master planning:

In partnership with VFI Senior Technical Agriculture Finance Advisor, MFU management team for the agricultural lending unit, delineating clear short-term and long-term goals.Develop a simple, clear effective implementation of the plan, ensuring that all activities align with MFU's strategic plan and VFIs Vison 2030 and THRIVE 2030

4. Product design and piloting

Lead product design and piloting: Drive the development and testing of improved and new agricultural loan products for both groups, enterprises and individuals.Collaborate with teams, conduct market research, and incorporate stakeholder feedback for product refinement.Ensure documentation excellence: Establish a thorough documentation process for the entire product development lifecycle. From ideation to evaluation, create precise specifications and user guides, ensuring clarity, compliance, and effective communication

5. Streamlining business processes

Work with Operation Manager and VFI product manager to devise a strong agriculture portfolio through credit policies, and digital processes to optimize product implementation.Craft recommendations for adjusting terms, interest rates, and eligibility criteria that will make the product design a living document yet stable and not prone to simplistic adjustment that will compromise the portfolio quality

6. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Conduct regular field visits to gather client feedback and track the product's performance against objectives.Assist in preparing reports on loan repayment rates, adoption of climate-smart technologies, and overall client financial health.Collaborate with branch to identify and address emerging challenges.Working closely with M&E staff to develop monitoring tools for measuring project outcome.

7. Project management

Support Operation Manager in the planning, implementation of all project activitiesAssist Operation Manager to ensure that project activities are completed on time, within budget and to a high standardSupport Operation Manager in managing project budgets, ensuring that funds are used effectively and efficientlyPrepare semi-annual, annual narrative progress reports for submission to donors.Ensure compliance with MFU financial policies and procedures, including proper documentation and record-keeping of all financial transactions.Work closely with the Finance team to ensure the integrity of financial documents, procedures and reports.

B. Requirements:

At least 3 years of experience in agricultural project management, financial product development, or rural development programs.Experience working with smallholder farmers and familiarity with climate-smart agriculture is highly desirable.Proficiency in project management tools and data analysis software is an advantage.Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Rural Development, or a related field

Technical Knowledge:Understanding of climate-smart agriculture practices and technologies.Familiarity with microfinance product design and implementation in rural areas.Analytical and Organizational Skills:Ability to conduct market assessments and analyze data for actionable insights.Strong planning and organizational skills to handle multiple tasks effectively.Communication and Interpersonal Skills:Strong verbal and written communication skills for stakeholder engagement.Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and external partners.Adaptability and Problem-Solving:Flexible approach to addressing on-ground challenges in a dynamic agricultural landscape.Proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.

Applicant Types Accepted: