FINANCE SPECIALIST

RURAL FINANCE SPECIALIST

Job Title: Rural Finance Specialist

Location: KaKholwane office

Reporting to: Project Manager

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Smallholder Agricultural Productivity Enhancement and Marketing Project (SAPEMP) is an eight (8)-year project funded by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (GOE), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) being the lead agency for execution. The lead implementing agency is Eswatini Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise (EWADE), which has set up and housed the project management unit. The project goal is to contribute to the sustainable reduction of poverty in rural Eswatini.

The Project Development Objective is to sustainably increase Smallholder Farmers (SHF)’s production, nutrition and incomes and build their resilience to Climate Change (CC) through three outcomes: (i) Production and productivity of the target value chains (vegetable and legumes) increased, resilience and nutrition of smallholder farming households improved; (ii) Incomes of rural smallholders from marketing of supported value chains improved; (iii) Service delivery by stronger government and rural institutions improved.

The Project is national in scope covering all four (4) regions: Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, and Shiselweni.

Sub component 2.2 of the Project “Access to Green and Value Chain Financial Services” aims at facilitating access to appropriate, accessible and sustainable financial services to Value Chains actors, through implementation of a guarantee facility and a line of credit for financial institutions, a climate finance facility, technical assistance to financial institutions, a Green Challenge Fund, financial literacy of project beneficiaries and support to agricultural insurance.

OBJECTIVE

The Rural Finance Specialist will coordinate all the activities of Sub-Component 2.2 and ensure objectives of the subcomponent are achieved and contribute to the overall objectives of the project.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To have a clear grasp of SAPEMP’s objectives, strategy and results and a clear focus towards their achievement.
• To coordinate all the activities of Subcomponent 2.2.
• To promote access to finance interventions for project beneficiaries.
• To take overall responsibility and leadership on the planning, implementation and monitoring of the Rural Financial Services activities of SAPEMP. This involves the preparation and monitoring of Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPB), progress reports and analytical reports.
• Manage implementation of access to finance activities in accordance with the approved annual work plans, coordinate and ensure complementarities with targeted value chain activities.
• Plan, supervise and monitor the trainings on financial literacy for project beneficiaries.
• To participate in Component 1 (Production and productivity of the target value chains) and subcomponent 2.1 (Improving market linkages and access in target value chains) activities to understand the dynamics, opportunities and setbacks beneficiaries are facing and propose solutions relevant to access to finance.
• To strengthen the operationalization of Financial Instrument for Risk Management (FIRM) and Line of Credit (LoC) as well as monitor their operations under the implementing partner.
• To collaborate with EADF to set up and operationalize the Climate Finance Facility.
• To collaborate with EEF in the establishment of the Green Challenge Fund (GCF).
• To collaborate with YERF and the Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) in implementation of youth enterprise development interventions, including mobilization, training and access to financial services.
• Coordinate all studies including the financial services demand and supply study and the insurance feasibility study and ensure the studies provide clear implementation road maps. This will include preparation of TORs, tendering, selection of study consultants, contracting and coordination of the studies.
• Coordinate the piloting and roll out of insurance products for project beneficiaries.
• Facilitate entering into MoAs with identified Partner Financial Institutions (PFIs) to participate in the rollout of SAPEMP financial instruments.
• Coordinate technical assistance to the PFIs.
• To regularly liaise with PFIs and monitor their progress towards contributing to the achievement of project’s intended objectives.
• To work together with the M&E officer to deduce useful information from the collected data and prepare presentations to promote the project’s objectives to all stakeholders.
• To showcase success stories and good practices to relevant stakeholders.
• To prepare and present progress reports.
• Prepare for and participate in all supervision missions.
• Serve as the principal liaison between financial institutions, including banks, microfinance institutions the project and other financial service providers.
• Work with international consultants and local project staff involved in expanding access to finance to ensure quality and timeliness of pertinent deliverables under the project.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in agricultural economics, finance, business administration, or related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline with extensive professional experience may be considered.
• Professional certifications in banking, microfinance, credit management, risk management or financial analysis will be an added advantage.
• Minimum five years of demonstrated experience in rural agricultural financing programs in Eswatini and a track record of achievement in developing and implementing market driven approaches and systems to address issues in this sector.
• Demonstrated experience working with and providing technical support to financial institutions (commercial banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs, development finance institutions, etc.).
• Experience in policy and advocacy work and experience of working with multiple stakeholders including GoE, NGOs, development partners, financial institutions, regulators etc.
• Familiarity and experience with international development principles and practices.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple assignments under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in written and spoken in English and siSwati.
• High IT proficiency.

MODE AND DURATION OF CONTRACT

• 1 year contract with a probation period of three months. The annual contract will be extendable based on satisfactory performance.