Financial Inclusion Specialist at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to identify and scale sustainable soil solutions for improved food security and livelihoods around the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Financial Inclusion Specialist

Job ID: 20121133
Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full Time
This position will report to: The 2SCALE financial inclusion coordinator

Background

• The 2SCALE program 2019-2024 builds on achievements and lessons learnt from a first phase (2012-18, www.2scale.org). It aims to be a flagship program for the Netherlands’ food security policy and one of the leading catalysts of inclusive agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.
• 2SCALE is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive agribusiness development in target countries in Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, South Soudan and Egypt). Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program. 2SCALE’s strategy is three-pronged:
  • Incubating inclusive business: through PPPs, 2SCALE works together with private enterprises to develop agribusiness models that promote inclusiveness, develop (new) competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. PPPs support value chain development and agribusiness cluster formation. The agribusiness cluster approach helps smallholder farmers develop farming as a business and supply agricultural products for local, national, regional, and international markets. 2SCALE partners with African and multinational agri-food companies as drivers to increase productivity and to improve efficiency and sustainability of supported agribusiness clusters and value chains. Specific attention is given to youth and women to integrate value chains (as farmers, laborers, entrepreneurs, service providers), and to low income / “base of the pyramid” (BoP) consumers that represent the largest market for food products in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Replicating inclusive business: through PPPs, 2SCALE supports the replication of most successful business models, in different settings (regions, industries), with the same or different private partners.
  • Facilitating sector transformation and policy alignment: 2SCALE also supports partnering enterprises to drive sector transformation and policy alignment for critical bottlenecks that cannot be solved by the actors within the focus PPPs, and which affects several actors in the sector simultaneously.
• 2SCALE is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).
• The Partnerships Resource Center (PrC) supports the consortium as a knowledge partner.

Position summary

• Access to finance plays an important role in any business. In the context of 2SCALE, access to finance also plays a critical role in ensuring commercial viability (and financial sustainability) of target value chains, and of the piloted/ promoted inclusive business models within these value chains.
• The 2SCALE program pro-actively promotes financial inclusion, i.e., the delivery and effective use of a full range of (formal) financial services at affordable costs to all (bankable) households and targeted small- and medium-scale companies, including the disadvantaged and low-income segments of society, in the value chains that we support.
• Based on feasibility analyses the 2SCALE Financial Inclusion Specialist will support in identifying relevant/interested financial institutes, investors and programs and bring them together to bridge financial gaps targeting vulnerable groups in 2SCALE partnerships.

Tasks

• In close collaboration with the other 2SCALE Financial Inclusion Specialist(s) (SNV and BoPinc) develop a financial inclusion strategy and build and supervise a network of local/ regional consultants (and – if required/ useful – young talented 2SCALE financial inclusion assistants) to support financial brokering, technical assistance, and training in support of specific partnerships and value chains.
• Identify key financial constraints and financial inclusion priority areas in target value chains supported by the project and develop specific strategies to address them;
• Identify and support financial (partner) institutions, including identifying potential development programs/projects to build synergies in scaling/replicating transformative financial inclusion activities for specific client groups (households, small- and mediumscale enterprises) in target value chains;
• In close collaboration with partnership facilitators and financial partners, coordinate the design pilot-testing and scaling of practical solutions and innovative practices to improve financial inclusion within target value chains.
• In close collaboration with partnership facilitators and financial partners, monitor and evaluate financial inclusion of target stakeholders, as well as the commercial viability and financial sustainability of target value chains and piloted/ promoted inclusive business models; whenever needed – propose measures to strengthen financial arrangements.
• Support partnership facilitators in designing/ implementing phasing out strategies to ensure commercial viability/ financial sustainability of target value chains.
• Document experiences and lessons learned of financial inclusion pilots; and analyse the factors that determine success/ failure, and the challenges within specific sectors and/ or countries/ regions to promote financial inclusion.
• Develop, deliver, and coordinate training programs and technical assistance to partnership facilitators, to local-level financial intermediators and trainers, and financial institutions. This includes the design and coordination of capacity building activities for entrepreneurs in developing bankable business plans and loan applications; and effective/ cost-efficient financial literacy training programs to selected/ targeted small-scale businesses and smallholder farmers (or their organizations).
• Develop (supportive) partnerships with professional financial service providers, other projects/ initiatives in financial inclusion, and donors and funders to expand access to finance, develop appropriate financial products and to leverage resources;
• Provide “thought leadership” on financial inclusion in target value chains and (related) agri-food industries;
• Any other assignments that the project management deems necessary for the success of the project.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business Management, Community Development, Entrepreneurship or a related field is required
• Strong computer skills especially with MS Word and Excel.

Knowledge and experience:

• At least 7 years of working experience with agribusiness development, farmer cooperatives, microfinance and micro enterprise, entrepreneurship and/or financial analysis relating to agricultural sector is required
• Experience in working on donor funded financial inclusion programmes will be an advantage, either in a programme management function or technical expert
• Experience in rolling out financial programmes targeting farmer groups and MSMEs preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills a must
• Ability to undertake cohesive analyses and develop well-written reports
• Track record of building strong stakeholder relationships (VSLA, Microfinance institutions, banks, African Development Bank, IFC, impact funds…)
• Pitch deck development and presentation to financial stakeholders
• Experience in working with micro, small to medium enterprises and financial institutions.

Role competencies:

• Creative thinker
• Excellent verbal, analytical, organisational, training, facilitation, and written skills
• People management skills
• Attention to detail and the ability to produce timely and accurate reports
• Ability to work as part of team across different cultures
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and take initiatives
• Fluent in French and English.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online