GIZ
JOB ADVERTISEMENT – PRIVATE SECTOR TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Background
The project “Promotion of Agricultural Finance (AgFin) for Agri-Based Enterprises in Rural Areas in Malawi” is part of a global project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The main objective of the GIZ AgFin MW project is to work closely with key private and public sector stakeholders and actors to improve access to tailor-made, value chain specific finance products for farms and agri-based enterprises in rural areas that are adapted to their business models.
The project supports farmers and agri-based enterprises in identifying economically viable business models, improving their financial literacy and business management skills, and thus strengthening their capacities to make decisions on financing, investments, and the use of financial services to build and grow their businesses. At the same time, the project accompanies selected financial institutions in enhancing their understanding of the agricultural value chains and by so doing, expand and adapt their financial services to the specific requirements of the agricultural sector.
The project focuses on the following regions: Chitipa, Karonga, Nkhata Bay, and Mzimba in the North; Kasungu, Nkhotakota, and Salima in the Central region; and Chiradzulu, Thyolo, and Mulanje in the South. The project office is based in Lilongwe and is open to new regional interventions where viable opportunities and partnerships exist.
For the activities within this project, GIZ is planning to recruit a Private Sector Technical Advisor to support the project in implementing its outlined goals in agricultural finance, agriculture, and business promotion. This is a position for a professional in agriculture, agri-business, and/or business promotion with experience in promoting access to finance specifically for farmers’ organizations and SMEs in the agricultural sector in Malawi.
A. Responsibilities
The Private Sector Technical Advisor will be mainly responsible for designing, implementing, and coordinating activities with key implementing partners from the project across the supply and demand work streams, aimed at strengthening the capacities and improving access to financial services for farmers and agri-based enterprises, with specific consideration of youth and women in rural settings engaged in the agricultural value chains.
B. Tasks
The professional technical advisor will be required to perform the following tasks:
- Supports in the selection process of target groups and partners that meet the criteria and required commitment for a partnership to promote agricultural finance in rural areas.
- Liaises with field agents and extension services of the public and private sector to leverage partnerships in rural settings to further increase access to finance products.
- Advises selected partners on key aspects of the agricultural value chains and viable business models analyzed by the project, ensures that the project establishes and strengthens relationships with the financial institutions to ensure a strong link with the demand side (agricultural sector) and serves as the connecting link for the supply and demand of finance products across the value chains.
- Develops, adapts and implements high quality capacity development tools as per the needs of the targeted groups/clients and as related to agricultural value chain specific finance, risk management and product development, adapted to the requirements and preferences of partners institutions.
- Analyses existing capacities as well as capacity building measures already provided by other actors to identify and close the remaining capacity building needs gap with project specific capacity development knowledge products.
- Under the guidance of the team leader, the advisor maintains close synergies other GIZ projects supporting private sector development in Malawi as well as with other German funded entities as well as other international development projects that cooperate with partner financial institutions to ensure the complementarity of efforts and to coordinate related activities, training and events.
- Supports in identifying key entry points for selected viable business models along the target value chains and analyses their viability and financing needs in close consultation with demand and supply side actors/partners.
- Assists partners in the area of agricultural finance to align to the needs of the agricultural sector including monitoring and evaluation of financial products development and rollouts in consultation with supply and demand side workstreams, communication and visibility, knowledge management and awareness raising.
- Works closely with the supply side to advise partner institutions in adapting financial services and internal processes to targeted clients as well as their profiles and seasonal cash flows according to the specific value chains.
- Accompanies and monitors the overall process of piloting adapted financial services for the agricultural sector and provides recommendations based on lessons learned, findings and outcomes of the piloted products.
- Ensures knowledge transfer to electronic project documentation files and proper filing of all project documentation as per the project and GIZ data protection requirements.
- Deals with the design, preparation and implementation of workshops, trainings and other events within the project, in close consultation with demand and supply side advisors and overall team.
- Oversees consultancies and short-term expert related tasks assigned including drafting Terms of References, concept papers, strategy notes and follows up on the timely delivery and quality of advisory services to be provided by consultants or other service providers as per the requirements of the project.
- Facilitates linkages, collaborates and interacts with all relevant stakeholders on issues concerning the development, dissemination and adoption of agricultural finance solutions.
- Prepares and implements detailed work plans of selected core elements of the project, which identify, prioritize, and sequence the activities required for successful delivery, as assigned by the team leader.
- Supports the monitoring and evaluation and KPI collection as per data required for project monitoring and evaluation from implementing partners in the agricultural sector and reports to the team leader on all relevant indicators in close consultation with the supply and demand workstreams.
- Contributes to project report writing, statistics, communication, visibility, knowledge management, and presentations in consultation with the team leader and team members.
- Performs any other duties as assigned.
C. Required qualifications, competencies, and experience.
Qualifications
- Masters degree in agronomy, agriculture-economics, finance, economics, rural development, or any other area that is closely related to the project objectives.
Professional experience
- At least 7 years of professional experience in a comparable position working with enterprises and actors along agricultural value chains.
- solid understanding of financial concepts (e.g. gross margin calculation, cash flow, depreciation, cash flow-based lending, interest rates).
- experience in collecting and analyzing data from the agricultural sector.
- experience in developing and implementing trainings and advisory services for farmer organizations and rural MSMEs is considered as an advantage; and
- professional experience in working with financial institutions in rural areas is considered as an advantage.
Other knowledge, additional competences
- high degree of self-initiative and organization.
- capacity to ensure timely and professional results.
- very good working knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, email, the internet) and MS Office, especially PowerPoint and Excel.
- fluent in written and spoken English.
- capacity to develop and conduct training.
- strong competencies in communication and working as part of a team.
- availability to go on field missions; and
- willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed – corresponding measures are agreed with management.
Method Of Application
Interested candidates meeting the above requirements should submit their electronic detailed curriculum vitae (CV), copies of certificates, and one-paged cover letter, demonstrating how you are meeting the above requirements, to [email protected].
The following reference code of the call for application is strictly to be indicated in the subject line of the applicant’s email: AgFin/PSTA/2024/01/Name of the applicant.
All applications should be addressed to;
The Head of HR
GIZ
P.O. Box 31131
Lilongwe 3.
The deadline for receiving applications is 27th January 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
GIZ is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applications from individuals regardless of gender, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, age, or any other protected characteristic. We embrace diversity and believe that inclusivity in the workplace is essential to our success, and we are committed to creating a work environment where all employees are valued and respected.
Within its activities, GIZ is promoting and protecting human rights, health, and well-being, and wishes to contribute to a world free from harm, exploitation, and abuse. Prospective candidates should be willing to adhere to GIZ’s Child Protection Principles and Prevent Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment.