Business Finance Officer (Chiredzi)- Chemonics International Inc 220 views

Responsibilities

Support the Access to Finance Specialist in leading activities to increase financial inclusion, improve financial literacy, increase saving, and enhance entrepreneurship of farming families; Assist the Access to Finance Specialist to connect Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and families to identify savings and other financing opportunities and coordinate USAID Development Finance Corporation (DFC) risk-sharing partnerships and lending institutions; Support the Access to Finance Specialist in identifying and building business networks that promote access to finance, technology, and markets for farming families and SMPs; Serve as a secondary liaison between financial institutions (both bank and non-banks), value chain providers of credit, beneficiary farmers, Small and Medium Producers (SMPs), Producer Organizations (POs), and the project; Assist POs and SMPs to understand better how to negotiate favorable purchasing Agreements with agriculture input suppliers and other service providers; Support the Access to Finance Specialist to assess suppliers of SMP credit (bank and non-bank financial institutions, value chain actors) and financial instruments to identify existing market failures and inefficiencies to providing SMP finance; Identify training and capacity building needs for both suppliers of credit and SMPs; Integrate gender issues using farming as a family business (FAAB) approach to help farming families develop viable farm investment portfolios and plans; Under direction of the respective Provincial Coordinator, collaborate with Extension/Behavior Change Officers and Field Nutrition Officers to provide extension support through field based technical assistance and trainings; Work with the MEL team to contribute to the monitoring and evaluation process of the Activity as required; Performs any other duties as may be assigned by the Access to Finance Specialist.

Qualifications and skills

University degree in Agribusiness Economics, Agribusiness Management, Business Administration or related field; 3+ years’ professional working experience in agribusiness development; Experience working with smallholder farmers; Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills; Possess skills in community mobilisation; Capacity building of organisation and individuals; Highly motivated with an interest in development work and is willing to learn.