Access to Finance Specialist

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Access to Finance Specialist - Nigeria Rural Resilience
Job Location: Northern Nigeria

Job Description

• The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is currently seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Access to Finance Specialist for the anticipated USAID/Nigeria Rural Resilience Project in northern Nigeria.
• Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project and the selection of final applicant is subject to USAID approval.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with commercial banks, Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs), and Village/Community Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and provide technical support and guidance to these institutions as well as smallholders owned Cooperatives, agribusinesses operators and other value chain actors
• Identify and document financial constraints in agribusiness clusters and value chain and develop strategies to address them
• Building on the capacity gap(s) identified for SACCOs and VSLAs, lead the implementation of capacity building support designed to improve their lending and savings products to the agricultural sector; improve financial & risk management capacity
• Pilot solutions and innovations practices for agro-inputs and small equipment financing, agricultural production risk management, supply chain financing, Income generating activities financing, chain upgrading financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
• Develop and deliver trainings programs and technical assistance to financial institutions as well as clusters and chain actors
• Support the identification, appointment, and training of community-based trainers (CBTs) and/or village agents to guide formation of VSLA and SACCO groups and offer technical assistance to ensure sustainability.
• Any other tasks that may be assigned.

Required Skills

• Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or other related field
• Up-to-date knowledge of the agricultural finance environment in West Africa
• Resourceful, innovative and ready to test new approaches
• Result-orientation and ability to take initiatives under minimal supervision and reach targets
• Ability to strictly meet deadlines
• Team player, at ease in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment
• Professional fluency in English
• Competency in the use of computers and MS Office software, including Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience, including in one or several of the following areas: small and medium rural enterprise finance, agricultural value chain finance, microfinance, business development services, financial institutions.

Note

• Only success candidates will be invited for an interview
• There will be no response to telephone inquiries
• The interview will consist of an interview with a jury and probably a written and / or oral test