Project Officer - Access To Finance
Location
Anantapur | India
Job description
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES: (including approximate percentage effort) Enterprise Development (20%):
- Formulate the enterprise development strategy for signature programs, focusing on Access to Finance;
- Implement policies, procedures, systems, and tools for enterprise development in alignment with Passing Gifts PVT LTDs Signature Program strategy;
- Facilitate enterprise development activities for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), self-help group (SHG) members, community agro-vet entrepreneurs (CAVEs), cooperatives, and value chain actors;
- Deliver capacity-building activities in the areas of agribusiness, value chain, and market development;
- Map the value chain actors, flow of information and products, infrastructure, and financial institutions to help strengthen the enterprises;
- Monitor, support, and backstop the various categories of enterprises for effective functioning;
- Prepare manuals, briefs, guidelines, technical papers, and information, education, and communication (IEC) materials related to Access to Finance (A2F) and enterprise development;
- Play an active role at the local/state level to build partnerships with the Government and private sectors for financial support for the groups and FPOs;
- Establish a lineup with leading banks for access to financial services;
- Strategically work on the mode of operation and mapping out different finance sectors related to our targets.
Marketing Branding (20%):
- Implement policies, procedures, and systems for market development in alignment with Passing Gifts PVT LTDs Signature Program strategy (including operational guidelines for collection center, transport vehicles, etc. );
- Share internal intelligence and knowledge on business development issues and trends within the livestock sector;
- Contribute to corporate and sector marketing plans, prepare donor strategies, and contribute to the branding of commodities among stakeholders;
- Connect cooperatives to the end market for the sale of products;
- Facilitate multi-stakeholder consultation meetings, workshops, and business-to-business meetings for better market linkages;
- Facilitate functional relationships with value chain and market actors to overcome bottlenecks in the market system.
Access to Finance (60%):
- Implement the access to finance strategy for the Signature Program;
- Explore, assess, and identify appropriate financing providers and opportunities and float those opportunities to potential clients (individual / cooperative / corporate MSMEs );
- Collaborate with the Government and BFIs to develop, improve, and scale up appropriate financial products and services for all types of MSMEs;
- Assist bank staff in identifying potential clients (MSMEs) among the target groups and build a pipeline of loan deals;
- Expand access to risk mitigation products, such as agriculture/livestock insurance;
- Identify financial gaps among value chain actors;
- Engage financial intermediaries such as banks and MFIs in allocating capital for Passing Gifts PVT LTD Programs;
- Facilitate the guarantees or underwriting of loans and debt/equity investment opportunities;
- Build a pipeline of potential impact venture opportunities;
- Facilitate the process of accessing potential impact investments;
- Support MSMEs, cooperatives, producers, and value chain actors to develop bankable business plans and connect with relevant financial and non-financial service providers;
- Facilitate the financial literacy and education of cooperatives and women and youth entrepreneurs;
- Work on the strategies linking Government, leading banks, and private sector collaboration for financial services.
QUALIFICATIONS
- A bachelor s degree from a recognized university in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Enterprise Development or other related field and a minimum of Four (4) years of experience with an international organization in a similar context is required. Experience in working with FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) and associated business is highly recommended;
- Technical experience with commercial sector, agribusiness development in a mix of economic growth/trade, value chain competitiveness, investment promotion, or agriculture development;
- Prior work experience in a USAID funded project;
- Clear understanding of the dairy and poultry value chains;
- Innovative, analytical, and solutions oriented;
- Knowledge of enterprise development and linkages to poverty alleviation;
- Strong interpersonal/people management skills and excellent oral and written communication skills a must;
- Excellent organizational and leadership skills;
- Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to navigate challenging situations to achieve goals and deadlines;
- Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity;
- Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision;
- Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner;
- Ability to work with sensitive information and to always maintain confidentiality;
- Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule;
- Fluent in Hindi, English, and Local Language spoken as well as written;
- Have an interest in animals/agriculture community development;
- Willingness and ability to travel locally and internationally;
- Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, web designing, collaboration platform and tools, and electronic mail software (Microsoft preferred );
- Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time.
Job tags
Salary