Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is a Foreign Charity specializing in commercial solutions to poverty. MEDA uses innovative approaches; market linkages, investment finance and business development services to improve profits for producers and enterprises along selected value chains. MEDA is recruiting highly motivated and capable staff for the following position:
Job Position: Financial Services Officer
Report to: Area Development Manager
Overview:
The Financial Services Officer (FSO) provides technical backstopping to a project team to provide 1) financial services for rural households to increase savings and resiliency of households, 2) provide support to youth to access financial services, and 3) support value chain team to develop innovative and sound value chain financial products according to lending best practices. The position is collaborative in designing and ensuring delivery of financial products by financial and non-financial commercial institutions.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Provide leadership, expert advice and build core capacities in the livelihoods team and partners in developing and monitoring new financial products and services.
Provide leadership in developing and coordinating implementation of Savings and Lending associations (VSLAs).
Responsible for ensuring or enhancing implementing partners and participating finance and non-finance institutions, the MIS systems to ensure internal and external transparency and reporting of financial performance of financial products.
Manage special projects related to lending for participating financial and non-financial institutions such as the development of manuals, lending forms, introduction of legislative changes, portfolio reviews and acquisitions, and serve on Task Forces or Committees as required.
Research and analyse the local market for financial services, identify and assess the financing needs of the project target clients.
Identify, screen and build relationships with local organizations (microfinance institutions, commercial banks, credit unions, guarantee funds and other potential partners) to develop and expand appropriate financial products and delivery models to meet the needs of project clients and meet project goals
Assess, develop and facilitate implementation of a capacity building plan for the local partners to ensure scale, accountability and reporting systems serve the project goals
Propose new financial solutions for the project value chain participants (small producers, processing SMEs, input suppliers, traders and exporters where applicable) and facilitate their implementation by designing, testing, adjusting and ensuring affordability and sustainability of those solutions including input supplies on a consignment term, embedded financial services, trade advances and other financing methods as part of broader value chain business transactions
Work closely with the project team to initiate a launch and work of the guarantee fund, co-develop stringent criteria and selection procedures for matching grant clients and ensure that intended matching grants do not distort other financial players’ efforts available in the local market
Work closely with the project team to increase the ability of the targeted value chain participants (input suppliers, SME Intermediates, and traders where applicable) to access appropriate financial services through FI and SME support
Participate and support the field team in reporting, documenting lessons learnt, contribute to value chain finance industry development and provide all other necessary inputs to ensure the project success
Job Requirement
Qualifications:
Essential:
Bachelor’s degree in investment finance, economics or business administration.
Five years’ experience in investment finance, bank lending or microfinance.
Experience in value chain development, enterprise development, financial product designs, and alternate financial solutions.
Computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications, specifically Excel and Word and Access.
Desired:
Agricultural Markets and/or Value Chain finance
Development of Business Services oriented toward financial products and services
Experience in training, mentoring and institutional capacity building
Excellent oral and written communication in English and Amharic, including report writing
Core Competencies:
Results oriented; Demonstrating accountability and commitment; Communicating effectively; Gathering information/research; Sound decision making; Building relationships; Solution oriented; Understanding others; Developing capability; Promoting teamwork; Managing and improving performance
Number Required: 1
Duty Station: Bahirdar
Terms of employment: One year with very high possibility of extension.