1 August 2016 VF Tanzania - Head of Agricultural Finance Business

JOB DESCRIPTION

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

This is a key position for VF Tanzania as it seeks to grow its existing 10,000 agricultural clients to 155,000 farmers over the next five years. The Head of Agricultural finance will be responsible for both developing and implementing a business strategy for designing, financing and implementing this goal.

The incumbent will apply their agricultural and finance experience to expand agricultural lending to all rural locations approved in the business plan and work with both WV Tanzania, new GAFCO and other partners to ensure that VFT is able to rapidly acquire and lend to large numbers of clients with products and processes that both meet farmer needs and ensure that the business unit provided effective income to the overall VF Tanzania entity. The approach known as “three in one” needs a leader who is both able to manage partnerships, lead change and deliver on results. As a member of the senior leadership team the person is expected to provide a high level of both strategic and operational leadership to the CEO and team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

To be be responsible for acquiring quality agriculture and borrowing clients leveraging on implementing WVT and other agri partnership relationships as they relate to all financial service delivery systems. This includes developing new lending procedures and processes for delivering lending at scale to farmers.

To be responsible for developing suitable aricultural products that manage effectively the risks related to weather and market uncertainty and the challenges that small holder farmers experience. At the same time implementing processes and policies that effectively drive efficiency and low cost provision of products while at the same time managing risk.

To be responsible for timely collection of loan repayments due, effective management of risk through working with FDRM, insurance companies and Companies like GAFCO to mitigate the risks related to extreme weather events and market fluctuations.

To be responsible for managing new branches set up primarily for lending to farmers. These are rural based and will operate on different remuneration and staffing structures to reflect the different lending approach.

Take the lead on behalf of the CEO in working with WVT, GAFCO and other partners in the agricultural sector including negotiating donor contracts and agreements and implementing of subsequent projects.

To would work with treasury to negotiate low cost Tanz Shilling rate loans, especially from smallholder farmer targeted funds.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Degree and preferably post graduate in Agric Finance, development, social sciences, economics, banking or business administration.

Microfinance/ banking experience 5 years in a senior/middle management role.

Agricultural experience.

Computer literacy and comfortable working with data.

Ability to live and thrive in difficult operating environments.

Cross cultural experience.

Effective in written and verbal communication in English.

Preferred:

Agricultural training (degree).

Undertaken field research in developing countries.