ACDI / VOCA Financial Services Specialist Job in Nairobi, Kenya

For over 45 years and in 146 countries, ACDI / VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. 

Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI / VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. 

ACDI / VOCA currently has approximately 97 projects in 38 countries and revenues of over $140 million.

Financial Services Specialist

Location: Nairobi, Kenya 

We are currently seeking a Financial Services Specialist for the Resilience and Economic Growth in the Arid Lands-Accelerated Growth (REGAL-AG) project, funded by USAID.  

This project is part of the broader REGAL program that identifies, integrates and sustains humanitarian investments that prove to be effective in sustainably increasing resilience and reducing the need for recurrent humanitarian assistance, and to build on these investments to accelerate sustainable economic growth. 

The goal of REGAL-AG is to foster an inclusive livestock value chain that increases pastoralists’ resilience and stimulates economic growth in several Kenyan counties and beyond. 

Responsibilities:
 

The Financial Service Specialist will be responsible for implementing all activities to improve access to financial services by livestock value chain stakeholders and strengthen the supply of financial services in targeted counties. 

Increase demand for financial services by building the capacity of pastoralists, traders, abattoirs and other potential borrowers to generate demand for and effectively utilize financial products in order to invest in upgrades that increase the competitiveness of the livestock value chain and facilitate access to markets. Specific tasks include but are not limited to:

• Identifying local constraints that limit the demand for financial products including any difference between men and women and develop an appropriate response strategy to be incorporated into work planning;
• Collaborate with the Value Chain Competitiveness and Inclusiveness Advisor to ensure that the Farming as a Business curriculum incorporates financial literacy tools.

Increase supply of financial services by building the capacity of financial institutions currently operating in the ASALs or interested in investing in this region to increase outreach into rural areas and develop demand-driven agricultural lending products.

• Survey the financial sector landscape, determine the availability of savings and lending products, and assess the capacity of various intermediaries to scale up financing to value chain actors;
• Build the capacity of banks through direct training and mentoring to develop increased capacities to extend lending in pastoralist areas and to other livestock value chain actors;
• Work with financial institutions interested in establishing and expanding an agency banking model that allows them to increase their outreach in the ASALs by allowing businesses to operate as satellite bank branches;
• Work with financial institutions to develop and pilot new financial products that target value chain constraints and finance upgrading opportunities at different levels of value chain (i.e. agrovet input suppliers, traders, dairies, etc.)
• Explore the potential for expanding Mpesa to livestock markets in the north.

Facilitate access to viable financial savings options for pastoralists through the establishment of savings and lending groupstied to the livestock marketing activities and livestock-related business groups such as hides and skins and dairy businesses.

Explore risk mitigation measures including the Index-based Livestock Insurance program, and develop and implement strategies to expand access by pastoralists.

Qualifications:

• At least seven years’ experience working in the commercial financial services sector with experience in agribusiness (and particularly livestock) lending a plus
• Experience in developing and implementing new rural financial products, including experience with market research techniques, piloting new products, promoting strategic alliances and monitoring results
• Solid understanding of best practices in MSME finance, including agricultural finance and credit delivered by value chain actors
• Experience establishing and strengthening savings and credit cooperative societies
• Experience with financial education, informal finance, understanding saving groups, microinsurance and mobile banking preferred.
• Experience in the ASALs in Northern Kenya preferred
• Minimum of a Bachelor degree in Finance, Economics or a related field, and MA preferred.

To be considered for this recruitment, please e-mail your resume to REGALAG@joinav.org.  

Please include the position title in the subject line.  

No phone calls please.  

Only finalists contacted.  

Women and minorities encouraged to apply.  

EOE.  

Please apply by close of business, January 31st, 2013.