Senior Credit and Rural Finance Officer

Organizational Setting The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) aims to be the go-to place for investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, CFI provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international financing institutions, national and international organizations, the private sector, research institutions, academia and producer organizations to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre’s four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge more widely and position the Centre as a trusted voice on investment and finance. CFI is a multidisciplinary centre comprising the Director’s office, which leads on strategy and business development, knowledge management, communication and administration, and five regional services: Asia and the Pacific; Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia; West and Central Africa; East and Southern Africa; and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The post is located in the West and Central Africa Service (CFIE) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting lines The Senior Credit and Rural Finance Officer reports to the Chief, West and Central Africa Service (CFIE).

Technical Focus Provide analytical and technical support on agricultural services, rural institutions, resilience and risk management, access to markets, and private sector development aspects for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing.

Key Results Delivering investment and finance support solutions through the provisions of technical advice and capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems within the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions • Leads, or participates in, multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions. • Leads, or participates in, multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment and finance support solutions. • Advises governments in the preparation of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies, and in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes. • Advises on developing inclusive and sustainable food systems, involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, civil society organizations and governments. • Leads the formulation and delivery of capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations. • Prepares documents in accordance with FAO, government and financing partners’ requirements. • Advises on task organization, selection of consultants, and preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs. • Represents the Organization at international and inter-governmental meetings and conferences, advocates for strategic partnerships, best practices and effective policy dialogue; develops and negotiates effective working relationships and agreements with international and national partners. • Establishes, promotes and maintains relationships with relevant Strategic Programmes, FAO Technical Units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Member Nations. • Leads or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy. • Provides guidance, mentoring and advice to junior staff.

Specific functions • Leads the analysis of rural financial markets from the supply and demand angle and identifies opportunities for expanding rural financial services to farmers and other actors in the agrifood systems. • Advises on policy, legal and institutional reforms to support the development of credit and rural finance systems and private investment in agriculture and rural development. • Advises on strategic management related to public and private rural financial services and banking systems with regard to public policy, regulatory and/or legislative issues. • Assesses the performance of formal and informal institutions (including development finance institutions) engaged in savings mobilization, lending activities and other financial services to rural clients and advises on possible improvements, including their products, services and instruments. • Reviews government proposals for the development of rural and agricultural financial services and advises on their financial, economic and organizational soundness. • Develops tailor-made solutions for financing agricultural value chains in specific country or regional contexts. • Produces knowledge products including analytical work and practical tools related to rural and agricultural finance.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in economics, banking and finance, agribusiness management, agricultural economics or a closely related field. • Ten years of relevant experience in the design of rural and agricultural finance interventions and related analytical work, knowledge management and capacity development, including experience in the formulation and/or implementation of investment and finance support solutions in developing countries and/or countries in transition. • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and French.

Competencies • Results focus • Leading, engaging and empowering • Communication and advocacy • Partnering and resource mobilisation • Knowledge sharing and continuous Improvement • Strategic thinking

Technical/Functional Skills • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions. • Extent and relevance of experience in major technical fields related to rural and agricultural finance, including value chain finance and development, product design, guarantee schemes, refinance schemes, insurance, risk management, and management of credit and rural finance institutions. • Extent and relevance of experience in leading, or participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of investment and finance support solutions. • Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other partner international financial institutions (IFIs). • Knowledge of the context as well as partners and institutions of the specific subregion would be an asset. • Extent of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of investments. • Demonstrated experience in dealing with senior government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders. • Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.