Job Title:

Financial Inclusion Officer - Cassava Value Chain Programme

Organisation

Self Help Africa

Department:

Programmes

Location:

Nairobi

Reports to:

Head of Programmes

Salary:

Gross Annual Salary; Kshs. 2,063,873

Benefits:

21 days’ annual leave, Medical Insurance and 10% Employer pension contribution

Expected Travel:

National level travel will be required

Restrictions:

6 Months’ Probation period, 2 years contract renewable and 1 Month Notice Period

Job Code:

HR 2/5/2017

Job Purpose:

The Financial Inclusion Officer will provide technical leadership and guidance to staff and partners on microfinance that enhances the delivery of appropriate and affordable financial services to smallholder farmers, MSMEs and other agricultural value chain actors within the Cassava Value Chain Programme funded by the European Union.

The overall objective of the programme is to increase food and nutrition security, employment and income among 28,000 smallholder-farming households (at least 60% women) in seven Counties (Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Siaya, Busia, Kitui and Kilifi). Specifically, the programme will increase income levels amongst target households through increased cassava production for both subsistence and trade; it will reduce the hunger gap amongst target households by promoting cassava, a drought-tolerant crop; create 5,600 net equivalent jobs amongst the Farmer Business Groups supported by the programme; increase the decision-making power of female farmers through an integrated gender sensitive approach and improve dietary diversity of cassava-producing households through the promotion of intercropping with legumes and pulses, cassava products and nutrition education.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identifying best practice and trends, including role of technology, within the programme and innovative financial services business models serving the poor in various sectors such as agri-finance, SME finance and climate finance;
• Contribute to the development of a programme financial inclusion strategy and upscaling of affordable low cost rural solutions for financial and non-financial services;
• Participate in the building of partnerships for the promotion of access to finance and collaborate with commercial and non-commercial partners that seek to deliver appropriate and affordable non-financial or financial services to smallholder farmers;
• Participate in the development of a capacity building plan for financial institutions, to create an efficient platform for the provision of access and financial inclusion solutions to underserved populations in Kenya;
• Provide technical advice in developing, planning and implementing financial inclusion strategies and support partner implementation of the revolving fund;
• Develop new ideas/concepts that increase uptake of credit by rural communities;
• Ensure that the programme’s access to microfinance interventions conform with the organization’s priorities and industry accepted norms and standards in community-based microfinance programming models;
• Identify and/or develop required financial tools and methodological approaches, and provide technical assistance and training/capacity building to ensure programme interventions achieve or surpass established objectives;
• Contribute to data monitoring and management systems to ensure quality in implementation;
• Assist the Head of Programmes in assessing and identifying capacity needs and gaps that could potentially affect the implementation of the programme;
• Represent SHA with stakeholders, financial institutions, implementing partners, universities, donors and potential funders and beneficiaries;
• Participate in knowledge sharing and learning activities on access and financial inclusion and contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice between various Self Help Africa’s programmes and partners; 
• Impart appropriate mentoring, coaching and supervision among producer groups resource persons in savings and loaning in order to equip, motivate and empower them for program sustainability;
• Any other tasks as assigned by the Programme Manager or Country Management Team.

Key Relationships:

1Key relationships:

Internal

• Programme Manager (Line Manager)
• Head of Programmes 
• Programme Coordinators
• Country Director
• Head of Finance and Administration
• Enterprise Advisor

External

• Partner organisations,
• Government Ministries/ departments,
• Financial organisations and other like-minded organisations and institutions

• External Auditors

Knowledge and Experience:

• Five years’ field and technical experience with agribusiness development, farmer cooperatives, microfinance and micro enterprise, entrepreneurship and/or financial analysis relating to agricultural sector is required;
• Experience working on donor funded financial inclusion programmes will be an advantage, either in a programme management function or technical expert;
• Experience in rolling out financial programmes targeting farmer groups and MSMEs preferred;
• Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills a must;
• Ability to undertake cohesive analyses and develop well-written reports;
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships;
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations;
• Proven ability and experience working within a team will be an added advantage
• Experience in working with micro, small to medium enterprises and financial institutions
• Experience in designing strategies and approaches for enhancing agricultural production and rural livelihoods among smallholder farmers
• Familiarity and experience with EU regulations preferred;
• Experience in networking among development partners and government departments

Qualifications/Other Requirements:

Essential:

• Degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business Management, Community Development, Entrepreneurship or a related field is required.
• Strong computer skills especially with MS Word and Excel

Role Competencies:

• Excellent verbal, analytical, organisational, training, facilitation and written skills
• People management skills
• Proactive and motivated with a strong commitment to Self Help Africa’s vision, mission and values
• Attention to detail and the ability to produce timely and accurate reports
• Ability to work as part of team across different cultures
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and take initiative