NGO Jobs – Financial Linkages Specialist at GOAL International

Organisation: GOAL
International
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
About GOAL:
GOAL is an
international humanitarian agency dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the
poorest of the poor.  We are a
non-denominational, non-governmental and non-political organisation. GOAL
Uganda country project focuses on two of GOAL’s three strategic sectors: Health
(including WASH and health accountability programming); and Livelihoods. GOAL
Uganda mainstreams HIV, gender, child protection and the environment/DRR across
all programming. GOAL works on a district focused approach, and uses a mixture
of direct implementation and partnerships with local civil society
organisations, private sector partners and District Local Government to give
effect to our mission.
Job Summary: The Financial
Linkages Specialist will implement all aspects that support farmer access to
and utilisation of formal financial services under the current GOAL Uganda
livelihoods programme. The incumbent will be required to design and apply a
wide variety of value chain financing tools and approaches in order to catalyze
innovative services, facilitate linkages between formal financial service
providers and market actors (smallholder farmers inclusive) and strengthen
critical financing points in the different value chains towards beneficial
outcomes for smallholder farmers in Agago and Abim Districts. The person will
work closely with the Livelihoods Advisor, Resilience and Advocacy Specialist,
the Agricultural Markets Development Specialist, and have a critical role in
supporting the district project implementation teams and private sector actors
in identifying and implementing innovative agricultural and rural financing
approaches. In addition, She/he will help develop annual business plans for
Producer Units.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
·        
Planning, developing and implementing
agricultural and rural finance activities:
o   Carry out
regular analysis and provide advice on agricultural finance and related market
development.
o   Collect, manage
and maintain a database on financial service providers, and the range and
quantity of financial services they are currently providing.
o   Mentor and train
GOAL staff on rural and agricultural financing options.
o   Build and strengthen
strategic linkages with a wide range of stakeholders including relevant DLG
departments, banks, microfinance and other private sector financial service
providers – including providing specialist advice on agricultural and rural
finance to partner banks and other financial service providers.
o   Disseminate new
agricultural and rural financing opportunities for market actors; that focus on
building and maintaining a pipeline of investment opportunities through
business planning.
o   Work in liaison
with the AMDS to prepare business cases for off-farm businesses and provide
business skills training for off-farm enterprises.
o   Support farmers
and POs in developing viable agro based business plans and businesses for
financing; ensuring that they are guided by business principles and informed by
the needs of the market.
o   Secure
financial service providers interest in farmers business
o   Aggregate
individual farmer/POs financial services demand projections and ensure business
plans receive micro-financing from an established financial institution.
o   Facilitate
sustainable linkages for individual farmers/farmer groups/POs / processors,
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to existing micro and formal finance
institutions to facilitate access to credit.
o   Actively monitor
/ mentor loan repayments and support defaulters to work closely with the FSP.
·        
Documentation, Monitoring, Evaluation and
Reporting:
o   Prepare and
submit progress reports detailing major work accomplishments and progress incl.
monitoring and documenting project participants accessing and utilising formal
financial services.
o   Document and
disseminate case studies, best practices on value chain financing activities
and lessons on working with formal financial service providers.
o   The incumbent
will support the Livelihoods Project Managers in preparation of progress
reports (quarterly, annual, final) and respond to the queries related to
project particularly related agricultural and rural financing activities.
o   Contributing to
annual work plans/budgets and other technical reports.
·        
Organizational Learning: As part of GOAL
Uganda’s commitment to organizational learning and in support of our
understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and
relevant to the communities they serve – we expect all team members to commit
5% of their time to learning activities that benefit GOAL Uganda as well as
themselves.
·        
Representation and Coordination:
o   Act as the
focal person for all coordination, partnership and related activities with
formal financial service providers and related stakeholders.
o   Work in liaison
with local government officials, local NGOs and civil society organizations,
and other notables to ensure support for and acceptance of GOAL Uganda’s market
based programs.
o   Maintain close
working relationships with humanitarian and development organizations, and
local partners, including representing GOAL Uganda at local coordination
meetings as assigned.
o   Conduct
himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring
credit to GOAL Uganda and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
·        
Accountability to Beneficiaries: GOAL Uganda
team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability,
specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding
international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary
communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our
field projects.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
·        
The ideal candidate should preferably hold a first
degree or equivalent qualification in finance, accounting, business or other
related field.
·        
A minimum of five years’ experience working in
financial services, either with a development bank, private financial
institution or consulting firm – or a combination of these. This experience
should ideally include agricultural and rural finance, banking and
microfinance, and all preferably in the private sector.
·        
The applicant should also have at least three years’
experience in emerging markets.
·        
Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary
and multi stakeholder working environments.
·        
Strong networking skills
·        
Excellent analytical skills in planning, financial
analysis and risk management, and project implementation are desired
·        
Familiarity with issues facing the development of
the agricultural and rural financial sectors in Uganda.
·        
The applicant should preferably be an individual
with initiative, who is performance driven and has considerable planning and
organizational skills.
·        
Strong communication, analytical and report writing
skills with fluency in spoken and written English.
·        
Computer literacy skills are a must.
·        
Excellent interpersonal skills.
·        
Willingness and enthusiasm for working with rural
and vulnerable communities living in remote areas of the country.
How to Apply:
All suitably
qualified and interested applicants should send their applications which must
include at least 4 reference contacts (2 professional, 2 character references,
including your supervisor and the most recent/previous employer), and daytime
contact number to; The Human Resource Manager, GOAL Uganda via E-mail to:
AdminKampala@ug.goal.ie
NB: Please do not attach certificates and indicate the
Position applied for in the email subject.
Deadline: 23rd November 2015

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