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Job Title: Rural Finance Manager

Organisation: Ministry of Agriculture, Animal & Fisheries (National Oil Seeds Project)

Duty Station:   Uganda

Reports to: Project Manager

About US:

The Public Service Commission is established under the provisions of Article 165(1) of the
1995 Constitution. In fulfillment of its functions under Article 166, the Commission is required to make a report to Parliament in respect of each year’s performance of its functions.

About the Project:

The Government of Uganda (GoU) has received a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) towards financing a ten-year National Oil Seeds Project (NOSP). The Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) as the Lead Project Agency, in partnership with Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) other agencies, private sector and farmer Organizations. The Project will be implemented in six area-based hubs: West Nile, Gulu, Lira, Karamoja, East and Mid- Western Uganda.

The project goal of the NOSP is: “inclusive rural transformation through sustainable development of the oilseeds sector”, while the Development Objective is “to accelerate commercialisation in key oilseeds value chains and thereby improve the livelihoods and resilience of the smallholders engaged in oilseed production and marketing”.

Job Summary:

• Responsible for the Rural Financial Services activities of NOSP.
• Provide technical assistance for product innovation for VSLA linkage banking for agriculture, value chain financing and loan risk management for financial institutions, technical assistance to SACCOs and other co-operatives, and working with insurance companies for piloting and scaling-up crop insurance and facilitate bundled crop insurance products access to the project target groups.
• Work closely with the formal financial institutions, insurance companies and the Agriculture Insurance Consortium at the national, regional and hub level as well as with Tier 4 financial institutions from the project area particularly focussing on the linking of VSLAs with the formal financial institutions, insurance companies and other service providers in the oil seed crop value chain.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• To take overall responsibility and leadership on the planning, implementation and monitoring of the Rural Financial Services activities of NOSP. This involves the preparation and monitoring of Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPB), progress reports and analytical reports;
• Manage the rural finance activities in accordance with the approved annual work plans, coordinate and ensure complementarities with Oil Seed Value Chain Development activities;
• Participate in multi-stakeholder platforms and address issues related to credit and agriculture crop insurance;
• Develop TORs and selection criteria for contracting national technical assistance consultants, ensuring quality of their work and providing advisory support as required;
• Carry out due diligence of interested financing institutions, prepare the ToRs for technical assistance and develop partnership with the Bank of Uganda, Agricultural Credit Facility, financing banks and project to facilitate affordable credit for target groups.
• Develop MOUs with the Agriculture Insurance Consortium (AIC), individual insurance companies, financing institutions, other significant players in the oil seed value chain and the project to facilitate crop insurance services.
• Ensure an assessment of seasonal credit requirement plans for the VSLA members and agri businesses and facilitate and monitor flow of credit for financing production;
• Participate in evaluation committees for selection of co-financing applicants for mechanisation and post harvest cleaning equipment and ensure financial services for co financing;
• Maintain close coordination with implementation partners (banking and financial institutions, insurance companies, private service providers, NGOs and other stakeholders) and ensure satisfactory results;
• In close coordination with hub-level agriculture finance consultants, ensure that all policy and operational issues are sorted out in a timely manner for flow of financial services;
• Plan, supervise and monitor the trainings on financial literacy trainings for effective results;
• Assume a lead responsibility for the organisation of rural finance-related trainings, study tours, conferences and workshops;
• Provide support and guidance for the gathering of data and information needed to undertake an effective monitoring and evaluation of all the rural finance activities;
• Oversee the design and establishment of channels for regular information dissemination, sharing, and networking among stakeholders including VC members.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a University degree in economics, business administration, agri business, or in a related field
• A Master’s degree in any of the above related fields.
• A certificate in insurance would be an added advantage.
• Work experience in banking for 15 years out of which at least seven years in agri-banking and small farmer and agri-business credit;
• Experience in implementation of internationally financed projects will be an added advantage;
• Good knowledge of the different national banking and financial institutions, insurance companies, concerned with agriculture finance and insurance strong ability and readiness to communicate, and work with them;
• Communication skills, especially written communication, group facilitation skills
• Gender sensitivity in working with both men and women understanding and addressing their needs;
• Team player with ability to work with different stakeholders and programme team;
• Fluent written and spoken English and national local language.
• Problem solving skills;

How to Apply:

All candidates send their written applications with copies of academic credentials, testimonials and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) indicating contact details of (03) referees addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, and hand delivered to the Ministry Registry located at Plot No.14 Lugard Road Entebbe, P.O. Box 102, Entebbe – Uganda

Deadline: Monday 3^rd January 2022 by 4.00pm

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