EMPLOYETHIOPIA JOB VACANCY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST

  Posted: 09.16.2016
Closing Date: 09.25.2016
Category: Accounting and Finance, Business and Administration, Economics
Location: Bahirdar
Career Level: Senior Level (5+ years experience)
Employment Type: Full time
Salary:
 
Job Description
Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is a Foreign Charity established in 1953 specializing in business solutions to poverty. MEDA uses innovative approaches, market linkages, investment finance and business development services to improve profits for individuals and micro/small and medium size enterprises along selected value chains.

Overview:
    The Financial Services Specialist provides technical backstopping to MEDA’s EMERTA project team to promote:
    greater micro/small/medium enterprise (MSME) access to financial services
    analysis of gaps in current financial service provision-and ability to propose ways to bridge those gaps, particularly for women actors. and provide support to women to access financial services, and
    appropriate use/application of MEDA’s Loan Guarantee Program in securing greater beneficiary/partner access financial services.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

    Liaise proactively with financial institutions in Ethiopia to promote access to financial services for key EMERTA partners (MSME’s, lapidaries, producers, traders, buyers, et al.); provide advice and build core capacities in the rice, vegetable and gem team and partners in developing and monitoring access to new financial products and services.
    Research and analyse the local market for financial services, identify and assess the financing needs of EMERTA target clients.
    Ensure that an MIS system is established and ultimately benefits partners- for internal and external transparency and reporting of financial performance of financial products.
    Manage special projects related to lending for participating financial and non-financial institutions such as the development of manuals, lending forms, introduction of legislative changes, portfolio reviews and acquisitions, and serve on related task forces or committees, as required.
    Identify, screen and build relationships with local organizations (microfinance institutions, commercial banks, credit unions, guarantee funds and other potential partners) to develop and expand appropriate financial products and delivery models to meet the needs of project clients and meet project goals
    Assess, develop and facilitate implementation of a capacity building plan for the local partners to ensure scale, accountability and reporting systems serve the project goals
    Analyze current gaps in project partners’ ability to access appropriate financial services and propose new financial solutions for the project value chain participants (medium and small producers, processing MSMEs, input suppliers, traders and exporters where applicable, etc.). Facilitate their implementation by designing, testing, adjusting and ensuring affordability and sustainability of those solutions, including input supplies on a consignment term, embedded financial services, trade advances and other financing methods as part of broader value chain business transactions
    Work closely with the project team to initiate a launch and work of the Loan Guarantee Program, co-develop stringent criteria and selection procedures for matching grant clients and ensure that intended matching grants do not distort other financial players’ efforts available in the local market.
    Work closely with the project team to increase the ability of the targeted value chain participants (input suppliers, MSME Intermediates, and traders where applicable) to access appropriate financial services through FI and MSME support
    Participate and support the field team in documenting and reporting on lessons learned and liaise with MEDA’s Financial Services support personnel. Contribute to value chain finance industry development and provide all other necessary inputs to ensure the project success.
Reports to:  Senior Financial Service Specialist   
Terms of employment: One year with very high possibility of extension
Job Requirements
Qualifications:
Essential:
    Bachelor’s Degree in Investment Finance, Economics, Business Administration or other relevant discipline.
    Five (5) years’ experience in investment finance, bank lending or microfinance.
    Experience in value chain development, enterprise development, financial product designs, alternative financial solutions.
    Computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications, specifically Excel and Word and Access.
    Excellent oral and written communication in English and Amharic, including analysis and report writing

Desired:
    Agricultural Markets and/or Value Chain finance experience
    Development of Business Services oriented toward financial products and services
    Experience in training, mentoring and institutional capacity building

Core Competencies:
    Results and solutions-oriented
    Accountable and committed
    Willing and able to communicate effectively within the EMERTA team and beyond
    Ability to gathering and analyze information accurately and willingness to work with a diverse group of partners and team members
    Ability to make sound decisions and build mutually trusting relationships at several levels
    Willingness to continually learn, document successes and challenges and feed back to the EMERTA team for adjustments as needed.

Number Required: 1

How to Apply

Note: Only qualified candidates will be screened and a written test/interview which measures the capacity of the applicant will be given.
Those who satisfy the above requirements can send application letters and CV through the following email address only: gaster@meda.org
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU STATE THE JOB POSITION ON THE SUBJECT OF YOUR EMAIL.
Application Deadline: 5:00PM, September 25, 2016