Agribusiness Finance Officer

The Agribusiness Finance Officer provides analytical and technical support on agribusiness and agribusiness finance in the context of public and private investment operations, focusing on value chain development, agrifood trade and markets, agrifinance, agricultural risk management, and private sector investment. The role supports investment and finance solutions to transform agrifood systems in line with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Responsibilities

• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment and finance support solutions.
• Provides technical expertise for the preparation of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies, in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes.
• Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors and civil society organizations and governments.
• Formulates and delivers capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, and non-state actors and private sector organizations.
• Prepares documents in accordance with FAO, governments and financing partners' requirements.
• Provides support in task organization, selection of consultants, preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs.
• Promotes international cooperation and collaboration leading to new investment opportunities and cooperative agreements, advocates best practices and effective policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings.
• 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 Members.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.
• Provides guidance and advice to junior staff.
• Participates in, or leads multidisciplinary teams to support the preparation and implementation of investment projects and programmes, providing technical inputs on agribusiness development, value chain analysis, agrifinance, risk management and private sector engagement.
• Assesses constraints to investments along selected value chains, in relation to private sector engagement, market access, trade and related policies, risk management systems, logistics, quality, sanitary and phytosanitary, among others.
• Identifies and analyses agricultural investment-related policy issues and provides agribusiness and finance related solutions.
• Assesses constraints to access to finance across selected value chains and identifies solutions to unlock financing, including strengthening linkages with financial institutions, improving bankability of investments, and addressing risk perceptions.
• Supports the design and application of innovative and blended finance solutions, including guarantees, concessional financing, risk-sharing facilities and other de-risking instruments aimed at crowding in private capital.
• Contributes to analytical work and knowledge products on agribusiness, agrifinance, and private sector investment, including lessons learned from international experience and practical tools to support project design and implementation.
• Engages with public and private stakeholders, including financial institutions, investors, agribusinesses and farmer organizations, to support the structuring of investable opportunities and strengthen financing ecosystems.
• Supports the development of financing strategies and investment pipelines, identifying priority opportunities to scale up investment and mobilize private sector participation in agrifood systems.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in economics, agricultural economics, agribusiness, finance, agriculture, agro-industry, business administration or a closely related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in the practical application of agribusiness finance (particularly as it relates to financial institutions), agribusiness investments and, more generally, formulation and/or implementation of agrifood investment and finance solutions in developing countries.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Experience in technical fields related to agribusiness finance, rural finance, value-chain development and analysis, business planning, agriculture marketing, blended finance and private sector development.
• Specific experience in agribusiness financing through local financial institutions is considered an asset.
• Experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of agrifood investment and finance support solutions, with a focus on agrifinance, value chain development, agribusiness and private sector investment operations.
• Specific experience in private sector investment operations is considered an advantage.
• Experience in the design, implementation support and evaluation of investment operations with FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), regional and local financial institutions.
• Knowledge of the context, as well as partners and institutions of the Latin America and the Caribbean region would be an important asset.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and private sector stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience to write technical reports in English.
• Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of Spanish would be an asset.

Skills

• Agribusiness Finance
• Agribusiness Investment
• Agrifood Investment Solutions
• Rural Finance
• Value Chain Analysis
• Business Planning
• Agriculture Marketing
• Blended Finance Structuring
• Private Sector Development
• Investment Operations Design
• Investment Operations Evaluation
• Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration
• Technical Report Preparation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Agricultural Risk Management
• Public and Private Investment
• Agrifood Trade and Markets
• Development Partner Coordination
• FAO Investment Support

Languages

English, Spanish