De-risking and blended finance expert

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender and nationality

People with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Organizational Setting

Agriculture remains central to poverty reduction, growth, and food and nutrition security in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Region. It provides livelihoods including subsistence, employment, and income and wealth creation for nearly 61% of the Region’s 284 million people (2012). The region remains a net importer of most agricultural products. Malnutrition and food insecure population remains high with child underweight above 26% in nearly all countries in the region.

In 2014, SADC Member States approved the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (RAP) to define common agreed objectives and measures to guide, promote and support actions at regional and national levels in the agricultural sector of the SADC Member States in contribution to regional integration and the attainment of the SADC Common Agenda. The overall objective of the Policy is to contribute to sustainable agricultural growth and socio-economic development. In alignment with the Africa Union’s various declarations (Maputo Declaration, 2003, Malabo Declaration, 2014) and NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme, the SADC RAP will be implemented in phases, each phase comprising a Regional Agricultural Investment Plan (RAIP). The first phase RAIP (2017 – 2022) was endorsed by SADC Council in Lozita, Swaziland in March 2017.

The successful implementation of the RAIP includes the development and operationalisation of an Agricultural Development Fund (ADF). This consultancy is to support the finalization of the draft SADC ADF focusing on sustainable financing mechanisms for the Fund.

Reporting Lines

The De-risking and blended finance expert reports to the Agribusiness Officer.

Technical Focus

The De-risking and blended finance expert will support the finalization of the SADC ADF draft focusing on sustainable financing mechanisms for the Fund.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall leadership of the FAO Institution and System Analyst and the FAO Agribusiness officer, technical guidance by the PTF member and the Sub-Regional Agro-Food Systems and Investment Policy Support Specialists, and in close collaboration with designated senior officials and the team of ADF consultants from the SADC Secretariat, the consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Finalize the draft of the proposal structure and model of the innovative blended finance vehicle for SADC
• Support SADC to present the ADF to the SADC Member states, private financiers, investors and DFIs towards the ADF to validate the proposal and confirm the commitment
• Secure credible local fund manager and support SADC in the discussion in the hiring process of the fund manager
• Prepare progress report
• Work closely with the local fund manager to finalize the process of the additional investor commitment from Private Sector, DFIs and donors
• Work closely with the local fund manager to identify indicative pipeline of deals with the national and regional stakeholders and readiness of the actors to lend
• Finalize financial structuring. This includes → knowledge on the pipeline, understanding of the specific VC, public sector engagement, and local commercial banks
• Develop principles for the blended finance in the SADC region and guidelines looking to:
  1. Ensure development and financial additionality for crowding in commercial finance
  2. Leverage based on context and conditions
  3. Commercial sustainability in blended finance

• For the selected sector and after discussing with DFIs, SADC, development partners, donors and country representatives provide detailed description of the fund structure
• In close collaboration with the fund manager, the SADC Secretariat ADF team. Specifically define for the fund the following:
  4. Set clear, mutually agreed and measureable development objectives with a coherent narrative
  5. The architecture of the fund
  6. Ownership of the fund
  7. Total portfolio
  8. Equity, quasi equity, grant portfolio
  1. Amount of blending
  10. Fund management
  11. No of projects to be funded
  50. Size of the loans
  1000. Return to investment
  14. Risk management
  15. Monitoring arrangements
  16. Complaint mechanisms
  17. Transparency

• Support the fund manager in preparing the evidence of completed legal parts of the model for the fund at SADC and member state level
• Together with the fund manager develop a full proposal for the SADC ADF
• From the engagements with different stakeholders and member state level, identify and list internal skills and capacities gaps in operationalizing the model proposed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Finance, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, or closely related fields.
• Ten years of concrete experience in Private Finance sector in Southern Africa and Global context
• Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience and strong knowledge of the food and agriculture sector and rural development in the SADC region.
• Knowledge of the working modalities and funding opportunities of Development Partners of the SADC Secretariat

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

_______________________________________________________________________________________