Better Lending Conditions Lead - Palladium

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits. 

For the past 50 years, we have been making Positive Impact possible. With a team of more than 2,500 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of more than 35,000 technical experts, Palladium has improved – and is committed to continuing to improve – economies, societies and most importantly, people’s lives. 

Palladium is a child-safe organisation, and screens applicants for suitability to work with children. We also provide equal employment to all participants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or marital status. 

Project Overview and Role:

The position will be on an upcoming USAID/Ghana project that addresses a key constraint restricting the development of commercial agriculture and obtaining full food security in Ghana – access to finance necessary to enable investment in agricultural value chains.
The Better Lending Conditions Lead will provide leadership, technical, and management direction for supply-side work, specifically work to stimulate Ghanaian financial institutions (FIs) to respond to identified investment opportunities in the agriculture value chains. This position will lead and manage all efforts and activities of Better Lending Conditions side of the project in order to meet all of the Project’s targets related to this component. These responsibilities include: leading and conducting required assessments of the financial sector; designing, conducting and overseeing technical assistance and training for financial institutions; supporting the design and implementation of financial sector incentives; leading technical planning for annual work plans; completing budgeting projections; overseeing financial management of the component; supervising staff; monitoring implementation of the work plan including development of quarterly and annual reports; and ensuring that appropriate monitoring, evaluation and communication activities are being conducted on all aspects of the Better Lending Conditions component’s work plan.  

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The Better Lending Conditions Lead will be responsible for the following: 

• In cooperation with the project’s Procurement/Grants Director, designing, overseeing the roll-out, and evaluating the impact of financial institution incentive grants to buy down transaction costs and risks associated with agricultural finance
• Facilitating and/or designing training and technical assistance activities for financial institutions to improve their ability to expand lending to agribusiness, including overseeing the work of financial sector training subcontractors
• Analyze the pipeline of agricultural finance opportunities and design financial institution strategies accordingly; 
• Supporting, together with other technical team members, the following
  • Agribusiness deal organization
  • Deal structuring
  • Deal closure
  • Agribusiness loan repayment
• Facilitating communications activities that highlight the successes of financial institutions to facilitate expanded agribusiness financing in coordination with the Project’s communications team;
• Serving as the primary point of contact with financial institutions in Ghana;
• Supporting linkages with similar Government of Ghana and development partner projects to leverage these for additional impact
• Supporting design and implementation of Project events
• Supporting the evaluation of project activities as required
• Participating in annual work planning and design
• Ensuring proper budget management of supply-side activities
• Supervising the Better Lending Conditions Deputy staff member
• Ensuring that the Project meets financial and social impact requirements
• Traveling around to various regions of Ghana (and potentially outside) as needed
• Other project-related tasks as required. 

Position Requirements:

• Proven experience working in the finance sector in Ghana, for example in a bank or investment firm; previous experience in agricultural lending preferred
• Microsoft office suite proficiency and the ability to operate spreadsheet and word-processing programs at a highly proficient level
• Proactive problem-solving, decision-making and good judgment skills
• Attention to detail and ability to effectively and efficiently perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to communicate effectively with managers, colleagues, and clients
• Professional and mature demeanor and conduct
• Ghanaian nationals preferred.

Experience/Education:

• Master’s degree in business administration, international finance, international development, agricultural economics, or related field of study
• Eight years or more of progressively responsible work experience in finance, preferably within the agriculture sector (or a Bachelor’s degree and twelve years of similar experience)