Program Manager, Rural Kenya Financial Inclusion Facility (RK FINFA) at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Job Reference: PM/KE/PID/08/2022

Role Summary:

Reporting to the Head of Inclusive Finance, the Technical Support and Innovation Services (TSIS) Program Manager, will be responsible for the management of TSIS component of the Rural Kenya Financial Inclusion Facility (RK FINFA) whose objective is: Increased rural financial inclusion and green investments by agriculture value chain stakeholders, leading to equitable employment opportunities, innovative and resilient production systems, and increased incomes for smallholders, poor and marginalized rural households, women and youth.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, launch, and evaluates Expressions of Interest (EOI) from PFIs to participate in the program following the criteria formulated in the project document.
• Analyze and select EoIs submitted including proposed innovations to enhance agricultural and green portfolios for approval of PMU and no-objection of IFAD.
• Development of TORs for Technical Service Providers (TSP) and/or in-house/Cordaid experts for the implementation of the capacity building plans and initiate procurement and selection of the TSPs, in collaboration with the PFIs and with approval from the PMU-NT. 
• Monitoring of TSPs’ performance and provision of technical backstopping support to partners on agricultural finance, gender, and youth mainstreaming.
• Support the development of pipeline of MSMEs and small-scale producers from IFAD Value Chain programs, PFIs networks and other aggregation platforms.
• Proposing and promoting innovations at PFI and business advisory/financial literacy level to reduce cost and risk of agricultural lending. 
• Supporting knowledge management (KM) in collaboration with the Program Management Unit at NT level.
• Develops documentaries and knowledge-sharing of the success stories, best practices and lessons learnt from program implementation and prepares policy briefs.
• Actively participates as AGRA Inclusive finance team member to advance agricultural finance ecosystems across the African continent.
• Monitors program implementation to ensure PFIs, TSPs and other partners are implementing their assignments in accordance with the contractual agreement.
• Conducts technical reviews of partners and evaluates quarterly reports of PFIs and TSPs. 
• Prepares reports on the TSIS coordination contract for the PMU and non-objection by IFAD.
• Develops and reviews the project implementation framework including the indicators of success and milestones as detailed in quarterly work plans and budgets.
• Monitors and controls costs associated with budget for the TSIS coordination.

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Relevant experience:

• Minimum ten (10) years’ experience working with partners and managing programs in agricultural value chain development and access to finance for SMEs and smallholder farmers and capacity building for SMEs and smallholder farmers in developing countries, especially in Kenya.
• Minimum Masters’ Degree in Finance, Business economics, Agricultural Economics, or related discipline.
• Experience in conducting needs assessments, terms of reference development, procurement processes and management of consultants and trainers in the agricultural finance sector.
• A sound knowledge of, and experience in, financial sector actor development in Kenya and the state of rural and green finance at national and county level. 
• Experience in innovative solutions for delivering BDS, financial literacy and financial services including the role of digital highly desired.
• Knowledge of and experience in Environmental and Social Management systems and Green Finance concepts highly desirable.
• Proven management skills including donor reporting, budget control, planning and team engagement are essential.
• Fluency in English required; Proficiency in Swahili recommended.