Position Description
Lending Training
Location Tanzania
Department Programs
Employment Type Volunteer
The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project
Scope of Work
Lending Training
Program Description:
The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance Project is an access to finance project working to improve access to finance for smallholders, women, youth, and micro, small, medium (including large) enterprises ( MSMiLs ) in Tanzania by improving the agri -finance ecosystem and strengthening the capacity of both borrowers and lenders. The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project will prioritize interventions that increase availability and adoption of priority technologies, including climate-smart technology, and create more inclusive agricultural finance ecosystems, enable expanded and sustained lending and investment, and increase productivity and incomes.
Project interventions will support 20 financial institutions, 15 demand-side institutions including agricultural enterprises and women and youth groups, train 300 financial institution staff, and reach 18,000 borrowers with $21 million in agricultural finance facilitated in Tanzania. The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project will utilize a system-driven, private sector-led approach to target agricultural market coordination failures and develop commercially oriented solutions that will sustain and scale agri -financing.
The project includes two interconnected strategic objectives to achieve tangible, positive impact for smallholder farmers, women, youth, agro -enterprises, and financial institutions.
Objective 1: Improve income and bankability of smallholders, women, youth and micro, small and medium (including large) enterprises.
The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project will deliver targeted technical capacity strengthening and direct training and coaching to smallholders, women, youth, and MSMiLs beneficiaries in financial and money management skills and tools, business planning, finance and investment, development of business funding proposals, records keeping, loan applications, and loan repayment and/or savings strategies.
Objective 2: Strengthen financial institution operational capacity to expand agri – lending.
The Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project will provide targeted support to supply side financial institutions to develop new agri -finance products and improve operational capabilities and efficiencies, build capacity and strengthening their motivation to expand agri -lending to smallholders, women, youth, and MSMiLs – with a focus on priority and climate-smart technologies such as irrigation, inputs, storage, and value addition.
Problem Statement : M anaging loans effectively requires a deep understanding of the loan lifecycle and implementing best practices from origination to repayment. Each stage in the loan lifecycle has its own set of considerations and challenges that lenders must address. U nderstanding these stages and implementing best practices is essential to mitigat ing risks, enhanc ing borrower experience, and maximiz ing loan performance.
One government agency in Zanzibar has been providing loans to individuals, businesses, and group s to ensure Zanzibaris have access to the capital need ed to grow , sustain, and operate their businesses profitably. T he agency has been facing challenges in managing the se loans ; therefore, it wants to develop the skills of its management and staff on basic lending principles , and best practices throughout the loan life cycle . Advanced knowledge in this area will enable management and staff to better assess lending opportunities, operating systems, and capital investment cycles for the agency . Additionally, the agency will have a greater capacity to understand the general viabilit y of borrowers and manage lending to micro, small business and small and medium enterprise ( SME ) lending.
Therefore, the Feed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance P roject is recruiting a n SME lending expert to develop and facilitate a tailored , hands-on lending training for the government agency ‘s m anagement and staff in Unguja and Pemba , Zanzibar . This training will enhance the agency’s ability to lend to Zanzibari s, farmers and agribusinesses, and increase their understand ing of basic lending principles, the loan lifecycle and best practices .
Objectives of the Assignment:
1. Develop and facilitate tailored , hands-on lending and lending best practices training to the g overnment agency ‘s management and staff .
2. Work with the government agency to review, design, and introduce key lending tools, techniques, and best practices.
3. Recommend further initiatives to improve the agency’s lending operations , loan recovery and ability to effectively deliver financial services (credit services) to Zanzibaris, farmers and businesses.
Tasks to be Performed:
1. Pre-Assignment Tasks
- Hold call with the Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project Chief of Party and Project Agri-Lending Specialist to discuss the needs of assignment and strategy .
- Develop draft of lending training materials including training aids and gears (posters, case studies, role play, examples etc.)
- Work remotely with g overnment agency management team to understand how the agency operates its lending business to understand/clarify knowledge gaps.
2. Assignment
- Attend in-country orientation hosted by the Feed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance Project staff.
- Hold kickoff meeting with the g overnment agency to review and finalize assignment objectives and plan.
- Work with the government agency to v erify , further customize and finalize the training and materials for the agency .
- Prepare for the delivery of training to the government agency management and staff in Unguja and Pemba
- Deliver hands -on lending training designed for the government agency .
- The lending training may cover the following topics:
- Introduction to lending
- Loan lifecycle- Loan Origination, Loan Underwriting, Loan Closing, Loan Disbursement, Loan Servicing and Loan Repayment
- Basic Principles of Lending
- Micro, Small business , and SME lending
- Work with the government agency to review, design, and introduce key lending tools, techniques, and best practices.
- Identify and develop recommendations for further initiatives to improve the agency’s lending operations , loan recovery and ability to effectively deliver financial services (credit services) to Zanzibaris, farmers and businesses .
- Hold debriefing with host organization to share recommendations.
- Attend briefing with USAID Tanzania mission.
- Hold debriefing with F eed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance Project team.
- Draft final report for assignment and submit to Project Agri finance Specialist.
End of Assignment Report and Other Deliverables Required:
1. Finalized training materials and tools developed for the g overnment a gency
2. Final trip report detailing work completed over the course of the assignment as well as recommendations for the government agency
Country Schedule for Assignment:
Day
Activity
Location
Estimated days
Pre-Travel Tasks
- Hold call with the Feed the Future Tanzania Agri-Finance Project Chief of Party and Project Agri-Lending Specialist to discuss the needs of assignment and strategy.
- Develop draft of lending training materials including training aids and gears (posters, case studies, role play, examples etc.)
- Work remotely with the g overnment agency management team to understand how the agency operates its lending business and the existing knowledge gaps.
Day 1
- Travel to Zanzibar
Unguja
1
Day 2
- Attend in-country orientation hosted by the Feed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance Project staff.
- Hold kickoff meeting with the g overnment agency to review and finalize assignment objectives and plan.
Unguja
1
Day 3- 4
- Work with the government agency to verify the gaps and further customize and finalize the agency’s training and materials.
- Prepare for the delivery of training to the government agency management and staff in Unguja.
Unguja
2
Day 5 -7
- Deliver a hands -on lending training designed for the government agency.
- Work with the government agency in Unguja to review, design, and introduce key lending tools, techniques, and best practices.
- Identify and develop recommendations for further initiatives and actions that can be implemented by the government agency to improve its lending operations , loan recovery and ability to effectively deliver financial services (credit services) to Zanzibaris, farmers and businesses .
Unguja
3
Day 8
- Travel to Pemba
Pemba
1
Day 9
- Work with the government agency to verify the gaps , and further customize and finalize the training and materials for the agency in Pemba.
- Prepare for the delivery of training to the government agency management and staff in Pemba.
Pemba
1
Day 1 0 -12
- Deliver a hands -on lending training designed for the government agency.
- Work with the government agency in Pemba to review, design, and introduce key lending tools, techniques, and best practices.
- Identify and develop recommendations for further initiatives and actions that can be implemented by the government agency to improve its lending operations , loan recovery , and ability to effectively deliver financial services (credit services) to Zanzibaris, farmers and businesses .
Pemba
3
Day 1 3 -14
- Travel to Unguja
- Hold debriefing with host organization to share recommendations.
- Attend briefing with USAID Tanzania mission.
- Hold debriefing with Feed the Future Tanzania Agri Finance Project team.
- Draft final report for assignment and submit to Project Agri finance Specialist.
- Departure
Unguja
2
Total
14
Expertise of Volunteer Expert Requested:
- Degree in financial management , financial analysis, banking or agriculture lending.
- 10+ years progressive experience in banking, managing lending business, S ME lending, financial management , credit analysis and credit and lending or data a nalytics and in telligence leadership related to financial institutions.
- Experience in agricultural finance and agribusiness management.
- In-depth technical capabilities in lending and credit management and d ata a nalytics and i ntelligence knowledge and skill.
- Strong background in agriculture and small business lending concepts.
- Ability to develop and manage an experimentation roadmap.
- Creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Goal-oriented mindset and hands-on approach .
- Experience of working in sub-Sahara African countries would be added advantage.
- Knowledge of and experience in banking, credit management and agricultural access to finance in sub-Saharan Africa preferred .
