Agricultural Investment Advisor (Southern Africa)

Job Description

SSG Advisors is accepting applications from qualified Agricultural Investment Advisor applicants for an anticipated USAID-funded project in the Southern Africa region.

Project Overview

The anticipated USAID funded project seeks to increase global competitiveness and intra-regional trade, as well as improve food security in Southern Africa (defined by USAID as Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). The project aims to achieve these goals through the facilitation of domestic, regional and international financing and investment in the areas of agriculture and technology transfer. The project will also focus on increasing mutually beneficial linkages between the Southern Africa region and the United States through such means as U.S. exports, investments, joint ventures, partnerships, and distribution agreements.

Responsibilities

The Agricultural Investment Specialist will lead regional and international investment support and financial advising on a full-time, long-term basis. This Specialist will be tasked with:

• Engaging partners to identify a pipeline of viable agriculture projects or growing agribusiness (small, medium and large) to receive transaction support;
• Developing and maintaining relationships with a variety of sources of financial institutions, including commercial banks, development banks, investment banks, impact funds and private equity funds active in Southern Africa;
• Managing the delivery of financial advisory services to client enterprises in target sectors to facilitate access to finance;
• Working with international firms, particularly those in the United States, to identify mutually beneficial partnerships between international and Southern African firms; and
• Where necessary, working with financial institutions to develop new finance instruments aimed at mobilizing finance and technology in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors.

Minimum Requirements

• Masters degree or equivalent in banking, finance, business administration, economics, international and/or agricultural development, international relations or related field.
• At least ten years of experience, preferably in the Southern Africa region working in the area of finance, banking, financial advisory services and/or investment.
• Extensive experience working with commercial investment, development banks, financial services companies in international finance or in the Southern Africa region. Existing relationships with Southern African funds and financial institutions preferred.
• Experience in originating, analyzing and structuring financial transactions.
• Experience catalyzing development results in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors, particularly with regards to agricultural inputs and staple foods, through the mobilization of private sector capital.

How to Apply:

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and two references to jobs@ssg-advisors.com. Please include “Agricultural Investment Advisor- Southern Africa” in the email subject line, and save documents (cover letter, resume, and references) in one PDF as ‘Last Name_First Name.pdf’ (e.g., Smith_Jane.pdf). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please. SSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About the Organization

SSG Advisors is an international consulting firm based in Burlington, Vermont, USA, that works with a variety of government and commercial clients on market-driven sustainable development solutions around the world. Since 2005, we have completed assignments in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. We are a leader in developing and managing catalytic international development partnerships.