Business Development Officer - Senegal

Summary

The Business Development Officer supports the growth and diversification of Root Capital’s agricultural lending portfolio by developing and managing relationships with partner organizations, by generating new client opportunities, by conducting research on new products and industries to inform credit underwriting standards, and by underwriting a limited number of loans. Reporting to the Director of Lending for West Africa, the BDO will coordinate with his or her counterparts in Root Capital’s other offices as part of a global Business Intelligence team. He or she will also devote 25% of his or her time to supporting Root Capital’s Strategy, Knowledge and Innovation (SKI) department with research and development of new, non-credit products and services.
 

Mission and History of Root Capital

Root Capital’s mission is to grow rural prosperity by investing in small and growing agricultural businesses that build sustainable livelihoods in Africa and Latin America.

Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that grows rural prosperity in poor, environmentally vulnerable places in Africa and Latin America by lending capital, delivering financial training and strengthening market connections for small and growing agricultural businesses.

Root Capital clients include associations and private businesses that help create sustainable livelihoods by aggregating the products of hundreds, and often, thousands of farmers. Since our launch in 1999, we have provided more than $400 million in credit to over 460 small and growing agricultural businesses.

Root Capital envision a thriving financial market serving agricultural businesses that generate long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability for small-scale farmers and their communities around the world. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently has associated offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Kenya.
 

Responsibilities

1. Relationship Management and New Business Development (30%)
   The BDO will be responsible for developing relationships with partner organizations leading to the identification of qualified prospective borrowers. In coordination with the Director of Lending, and global Value Chain Relations Manager, the BDO will:
   • Develop and maintain key relationships with strategic partners that align activities and create mutual value.
   • Represent Root Capital at relevant events within the region, including public speaking.
   • Facilitate introduction of qualified credit leads to Root Capital loan officers, providing background information to support an efficient response time.
   • Collaborate with Root Capital’s Financial Advisory Services (FAS) to design, promote and execute financial management workshops to introduce Root Capital to potential clients and prepare them to manage credit.

2. Credit Analysis and Risk Management of a selected portfolio in FS&N and Innovation (30%)
   • Collect information about loan applicants as specified by Root Capital’s credit policies.
   • Perform due diligence to verify client information, including (as needed) conducting site visits and management interviews.
   • Conduct financial and operational analysis of applicant companies.
   • Structure loans, present analysis, and make credit recommendations to Root Capital’s credit committees for decision-making, following Root Capital’s credit underwriting policies.
   • Apply Root Capital’s social and environmental impact criteria. Support Root Capital’s portfolio servicing personnel to close loans, including ensuring proper documentation of loan agreements according to Root Capital’s internal policies.
   • Work with Risk Manager in Nairobi and loan monitoring staff in Dakar and/ or Nairobi to track performance of active loans.
   • Lead communication with Root Capital clients to address identified deficiencies in active loans. In heightened risk situations, collaborate with Risk Manager to devise and implement a collections strategy.

3. Market Research (20%)
   The BDO will carry out research to support Root Capital in broadening its addressable market, across our three main lending portfolios (Sustainable Trade, Food Security and Nutrition, and Innovation). Research will focus on the following topics:
   • Market sizing and opportunity assessment. The BDO will research the size and addressable lending opportunity in different industries within their region, to inform lending strategy, projections, and outreach efforts.
   • Credit underwriting standards. Working with the global Industry Analyst, the BDO will collect information relevant to developing credit underwriting standards for existing and new industries in Root Capital’s lending portfolio.
   • Competition. The BDO will support a global Industry Analyst to collect information about the offerings and value proposition of local and international competitors.

4. Research and Development (20%)
   In collaboration with the Director Of Business and Product Development , the BDO will conduct research on, and partner with local organizations to evaluate, opportunities for Root Capital to create impact for rural enterprises that extend beyond credit and financial management training.
    

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum 5 years work experience in rural/ agricultural credit, financial services market research or sales, agricultural value chain development, business development services, Small and medium enterprise banking or a related field.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prioritize and execute multiple, sometimes conflicting tasks.
• Experience working with rural SMEs in a developing country context a plus.
• University degree in finance, agriculture, banking, or a related field.
• Ability to prioritize and execute multiple, sometimes conflicting tasks.
• Willingness to travel regionally up to one-quarter of the time.
       

Applications and Nominations

Applications are due by August 31^st, 2014, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Applications should be written out in English and should include a resume and cover letter describing your interest, qualifications, salary requirements, earliest availability, and how you learned of the position should be sent to: jobsafrica@rootcapital.org. Please type “Loan Officer” followed by your name (Last, First) as the subject line of your email (e.g. “Loan Officer – Ndiaye, Amadou”). Finalist candidates will be required to provide at least three work-related references.

Root Capital is an equal opportunity employer.