Afghanistan: Agriculture Value Chain Finance Specialist

IESC – the International Executive Service Corps – is a US based not-for-profit with a focus on supporting private enterprise in developing countries. We have worked in partnership with local people in 130 countries – mainly with the generous support of USAID – designing, implementing, managing and evaluating a wide range of market driven solutions along the entire value chain of a company or industry.

IESC is seeking an agriculture services specialist for an anticipated USAID-funded program in Afghanistan in financial sector development. This position will be full-time and based in Afghanistan.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Identify and make contact with key stakeholders in various value chains;


• Identify finance and investment opportunities utilizing partnerships with key value chain actors and strategies for connecting smallholders to markets;


• Develop relationships with local MFIs and commercial banks;


• Work with financial institutions and value chain actors to design financial products to meet smallholder demand for financial services;


• Develop a pipeline of project related investment opportunities and provide initial due diligence to facilitate investment; and


• Work with project partners including rural farm stores, women’s producer cooperatives and other donor programs to provide continued support for expanding access to finance and agriculture investment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business, finance, international development, or other relevant field required; advanced degree preferred;


• Minimum 5 years of experience in international development, preferably on programs supporting financial sector development;


• Experience working in value chain finance and/or supporting agribusinesses in Afghanistan preferred;


• USAID or other donor experience preferred;


• Experience working in Afghanistan or in transitional and/or post-conflict countries highly preferred;


• English fluency required; Dari and Pashto proficiency preferred.