TAF Finance and Contracts Specialist, South Africa

Reports to: Senior TAF Advisor

Position Location: Johannesburg, South Africa


I. GENERAL INFORMATION

TechnoServe is a rapidly growing non-profit organization dedicated to the expansion of economic opportunity and income for the poor in over 20 countries. Founded in 1968, TechnoServe implements projects that enhance the competitiveness of agricultural and other industry “value chains” for the benefit of small-holder farmers and other market participants in developing countries. A second main focus is the identification and development of high potential entrepreneurs for the expansion of their businesses and generation of employment opportunities. TechnoServe employs a staff of 700 business and technical specialists and program managers throughout its network in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and India.

TechnoServe has recently been awarded the role of Technical Assistance Facility Manager for the African Agriculture Fund (AAF). AAF is a private equity fund designed to respond to the food crisis that severely impacted the continent in 2008 in the wake of escalating food prices, has reached its first closing at USD 135 million in November 2010. The support to AAF, whose total target size is USD 300 million, is part of a coordinated response of a pool of European DFIs --with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Proparco / FIESA, the Government of Spain; and African DFIs --, with the African Development Bank, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and the ECOWAS Bank of Development (BIDC).

To enhance its impact on development, the AAF has deployed two additional instruments: a dedicated small-scale business (SME) sub-fund of a target size of USD 60 million (initially USD 30 million) and the Technical Assistance facility (TAF) of about EUR 10 million, to support outgrower schemes in large companies and business development services in SMEs. IFAD will manage the TAF for which core funding has been committed by the European Commission with the contribution of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the AAF, the Italian Cooperation and the Spanish Cooperation.

The AAF fund manager is Phatisa www.phatisa.com

II. PRIMARY PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

The overall objective of the TAF is to support the medium-term economic development of SMEs and small farmers operating in the agricultural sector in Africa. To do this, the TAF will provide grant funding to qualified AAF SME sub-fund investment targets to (a) better position them to successfully negotiate investments by the AAF and (b) develop the capabilities of small agricultural businesses and rural communities. The TAF will also provide services to support out grower farmers associated with SME or large commercial investments. The TAF will make it possible for the AAF to invest in particular private sector opportunities with linkages to small farmers and poor rural workers that otherwise would not be attractive to the AAF.
The overall management of the TAF will be the responsibility of a Technical Assistance Facility Manager (TAF Manager). The TAF Manager will develop the following activities:

1. Outgrower Component
1.1. Design outgrower schemes and create proposals for extension services that enable small farmers to supply investees of the AAF with agricultural products
1.2. Build the capacity of affiliated smallholder farmers through the development of extension programmes and training materials
1.3. Provide technical assistance to cooperatives and producer associations following the core principles of cooperatives
1.4. Develop farm service schemes and training material in order to assist and train farm service providers

2. SME Component
2.1. Assist small agribusinesses and farmers organizations in becoming viable investment candidates of the AAF SME sub-fund through the provision of targeted technical assistance
2.2. Conduct market research and surveys, including analyses of new regional and international markets for expansion of existing product lines

3. Rural Finance Component
3.1. Assess the target beneficiaries’ demand for financial services on a gender-differentiated basis
3.2. Map and disseminate information about rural finance institutions, delivery channels, and the rural finance support infrastructure
3.3. Facilitate training for rural finance institution staff, including credit risk appraisal and collateral assessment in the agricultural context
3.4. Support locally adapted rural financial service providers in research & development of rural finance products and services
3.5. Assist commercial farms in the development of outgrower input financing schemes

III. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Take overall responsibility for TAF finances
• Update the Serenic Navigator accounting system with accounting transactions (cashbook, accounts payable, journals, petty cash and staff expense reimbursements)
• Prepare cheque payments and bank deposits.
• Monitor and reconcile the petty cash float on a weekly basis
• Perform monthly reconciliations of all balance sheet accounts
• Process and manage all staff travel advances, personal vehicle usage and other sundry debts in line with Company Policy
• Assist with the preparation of monthly managements accounts, quarterly donor reports and cash flow
o Act as point of contact between TAF and TNS finance team
o Manage payroll for TAF staff
o Procure office equipment and services
o Manage office insurance policies and procurement.
• Take lead on TAF contracting
o Review budgets proposed by TA providers
o Draft contracts/grant agreements for engagement of TA providers by TAF
o Ensure TAF contracting is compliant with local rules and regulations in countries where it is engaging TA providers
o Ensure TAF is compliant with IFAD and EU rules and regulations as outlined in TAF operations manual
• Support TAF Senior Advisor and team on other project administration as needed

IV. COMMUNICATIONS

Represent TAF and TechnoServe to external parties.

V. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGING RESOURCES

• Responsible for managing funds to procure goods/services for TAF team and office
• Handle petty cash
• Handles cheques and bank deposits

VI. IMPACT

The TAF is expected to positively impact the lives of over 20,000 smallholders through targeted interventions that will link small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs to the investment companies of the AAF. This is based on the AAF investment pipeline.

VII. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Familiarity with basic accounting packages.
• Experience working in Africa
• Experience drafting grant agreements and contracts
• Experience working on donor funded projects
• Used to working in fast moving environments and to providing accurate and timely information at a high quality standard
• Flexible; used to working in entrepreneurial situations


VIII. EDUCATION/QUALIFICATION

• A recognized professional accounting qualification with a thorough practical understanding of management accounting principles and techniques.
• Fluency in French preferred
• Willingness to travel within region and internationally

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Technoserve, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.