Inclusive Finance Expert (IFE)

Title: Inclusive Finance Expert (IFE) – for local/national applicants

1. Background

The Project VIE/039 – “Finance for resilience – Fostering climate-smart agriculture financial inclusion in Thua Thien Hue to improve resilience of smallholder farmers, especially women” co-funded by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with the duration of two years implementing by the Luxembourg Cooperation Development Agency (LuxDev).

The project aims to enhance the climate and economic resilience of farmers and small businesses in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam, with a special focus on empowering women through:

Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices: Promotion of sustainable farming techniques that increase productivity and resilience to climate change.

Strengthening Inclusive Finance and Market Access: This includes:

Capacity building for Agribank in climate-smart agriculture finance and gender financing.
Enhancing financial literacy, market access, and business management skills for farmers, cooperatives, traders, and aggregators.

Improving Sector Level Knowledge and Awareness: Elevating understanding and practices among regulators, research and training institutions and social organizations through exposure to knowledge-sharing opportunities and international best practices in financial inclusion and climate-smart financing.

2. OBJECTIVES

Manage and collaborate with other international and local experts in the deliverables of results throughout the below key areas:

Enhance access to tailored financial services for smallholder farmers and women entrepreneurs.

Strengthen the capacity of Agribank and other stakeholders in gender-inclusive and climate-smart financing.

Promote climate – smart and gender considerations in financial inclusion strategies at the national level.

3. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Management and coordination – to collaborate with the Agribank taskforce and project experts to

Develop detailed work plans and budget that align with the project objectives and timelines.
Define specific tasks, milestones, and deliverables related to inclusive finance, ensuring they are integrated into the overall project framework.
Identify resource requirements for implementing financial products, capacity-building initiatives, and stakeholder engagement activities.
Organize regular planning meetings to review and adjust work plans based on project developments, challenges, and stakeholder feedback.

Technical Expertise

On the supply side – to coordinate with Agribank and project experts to

Review and provide recommendations for improvement of loan application process, where necessary and the development of the Loan Origination System (LOS).
Conduct assessments and market studies to understand the financial needs of women entrepreneurs and recommend tailored financial solutions.
Develop customized financial products and collaborate with Agribank on marketing strategies; oversee pilot testing and disseminate findings.
Enhance Agribank’s capacity in product development through mentorship, training programs, and creating educational materials on climate-smart agriculture and value chain assessments.
Analyze and enhance Agribank’s reporting systems by reviewing existing formats and developing new, efficient reporting solutions.
Facilitate monthly project task force meetings at Agribank to advocate for project recommendations.

At the demand side – to coordinate with Agribank and project experts

Oversee the assessment of financial literacy needs and the adaptation of existing training materials to ensure the content is closely aligned with the specific context of the targeted beneficiaries. Engage with agricultural cooperatives, local governments, and social organizations to promote the training programs and ensure alignment with broader community initiatives.
Foster partnerships with local and international organizations to support the sustainability of financial literacy efforts beyond the project duration.

At the ecosystem and regulator level:

Work closely with the CTA and project experts to ensure gender integration across all interventions.
Advocate for mainstreaming gender considerations in financial inclusion strategies and policies at the national level.

Networking and Partnerships

Establish and maintain effective partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including Agribank, the State Bank of Vietnam, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Participate in forums and events on financial inclusion and gender equality to raise awareness and disseminate best practices.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Sharing

Establish key performance indicators tailored to gender-sensitive, climate-smart agriculture, systemic change measurement to measure progress and effectiveness in enhancing financial inclusion and services for target beneficiaries.
Contribute to the implementation of the project’s monitoring and evaluation framework, focusing on gender-related indicators.
Regularly assess the impact and effectiveness of gender-inclusive finance interventions and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.
Coordinate with the MERL Expert to consolidate and disseminate best practices and lessons learned while promoting knowledge management within the project.
Facilitate learning among stakeholders and actively contribute to the project’s knowledge repository.

A detailed job description can be obtained upon request to the email address: [email protected]

4. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE JOB

Education

Advanced degree in Finance, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, or a related field is typically required.
Additional certifications or coursework in inclusive finance, gender studies, climate-smart agriculture, or related areas will be advantageous.

General Experience and Skills

At least 7 years of experience in roles related to finance, particularly in inclusive finance, agricultural finance, or microfinance.
Experience managing or contributing to development projects, particularly those focused on financial inclusion, gender equity, and/or climate resilience.
Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, financial institutions, and community groups.
Facilitating learning within organizations.

Specific Experience and Skills

Experience in designing and implementing financial products specifically tailored for smallholder farmers and women, with a focus on climate-smart agricultural practices.
Proficiency in analyzing financial and market data to inform product development and assess the impact of financial services
Experience in developing and delivering training modules for financial institution staff on gender-sensitive finance and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effectively conveying complex financial concepts to diverse audiences, including non-experts.
Strong relationship-building skills to engage and collaborate with various stakeholders, including financial institutions, farmers, and government bodies

Desired Attributes

Familiarity with improving loan origination processes, including the use of technology and systems to streamline applications and increase efficiency.
Familiarity with loan origination systems, financial management software, and data analysis tools to streamline processes and enhance financial servic.

5. CONDITIONS:

Location: Project VIE/039 in Hanoi, Vietnam, with frequent travels to Thua Thien Hue
Nature of the position: full-time position (renewable);
Duration: 2 years;
Expected starting date: as soon as possible;
Salary: will be calculated based on LuxDev salary scale and the experience / qualifications of the successful candidate.

How to apply:

Applications can only be submitted via the LuxDev careers website at https://careers.luxdev.lu/job-invite/1713/ .Applications must consist of 1) curriculum vitae (including contact details of two referees), and 2) a motivation letter. Only applications received via the LuxDev careers website will be considered.

Deadline: 21 February 2025