The candidate must be an experienced agricultural economist, with up to six years of professional work experience including minimum of three years in agricultural sector and two years active PUE project implementation.
The candidate must possess strong analytical skills in value chain identification and assessment, business model design and implementation, with proven expertise in developing innovative financing mechanisms such as pay-as-you-go (PAYGO), lease-to-own, and blended-finance structures for smallholder farmers and agro-companies.
The ideal candidate is expected to bring a strategic mindset for scaling climate-smart agro transactions and projects, exceptional communication skills for translating complex economic insights into actionable recommendations, and a commitment to institutional learning through comprehensive documentation, standard operating procedures and knowledge-sharing practices that promote InfraCredit's climate-smart agro as well as clean energy portfolio
Job Details
The Climate-Smart Agro Specialist will be required to carry out the following activities:
Transaction Structuring and Credit Assessment
- Design and structure innovative financing models tailored to agricultural energy projects, incorporating risk-sharing mechanisms and blended finance approaches.
- Develop financial models and assessment frameworks that account for agricultural seasonality, commodity price risks, and climate variability while modelling for PUE projects.
- Conduct comprehensive credit assessments for agricultural energy projects while incorporating technical & commercial, operational risks amongst others.
- Structure transactions and innovative financing enhancement mechanisms appropriate for different categories of climate-smart agro related projects.
Pipeline Development and Transaction Origination
- Establish systematic approaches for identifying, evaluating, and developing climate-smart agro financing opportunities.
- Design and implement project screening criteria specific to agricultural energy transition investments.
- Develop standardised due diligence frameworks for assessing agricultural energy projects, including technical, financial, and impact evaluation methodologies.
- Create and maintain comprehensive project pipeline tracking systems with sector-specific metrics and milestones whilst using the transaction reporting systems.
Sector Strategy and Market Development
- Develop comprehensive market assessments of energy transition opportunities across agricultural value chains, identifying priority sub-categories and investment themes.
- Design sector-specific investment strategies that address unique characteristics of agricultural energy projects and align with facility objectives.
- Build strategic partnerships with agricultural technology providers, original equipment manufacturers, and energy service companies including mini-grid operators.
Impact Measurement and Reporting
- Establish sector-specific impact measurement frameworks that capture agricultural productivity, climate, and socioeconomic outcomes.
- Develop regular reporting systems for tracking activities and performance in agricultural value chain.
- Prepare case studies and documentation to demonstrate impact and attract additional partners.
- Coordinate with development impact team to ensure detailed impact assessment and MEL reporting.
Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Sharing
- Build relationships with development partners, donors, other stakeholders and investors focused on climate-smart agro space.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and learning exchanges among agricultural energy project stakeholders.
- Design and implement capacity building programs for agribusinesses seeking energy transition investments.
- Create educational resources and toolkits for development partners and donor agencies interested in financing energy transition projects for agro companies.
Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and Process Management
- Develop and implement SoPs guiding investment/financing strategies, execution and operational workflows.
- Document responsibilities, timelines, and approval requirements for climate smart agro activities.
Data Management and Reporting
- Provide critical data and update climate-smart agro transactions and database on the transaction reporting system.
- Ensure all transaction related documents, reports, templates, and operational materials are organised and up to date.
- Monitor transaction performances and generate regular reports to development partners.
Requirements
Candidates for the role should possess the following qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Finance, Agricultural Engineering, or closely related field; Master's Degree (MBA, Agricultural Development Finance, or Development Economics).
- Relevant professional qualifications in agriculture, finance and other related subject areas are an advantage.
- Up to eight years of experience in agricultural development, rural finance, or climate finance, with at least three to five working with development finance institutions (DFIs).
- Good experience working with multilateral development agencies, development finance institutions (DFIs) and donor agencies.
- Proven experience in transaction structuring, credit assessment, and analysis for agricultural and/or infrastructure projects.
- Deep understanding of agricultural value chains, farming systems, and rural economic dynamics in Nigeria.
- Financial modelling and structuring complex risk sharing and blended finance transactions as well as risk assessment and mitigation strategies
- Knowledge of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency solutions, and climate-smart agricultural practices.
- Sound understanding of blended finance mechanisms and development finance structures and strategies.
- Strong analytical, project management skills and systematic problem-solving abilities, with excellent communication, writing and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
- Ability to effectively manage competing deadlines for projects in a fast-paced work environment, with varying degrees of supervision.
- Acute attention to detail and a dedication to providing high-quality reports.
- Proficiency in the use of all Microsoft Office applications, particularly MS. Excel and MS. Power Point
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