Inclusive Access to Finance Officer at Solidaridad Eastern & Central Africa Expertise Centre (SECAEC)

• Design and implement financial inclusion strategies aligned with Solidaridad’s agricultural development objectives.
• Build relationships with banks, MFIs, SACCOs, fintechs, and other financial intermediaries to improve access for smallholders and agri-SMEs.
• Organise matchmaking events and B2B forums linking SMEs and funders.
• Collaborate with FSPs to design and pilot innovative financial products (e.g. loan, savings, and insurance products) tailored to smallholders, rural clients, women, and youth.

• Assess financing needs and constraints among smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and rural enterprises.
• Provide technical assistance in developing business plans, loan applications, and investment cases.
• Support farmers and SMEs in improving their bankability and financial management skills.
• Track repayment performance and promote financial literacy at the grassroots level.

• Identify, assess, and package investment opportunities for early-stage and growth-oriented agribusinesses aligned with Solidaridad’s crowdfunding platform.
• Conduct due diligence, including financial viability, risk assessments, and investment-readiness evaluations.
• Support post-investment tracking including loan monitoring, repayment status, and investor reporting.
• Maintain an active SME investee pipeline and coordinate pipeline reviews.
• Provide technical assistance to SMEs and cooperatives on business development, governance, and marketing.

• Conduct regular field visits to provide on-the-ground support to farmers and SMEs.
• Collect case studies, impact stories, and lessons learned for regional learning.
• Facilitate in-person and virtual training, workshops, and review sessions with local partners.

• Support in crafting investment and donor proposals with detailed cost structures and financial models.
• Contribute to fundraising strategies and concept development.
• Identify and onboard co-investment and co-funding partners.
• Work closely with the Business Development and Market Access teams on value chain strengthening.

• Pilot and scale innovative access-to-finance models targeting marginalized groups.
• Contribute to the development of internal tools, training materials, and templates.
• Support integration of financial inclusion strategies in donor proposals and new programs.
• Work with MEL teams to embed impact metrics and monitor the success of financial inclusion efforts.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Development Finance, or related field.
• A Master's degree or relevant certification in financial inclusion, impact investing, or enterprise development is a strong asset.

• 5+ years of progressive experience in financial inclusion, SME finance, rural lending, or agri-business development.
• Demonstrated experience working with MFIs, SACCOs, banks, fintechs, or donor-funded financial programmes.
• Prior experience structuring agri-SME financing, crowdfunding campaigns, or blended finance solutions.
• Familiarity with smallholder farming systems, cooperative governance, and value chain financing in East Africa.

• Strong analytical skills in financial modelling, risk assessment, and investment readiness.
• Practical understanding of inclusive finance models for low-income, rural, and informal sector clients.
• Excellent facilitation, training, and relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, financial tools; CRM or pipeline tracking systems is an asset.
• Strong written and spoken communication in English, as well as Kiswahili or other regional languages preferred.
• High integrity, adaptability, and ability to work independently under pressure.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Innovative and solutions-oriented, with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Adaptable team player with experience working in multicultural, cross-functional environments.

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