The role of Manager, Green Loans, operates within the Adaptation & Resilience Pillar (AFIYA) of FSD Africa, a financial sector development programme based in Nairobi. FSD Africa aims to reduce poverty across sub-Saharan Africa by building financial markets that are efficient, robust, and inclusive. The Manager will be instrumental in ensuring the Green Loans programme results in meaningful real-sector outcomes, particularly leveraging green loan solutions to improve financial resilience and manage climate risks for young women Smallholder Farmers (SHFs) and Agri-SMEs.
Key Responsibilities and Role Requirements
Strategy and Programming
Working with the Head of Delivery, AFIYA, this role ensures alignment with FSD Africa’s strategy and the Pillar’s focus:
- Scope out existing research (and undertake additional research if agreed upon) to build a deep understanding of how green loan solutions can be leveraged to improve financial resilience, particularly in managing climate risks and supporting young women SHFs and Agri-SMEs.
- Share learnings associated with strategy development and programming with the broader FSD Africa organisation and partners.
- Work collaboratively with the Development Impact team to devise and manage results measurement and learning frameworks that will yield important insights.
- Monitor developments in green financing, sharing insights into strategic adjustments.
- Participate actively in strategy formulation sessions, contributing technical expertise and innovative solutions.
Project Cycle Management
Coordinate the roll-out of a delegated portfolio of green loan projects to achieve results, manage risks, and deliver quality outcomes, ensuring ongoing learning is utilised to maximise impact and innovation:
- In charge of the management of the lending facility, including selection and onboarding of eligible fintech’s, MFIs, and insurtechs.
- Design and manage milestone-based fund disbursements, ensuring effective performance tracking and compliance oversight for implementing partners.
- Coordinate development of bundled insurance products and ensure seamless integration with emergency and working capital loan products.
- Review the Quarterly monitoring and evaluation reports for green loans projects and take appropriate action based on results and analysis:
- If desired results have been achieved, initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising and ‘crowding in’, focusing on applying leverage, replication of the project, and scaling.
- If desired results have not been achieved, either manage performance of the implementation team or adjust the strategy/approach.
- Identify, report on, and mitigate project risks in a timely manner (project delivery and partnership management).
- Track program outcomes against KPIs, including loan uptake, default rates, insurance claims, and gender-disaggregated impact.
- Refine project strategies, creating detailed implementation plans, risk assessments, and tracking frameworks to guide execution.
- Ensure clarity among stakeholders regarding roles, deliverables, standards, and reporting requirements for effective project delivery.
- Lead effective project closure processes, ensuring sustainable outcomes beyond FSD Africa's involvement.
Influencing and Communicating for Impact
Actively participate in development, and lead implementation, of advocacy and communications plans for the AFIYA programme:
- Map stakeholders and devise strategic communication plans to influence key actors and advance project goals.
- Partner with the Communications team to integrate advocacy into project plans, driving stakeholder engagement effectively.
- Develop impactful content and materials for advocacy efforts, supporting visibility and strategic communication objectives.
- Represent FSD Africa professionally in public forums, enhancing its credibility and influence among stakeholders.
- Monitor communication efforts, adjusting strategies based on effectiveness and stakeholder responses.
Relationship Management
Take initiative to build relationships and ensure effective collaboration with and between all project stakeholders and FSD Africa colleagues, including managing any consultants deployed to the projects being managed:
- Ensure that all stakeholders involved in green loan projects are fully briefed concerning expectations; especially on project milestone targets, quality standards, data collection/reporting, and compliance with accountability requirements.
- Proactively build strategic partnerships with financial service providers and oversee collaboration with digital platforms to achieve project success.
- Foster collaboration across organisational pillars, identifying opportunities for synergy and coordinated actions.
- Respond effectively to stakeholder information needs, organising targeted capacity-building events or knowledge dissemination.
- Manage consultants and teams through motivational leadership, ensuring high performance and effective project outcomes.
- Engage continuously with stakeholders to nurture relationships, ensuring ongoing collaboration and support for projects.
Risks & Resources Management
Ensure effective management of resources/budget for projects under management, aiming to optimise the impact achieved with resources and ensuring compliance with FSD Africa and Donor policies:
- Develop project plans, budgets, and forecasts to ensure optimal resource utilisation and compliance with organisational policies.
- Support fundraising by contributing technical sections and budgets to project proposals.
- Ensure rigorous due diligence and risk assessments are conducted, ensuring thorough analysis without impeding Green Loan partner operations.
- Liaise internally to manage financial resources effectively, ensuring compliance with statutory and donor regulations.
- Regularly analyse portfolio performance for value-for-money, adjusting strategies to enhance development impact.
Qualifications and Education
- Master’s degree and 6 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 8 years of experience.
- Relevant postgraduate qualifications preferred.
- Excellent skills in written and spoken English.
.jpg){kind=logo}