The Technical Advisor will be mainly responsible for implementation of identified aspects of the module objectives for the project cutting across the module objectives and thematic focus areas of the new GIZ agricultural finance focused project “Financial Inclusion for Agri-based Enterprises in Malawi”. This will include designing, organizing, and facilitating multi-stakeholder engagement formats, such as workshops, conferences, and working groups that bring together public, private, and civil society actors to promote inclusive agricultural finance. The role includes providing technical and strategic advisory support to relevant stakeholders per module objectives aimed at improving inclusive agricultural finance systems.

Furthermore, the Technical Advisor will develop and implement capacity-building measures for staff of associations, training institutions, and service providers, enabling them to act as trainers in financial literacy as well as in business and management coaching. The position also entails offering continuous technical and strategic guidance to partner organizations to ensure the sustainable institutionalization and scaling of project approaches.

Responsibilities or duties

TASKS

The Technical Advisor will be required to perform the following tasks across module objectives of the new GIZ Bilateral project:

• Design, organize, and facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement formats (e.g. workshops, conferences, and working groups) for public, private and civil society actors on inclusive agricultural finance.
• Provide technical and strategic advisory support to stakeholders in implementing policy recommendations aimed at improving inclusive agricultural finance systems.
• Develop, adapt, and implement high-quality capacity development tools and training formats tailored to the needs of partner institutions, with a focus on inclusive agricultural finance, risk management, and financial product development (including GIZ GP AgFin knowledge products like FFC, MAT, AgBAIT, DFS and AFT and any others to be de developed/adapted).
• Develop and implement capacity-building initiatives for staff of associations, training institutions, and service providers, enabling them to act as trainers in financial literacy, as well as business and management coaching (including GIZ GP AgFin knowledge products like FFC, MAT, AgBAIT, DFS and AFT and any others to be de developed/adapted).
• Offer technical and strategic guidance to associations, training institutions, and service providers to ensure the sustainable institutionalization of project approaches.
• Facilitate collaboration and maintain strong linkages with relevant stakeholders, including other development projects and partner financial institutions, to ensure complementarity, coordination, and synergies of activities.
• Plan, prepare, and implement project activities, including workshops, trainings, and events, in close coordination with team members and project partners.
• Oversee and manage consultancies and short-term expert assignments, including drafting Terms of Reference, concept notes, and strategy documents, and ensuring the quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Prepare and implement detailed work plans for assigned project components, ensuring effective prioritization and sequencing of activities in line with project objectives
• Ensure proper documentation, knowledge transfer, and filing of project activities in compliance with organizational and data protection requirements.
• Contribute to the project knowledge management, prepare and share relevant technical documentation in consultation with relevant team members, other projects and external actors
• Perform any other duties as assigned by line manager.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCES, AND EXPERIENCE

• Masters’ degree in agronomy, agriculture-economics, finance, economics, rural development or in any other area that is closely related to the project’s objectives.
• High degree of self-initiative and organization.
• Capacity to ensure timely and professional results.
• Strong competencies in communication and working as part of a team.
• Availability to go on field missions as needed and support remotely.
• Strong understanding of inclusive agricultural finance systems and financial inclusion approaches.
• Excellent facilitation, moderation, and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical, user-friendly formats.
• High level of intercultural competence and ability to work in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Fluency in English and Chichewa (written and spoken); knowledge of additional languages is an advantage.
• Proficiency in standard MS Office applications

Experience needed

• At least 5 years of professional experience in a comparable position working with enterprises and actors along agricultural value chains.
• Experience in the organization and delivery of Training of Trainers (ToTs)
• Experience in the organization and implementation of trainings and advisory services for smallholder farmers and agri-based enterprises, especially those including women, youth and persons with disabilities.
• Experience with the concepts and delivery of financial literacy knowledge products including but not limited to Farmer’s Financial Cycle, Micro-Agri Enterprise Training, Digital Financial Services Training and Agricultural Finance Trainings.
• Experience in the field of inclusion on the topics of gender, youth and persons with disabilities.
• Professional experience in working with financial institutions in developing financial products and/or delivering financial literacy and access to finance.
• Experience in training-of-trainers (ToT) approaches is an asset.

• Design, organize, and facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement formats (e.g. workshops, conferences, and working groups) for public, private and civil society actors on inclusive agricultural finance.
• Provide technical and strategic advisory support to stakeholders in implementing policy recommendations aimed at improving inclusive agricultural finance systems.
• Develop, adapt, and implement high-quality capacity development tools and training formats tailored to the needs of partner institutions, with a focus on inclusive agricultural finance, risk management, and financial product development (including GIZ GP AgFin knowledge products like FFC, MAT, AgBAIT, DFS and AFT and any others to be de developed/adapted).
• Develop and implement capacity-building initiatives for staff of associations, training institutions, and service providers, enabling them to act as trainers in financial literacy, as well as business and management coaching (including GIZ GP AgFin knowledge products like FFC, MAT, AgBAIT, DFS and AFT and any others to be de developed/adapted).
• Offer technical and strategic guidance to associations, training institutions, and service providers to ensure the sustainable institutionalization of project approaches.
• Facilitate collaboration and maintain strong linkages with relevant stakeholders, including other development projects and partner financial institutions, to ensure complementarity, coordination, and synergies of activities.
• Plan, prepare, and implement project activities, including workshops, trainings, and events, in close coordination with team members and project partners.
• Oversee and manage consultancies and short-term expert assignments, including drafting Terms of Reference, concept notes, and strategy documents, and ensuring the quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Prepare and implement detailed work plans for assigned project components, ensuring effective prioritization and sequencing of activities in line with project objectives
• Ensure proper documentation, knowledge transfer, and filing of project activities in compliance with organizational and data protection requirements.
• Contribute to the project knowledge management, prepare and share relevant technical documentation in consultation with relevant team members, other projects and external actors
• Perform any other duties as assigned by line manager.

• High degree of self-initiative and organization.
• Capacity to ensure timely and professional results.
• Strong competencies in communication and working as part of a team.
• Availability to go on field missions as needed and support remotely.
• Strong understanding of inclusive agricultural finance systems and financial inclusion approaches.
• Excellent facilitation, moderation, and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical, user-friendly formats.
• High level of intercultural competence and ability to work in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Fluency in English and Chichewa (written and spoken); knowledge of additional languages is an advantage.
• Proficiency in standard MS Office applications

• Masters’ degree in agronomy, agriculture-economics, finance, economics, rural development or in any other area that is closely related to the project’s objectives.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in a comparable position working with enterprises and actors along agricultural value chains.
• Experience in the organization and delivery of Training of Trainers (ToTs)
• Experience in the organization and implementation of trainings and advisory services for smallholder farmers and agri-based enterprises, especially those including women, youth and persons with disabilities.
• Experience with the concepts and delivery of financial literacy knowledge products including but not limited to Farmer’s Financial Cycle, Micro-Agri Enterprise Training, Digital Financial Services Training and Agricultural Finance Trainings.
• Experience in the field of inclusion on the topics of gender, youth and persons with disabilities.
• Professional experience in working with financial institutions in developing financial products and/or delivering financial literacy and access to finance.
• Experience in training-of-trainers (ToT) approaches is an asset.