The Junior Technical Advisor will support senior team members in delivering technical advisory services to financial institutions, including microfinance institutions (MFIs) and savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs), cutting across the module objectives and thematic focus areas of the new GIZ agricultural finance focussed project “Financial Inclusion for Agri-based Enterprises in Malawi”.

This role includes conducting background research, preparing documentation, and assisting in processes that strengthen institutions’ readiness for refinancing. The role also involves providing administrative and analytical support to the team of advisors working with financial service providers to enhance access to finance for women-led agribusinesses. Tasks include data collection, drafting analyses, and coordinating activities to support advisory processes.

In addition, the Junior Technical Advisor will support senior staff in engagements with relevant partners by compiling relevant information, documenting meetings, and following up on action points related to inclusive financial sector policies.

Furthermore, the position includes assisting in the preparation and logistical organization of capacity-building activities, such as trainings and workshops for financial sector stakeholders, SMEs and Farmers, under the guidance of senior colleagues and in line with the module objectives of the new project.

Responsibilities or duties

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

• Assist senior team members in delivering technical advisory services to financial institutions (e.g. MFIs and SACCOs), including preparing background research and documentation to support refinancing readiness.
• Provide administrative and analytical support to senior advisors working with financial service providers to improve access to finance for women-led, youth and persons with disabilities in agribusinesses (e.g. data collection, draft analyses, coordination).
• Support senior staff in engagements with relevant partners by compiling information, taking notes, and following up on action points related to inclusive financial sector policies.
• Assist in the preparation and logistics of capacity-building activities (e.g. trainings, workshops) for financial sector stakeholders, under the guidance of senior colleagues.
• Provide support for knowledge management and ongoing process development
• 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

• University degree in agronomy, agriculture-economics, finance, economics, rural development or in any other area that is closely related to the project objectives.

Other knowledge, additional competences

• 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/or 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.
• Experience in training-of-trainers (ToT) approaches is an asset.
• 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

Professional experience

• The candidate should have 2-3 years of technical experience in agricultural finance or related/similar field.
• Experience working in international development or similar settings.
• Strong expertise in management of administrative responsibilities.
• Experience in the collaboration with actors of the financial sector, specifically banks microfinance institutions apex organisations
• Familiarity with the development of knowledge products for the agricultural financial sector
• Experience in the organisation and delivery of Trainings of Trainers (ToTs)
• Experience in the organisation and delivery of trainings and advisory services for the agricultural finance sector
• Support management of 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.
• Experience in the concepts and delivery of Farmer’s Financial Cycle, Micro-Agri Enterprise Training, Digital Financial Services Training and Agricultural Finance Training will have an added advantage

• Assist senior team members in delivering technical advisory services to financial institutions (e.g. MFIs and SACCOs), including preparing background research and documentation to support refinancing readiness.
• Provide administrative and analytical support to senior advisors working with financial service providers to improve access to finance for women-led, youth and persons with disabilities in agribusinesses (e.g. data collection, draft analyses, coordination).
• Support senior staff in engagements with relevant partners by compiling information, taking notes, and following up on action points related to inclusive financial sector policies.
• Assist in the preparation and logistics of capacity-building activities (e.g. trainings, workshops) for financial sector stakeholders, under the guidance of senior colleagues.
• Provide support for knowledge management and ongoing process development
• 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/or 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.
• Experience in training-of-trainers (ToT) approaches is an asset.
• 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

• University degree in agronomy, agriculture-economics, finance, economics, rural development or in any other area that is closely related to the project objectives.
• 2-3 years of technical experience in agricultural finance or related/similar field.
• Experience working in international development or similar settings.
• Strong expertise in management of administrative responsibilities.
• Experience in the collaboration with actors of the financial sector, specifically banks microfinance institutions apex organisations
• Familiarity with the development of knowledge products for the agricultural financial sector
• Experience in the organisation and delivery of Trainings of Trainers (ToTs)
• Experience in the organisation and delivery of trainings and advisory services for the agricultural finance sector
• Support management of 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.
• Experience in the concepts and delivery of Farmer’s Financial Cycle, Micro-Agri Enterprise Training, Digital Financial Services Training and Agricultural Finance Training will have an added advantage