Project Officer - Financial Inclusion

Heifer Project Nepal

Non-US Job Description

Job Title: Project Officer-Financial Inclusion

Position Number: TBD

New or Refill: New

Core position: Yes/ No

Salary Grade: 3

Division/Dept.: Programs/Asia

Dept. #/Subproject WO: TBD/ Signature Program-LAGANI

Reports to: Project Manager- PROSPER

Supervisor POSNO: TBD

Supervisor RESNO/Name: TBD

Supervision: Employees Yes No | Volunteers Yes No

Location:Project Area of PROSPER (Surkhet, Bardiya, Bake and Dang)

Relocation Funds: Not allotted

Travel Required: Minimum 70% Annually

Heifer Project Nepal is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION

The Financial Inclusion Officer-Financial Inclusion will lead the PROSPER project’s financial inclusion portfolio, providing strategic and technical support to improve farmers’, cooperatives’, and SMEs’ access to appropriate finance, markets, and enterprise-development opportunities.

The role will strengthen stakeholder capacity, facilitate partnerships with financial institutions, fintech/agritech firms, buyers, and investors, support farmer-friendly financing initiatives such as FEBL Lite, oversee loan facilitation and repayment performance, and provide timely analysis and recommendations to the Project Manager and thematic leads.

Financial Inclusion and Technical Assistance (50%)

• Lead financial, business, and digital literacy initiatives, including FEBL Lite, through Bank Saathis, digital facilitators, and tools such as GeoKrishi Farm.

• Strengthen cooperatives as inclusive business and financial-service hubs by improving governance, financial management, digital systems, and service delivery.

• Establish and manage Bank Saathi networks to support farmers with loan applications, credit histories, insurance, repayment planning, and digital financial services.

• Collaborate with BFIs, fintech firms, and other partners to design, pilot, and scale inclusive credit, insurance, and green-finance products for smallholder farmers, women, youth, persons with disabilities, returnee migrants, and agribusinesses.

• Support loan documentation, responsible use of finance, repayment monitoring, and the adoption of digital tools that improve transparency and reduce transaction costs.

• Facilitate enterprise development and market linkages through buyer mapping, business-to-business engagement, aggregation, fair contracts, and investment opportunities.

• Engage local governments and regulators to promote an inclusive, gender-responsive, and climate-sensitive financial ecosystem.

• Develop and implement structured training, coaching, and mentoring plans for project staff, partners, cooperatives, Bank Saathis, agribusinesses, and farmers.

• Strengthen business planning, financial management, marketing, negotiation, investment readiness, and market-linkage capacities.

• Mentor Bank Saathis and cooperatives to improve financial-service outreach, farmer support, and cooperative–bank relationships.

• Support cooperatives and enterprises to access productive infrastructure, equipment, finance, and cost-sharing opportunities.

• Develop practical training materials and tools on financial literacy, enterprise development, value chains, and market access.

Collaboration, Partnership and Resource Leveraging (30%)

• Coordinate with local governments, Heifer teams, BFIs, MFIs, insurance companies, agri-tech/fintech firms, private sector actors, buyers, investors, and value chain stakeholders.
• Develop inclusive partnership models such as cooperative-bank partnerships, contract farming, out-grower schemes, joint ventures, buyback guarantees, MoUs, and risk-sharing arrangements.
• Facilitate exposure visits, networking events, trade fairs, and co-design meetings to promote learning, investment, and inclusive business development.
• Advocate for farmer-friendly financial systems, simplified documentation, improved trust between farmers and BFIs, and reduced transaction costs.
• Leverage public, private, and philanthropic resources to support enterprise growth, dairy sector development, and market system strengthening.

Monitoring, Review, Documentation and Reporting (15%)

• Conduct regular field visits to monitor project progress, financial tool adoption, loan disbursement, utilization, repayment, business growth, and partnership performance.
• Track income improvement, employment generation, borrower feedback, market deals, bankable business plans, and success stories.
• Maintain updated records on producers, production, yield, marketable quantities, buyers, cooperatives, financial institution linkages, and training participation.
• Prepare field visit notes, event reports, monthly progress reports, repayment trend analysis, and recommendations for improvement.
• Ensure reports include disaggregated participant data, key outcomes, challenges, lessons learned, and follow-up actions for the regional and LAGANI Signature Program through Project Manager.

May perform other job-related duties as assigned (5%)

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, management, agriculture/agribusiness, or a related field with (5) five years of relevant experience; or a master’s degree with (3) three years of experience.
• Proven experience in financial inclusion, loan and investment facilitation, field-program monitoring, and engagement with financial institutions and private sector actors.
• Experience in agricultural value chains, market linkages, investment promotion, and agriculture or livestock enterprise development.
• Experience supporting smallholder farmers, cooperatives, agri-enterprises, or agrifood processors, women, person with disability and youth is an advantage.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, coaching, teamwork, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and manage diverse teams.
• Fluency in spoken and written Nepali and English.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES AND TRAITS:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and virtual collaboration tools.
• Demonstrate the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with professionalism while promoting transparency, ethical decision making, and accountability in all aspects of work.
• The ability to work effectively and respectfully with people from diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Willingness to work flexibly and ability to travel extensively to rural and project locations to strengthen the relationship to support partners and ensure effective implementation.
• Demonstrated commitment to Heifer International's mission, values, and regenerative, locally led program approach.
• Sensitivity in working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and gender equity.