January 8th, 2024 at 11:08 am
Root Capital Calls For Job Applications
POSITION: Portfolio Manager, Ghana
Agriculture holds the key to a brighter future for billions of people. However, while rural families support the world, they struggle to support themselves. Root Capital is a nonprofit social impact investor that invests in underdeveloped agriculture enterprises where others do not.
We support agricultural enterprises in the “missing middle” with funding and business training. These are enterprises that are too large for microloans but too small for commercial lenders. As these agricultural firms grow and scale, they become impact engines that help farming families, communities, and economies thrive.
We are the largest social investor in agricultural enterprises, having been founded in 1999. As a lender and a nonprofit, our unique strategy enables us to go where other financiers do not and assist agricultural firms in succeeding and growing. In Africa, Asia, and Latin America, our world-class team of experts selects, works with, and invests in extraordinary agricultural entrepreneurs.
Root Capital has invested $1.8 billion in over 750 agricultural operations over the last 23 years, demonstrating that these underserved businesses are bankable and investable. We have demonstrated that access to finance assists small businesses in succeeding and drives the economy. Root Capital’s investments and critical business and finance training have benefited 10 million farming households through job development, financial security, and climate resilience. We have offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Ghana, and Kenya, and our headquarters are in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Overview of the Position
The Portfolio Manager, in collaboration with the Root Capital team, is responsible for the following activities in Ghana: actively working to identify potential borrowers; proactively making contact with loan leads and providing information on Root Capital’s credit services; analyzing loan applicants using rigorous financial, environmental, and social criteria; presenting loan analysis to Root Capital’s internal and external credit committees for decision-making; and closing on loans, including e-loans.
Responsibilities
Business Development (20%)
- In Ghana, where Root Capital is active, a pipeline of qualified loan candidates is being developed.
- Creating referral networks comprised of value chain actors, technical support providers, and trade groups.
- Introducing Root Capital’s credit offers and urging qualifying firms to apply for loans.
- Assessing the client’s credit and advice needs and recommending a suitable Root Capital service combination.
- Actively managing and maintaining a lending opportunity pipeline.
Loan underwriting and closing (30%)
- Gathering information on loan applicants following Root Capital’s credit policies.
- Ensuring that all proposed loans meet Root Capital’s credit quality and security criteria
- Conducting due diligence to verify client information, such as site inspections and management interviews.
- Working with the Credit Analyst, conduct financial, operational, and management studies on applicant companies.
- Collaboration with Credit Administration on transactions involving third-party lenders. As needed, communicating and negotiating conditions.
- Creating credit memos, presenting analysis, and making credit recommendations to Root Capital’s credit committees for approval, all while adhering to Root Capital’s credit underwriting policies and procedures.
- Root Capital’s social and environmental impact criteria are being used.
- Assisting Root Capital’s portfolio servicing specialists in closing loans, including ensuring adequate documentation.
Management of Client Relationships (40%)
- Monitoring active loans, analyzing client performance, tracking compliance with covenants and reporting obligations, and developing risk ratings in collaboration with the credit analyst.
- Leading customer communication to address discovered flaws in active loans. In high-risk scenarios, work with the Risk Manager to develop and implement a collection strategy.
- Management of customer service, facilitating and working with Credit Administration and
- Treasury for all loan servicing needs and addressing customer issues as they arise.
Advisory Services (ten percent)
- Collaborating with the Regional Advisory Services Manager to address new and existing clients’ financial management deficiencies as needed by supporting training provided through certified local consultants.
- Assisting in the development of a training strategy and collaborating with local trainers to ensure effective implementation.
- Other relevant duties may be assigned.
Required Qualifications and Experience
- Interpersonal, negotiation, and presentation skills that are second to none.
- A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience and a demonstrated track record in agricultural, SME finance, commercial/development banking, or financial institution environments in Ghana is required.
- A recognized university degree in business management, accounting, finance, statistics, economics, or any other relevant discipline
- Excellent credit proposal underwriting, financial analysis, and business analysis skills are required.
- Capable of working under pressure, setting and meeting deadlines, and easily coordinating with multiple people across the organization.
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel is required.
- There is a lot of interest in the topic of social impact investing.
- Passionate about advancing Root Capital’s aim of increasing prosperity in Africa’s rural communities.
- Travel within Africa’s rural areas is possible.
- Excellent command of the English language.
- Root Capital’s mission is important to them.
- Licensed to work in Ghana.
How to Apply for this Root Capital Job
Closing Date: January 22, 2024
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