AGRICULTURE, MARKET SYSTEMS AND CLIMATE FINANCE SENIOR ADVISOR

Organisation: VisionFund International – World Vision Job Reference: JR52739 Job Type: Full-time Location: Eswatini National Office, Eswatini, among other approved locations Application

Deadline: 25 October 2026 Applicant Eligibility: Local applicants only Travel Requirement: Up to 35% domestic and international travel

1. About VisionFund International

VisionFund is World Vision’s microfinance provider, serving vulnerable clients through loans, savings and insurance. It supports families in rural communities across 28 countries to develop sustainable livelihoods, create income and employment, and build secure futures for their children.

The organisation aims to end intergenerational poverty by empowering families and enabling communities to achieve sustainable economic growth.

Learn more at visionfund.org.

2. Job Purpose

The Agriculture, Market Systems and Climate Finance Senior Advisor will provide technical leadership and serve as the internal and external focal point for VisionFund’s agricultural finance, market systems and climate finance initiatives.

The role will provide technical advice on best practices, support the development of relevant financial products, guide organisational strategy and positioning, and contribute to resource mobilisation and programme management for related projects and grants.

A key responsibility is managing the CrediEnterprise pilot project under the THRIVE 2030 programme across nine countries in Africa and Central America. This includes ensuring that project targets are achieved, coordinating with World Vision partners, managing grant reporting, overseeing operational delivery and building the capacity of national staff.

The position will also support VisionFund in securing institutional funding through donor engagement, grant writing and technical contributions to funding proposals.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Technical Advisory

• Provide technical advice to VisionFund operations and network Microfinance Institutions on best practices in agricultural finance, market systems and climate finance.

• Lead VisionFund’s internal Climate Financing Working Group and contribute to organisational strategy, product development and market positioning.

• Represent VisionFund in technical working groups, including environmental and climate action forums.

• Strengthen communication and visibility of VisionFund’s strategy within the World Vision partnership.

B. Resource Development and Fundraising

• Support resource mobilisation for agricultural, climate and market systems initiatives.

• Contribute technical expertise to the design, preparation and review of grant applications.

• Position VisionFund’s work with relevant agricultural, climate and market systems donors.

• Use lessons from CrediEnterprise implementation under THRIVE 2030 to help secure additional institutional funding.

• Represent the organisation during technical grant discussions and donor visits.

• Establish a mechanism for tracking ESCA climate-finance engagements and opportunities.

• Provide technical advice on implementing institutional funding in partnership with Resource Development and Operations teams.

• Lead sector learning, evidence documentation and dissemination to strengthen funding and positioning opportunities.

C. Operational Delivery

• Oversee the implementation of CrediEnterprise under THRIVE 2030 and other relevant agricultural, climate and market systems projects.

• Manage CrediEnterprise implementation to achieve programme targets in collaboration with Microfinance Institution country managers and World Vision field offices.

• Supervise product training and provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to Microfinance Institution staff.

• Support the collection of commodity profiles for the agrocalculator.

• Replicate standard tools and processes developed by Operations across CrediEnterprise projects.

• Ensure accurate recording of CrediEnterprise data in core banking and impact-tracking systems.

• Monitor performance indicators, including portfolio at risk (PAR), gross loan portfolio (GLP) and client numbers, disaggregated by the relevant client categories.

• Identify implementation challenges, agree on corrective actions and escalate issues to Regional and Operational Directors where necessary.

• Ensure partnerships with equipment suppliers, offtakers and other stakeholders meet the minimum quality standards in VisionFund’s Network Credit Policy.

• Promote integration with other financial products, including insurance and savings.

• Coordinate and differentiate savings-group linkages from the CrediEnterprise product.

• Support recruitment of Agriculture and Business Development Officers and provide training on THRIVE 2030, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and reporting standards.

• Build the capacity of CrediEnterprise managers to use the e-THRIVE platform and other World Vision digital platforms for decision-making.

D. Programme Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Lead reporting on market systems, agricultural finance and climate finance, particularly for the CrediEnterprise component of THRIVE 2030.

• Establish a structured monitoring and evaluation framework in collaboration with VisionFund’s Global Impact team.

• Track product performance, collect field data and assess client feedback.

• Coordinate technical contributions to quarterly DME and narrative reports, annual programme plans and donor progress reports in line with THRIVE indicators.

• Review quarterly market systems reports to identify opportunities to scale up CrediEnterprise financing.

• Participate in country-specific quarterly THRIVE reporting reviews.

• Develop annual priorities, implementation plans and budgets within available resources.

• Prepare case studies, implementation briefs and other learning materials for communities of practice.

4. Minimum Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate the following:

• At least 10 years’ experience in agricultural, climate and market systems finance, preferably in Africa.

• A degree in Agricultural Economics or a relevant agricultural field, or equivalent practical experience, with a postgraduate-level qualification.

• Proven experience in agricultural lending and market systems, including understanding farmers’ value chains, production cycles and cash flows.

• Ability to communicate the fundamentals of market systems and climate resilience.

• Demonstrated ability to implement projects, follow up on actions and deliver results.

• Strong communication skills when working with staff and partners.

• Experience in partnerships, grant applications, reporting and professional writing.

• Experience working across multiple countries is an advantage.

• Experience in value-chain or market-systems financing, or financing agricultural cooperatives.

• Experience working on or designing programmes with a climate-change component.

• Working proficiency in written and spoken English.

5. Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

The following will be advantageous:

• Experience working with NGOs, agricultural partners and market actors.

• Experience delivering training in value-chain development and market systems.

• Formal training or certificates in agricultural finance, agricultural development or market systems.

• Digital experience.

• Spoken and written Spanish or French.

6. Travel and Work Environment

The position requires the ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally for up to 35% of the time.

7. Organisational Values and Expectations

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation whose mission is centred on following Jesus Christ in service to the world’s most vulnerable children.

Where legally permissible, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Affirm World Vision’s core documents.

• Observe conduct compatible with Christian principles.

• Maintain high professional and ethical standards.

• Demonstrate respect for cultural sensitivities.

• Participate in team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings in accordance with applicable policies.

8. How to Apply

Interested and qualified local applicants should submit their applications through the official VisionFund International recruitment platform.

Application link: Apply for Job JR52739

Closing date: 25 October 2026.

Source: Uploaded vacancy text and the official World Vision recruitment listing.