Financial Services Specialist

Financial Services Specialist Simara

Corus International leads an ensemble of social impact organizations working together in the world's most fragile settings to deliver the holistic, lasting solutions needed to overcome the interconnected challenges of poverty, health care access and climate change. Corus is a new model in the international space, creating a consortium of specialized non-profit and for-profit entities for greater impact. Additional growth is expected.

Corus combines over 150 years of experience of our non-profit and for-profit subsidiary organizations - LWR, IMA World Health, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and LWR Farmers Market. Together, the organizations take a systematic approach to grow rural economies, eliminate extreme poverty, ensure access to quality healthcare, and respond to urgent humanitarian needs in fragile settings. In Nepal CORUS works through one of the subsidiary organizations Lutheran World Relief (LWR). Further details about the organization can be found at https://corusinternational.org

This position will be based in Simara.

Job Summary

The Financial Services Specialist will support Financial Services Lead on technical design and strategy development to increase investment in medium-sized agribusinesses, smallholder farmers, and the rural poor. He/she will form partnerships with financial service providers including banks, MFIs, and private sector investors to expand the finance and investment opportunities.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Research and prepare an exhaustive database on the financial services providers in the project area.
• Analyze the loan, savings and insurance products offered by the different financial institutions and prepare a comprehensive analysis to facilitate decision making on engaging financial services providers.
• Assess the financial requirements of the community and establish a foundation for the team to engage in discussions with financial services providers regarding appropriate products and services.
• Research on financial literacy related packages and modules available in the market and investigate the suitability of adopting these modules in the program area.
• Modify/translate the financial literacy materials to the local language and prepare training material with the support of training coordinator.
• Conduct pilot testing of financial literacy materials in collaboration with the Training Manager.
• Document the issues related to collateral, fees, interest changes without notice and provide feedback to Policy and Advocacy Lead to develop advocacy materials and conduct advocacy actions.
• Support Financial Service Lead in assessing the financial needs of the primary and secondary processer, transporters, hatteries and fish fry sellers and the retailers and work with the banks and financial institutions to address these gaps.
• Prepare documents for signing of MOU with the banks and financial institutions for provisioning of financial services.
• Other duties as assigned by Financial Services Lead.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Banking, Development Finance or social science and 5 years of experience in similar areas.
• Must have strong experience of building access of the farmers and entrepreneurs to financial services.
• Prior working experience with financial institutions on similar initiatives would be an advantage.
• Prior knowledge and skills in business and financial literacy is must.
• Knowledge of collateral free banking initiatives.
• Experience in private sector development, value chain management, building relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with a minimal support.
• Knowledge of intervention design and results measurement.
• Deep commitment to LWR's core values and ability to model those values in relationships with colleagues and partners.
• Fluency in English and Nepali is required for this position. Ability to communicate in Bhojpuri and Maithili language would be an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Corus International prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by U.S. or International law.

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