Consultant, Agricultural Finance

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At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere.

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Role Summary

Background

The Green Growth Programme (GGP) is a five-year programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by Adam Smith International (ASI) together with a consortium of technical partners. The programme aims to accelerate sustainable, private sector-led agricultural transformation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through an integrated approach that combines policy and institutional reform, value chain development, and investment mobilisation.

Pillar 1 focuses on strengthening the policy, regulatory and institutional environment required to unlock private investment, improve agricultural competitiveness, and create the enabling conditions for sustainable agricultural growth. During the mobilisation phase, the programme undertook a comprehensive policy reform diagnostic, extensive stakeholder consultations, and a reform prioritisation process. Financial Instruments and Agri-Finance Reforms were identified as a priority reform area.

Alongside the insurance workstream, the programme has identified additional agricultural finance priorities requiring engagement with BCC, including agricultural credit guarantees, warehouse receipt financing and rural financial products. These require a distinct profile with expertise in banking, credit, financial instruments and financial-sector policy.

TBI therefore seeks an Agri-Finance Consultant to provide specialist technical and policy advisory support to BCC and the GGP team on the design and implementation of these reforms.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide specialist agricultural finance expertise to support BCC-led reforms aimed at expanding appropriate finance for agricultural actors in the DRC.

Working closely with the Pillar 1 project Lead, BCC, MINAGRI and relevant financial-sector stakeholders, the Consultant will assess existing financing constraints and mechanisms, advise on agricultural credit guarantee options, warehouse receipt financing and rural financial products, and develop practical recommendations on design, regulation, institutional arrangements and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Agricultural Finance Analysis and Advisory

• Assess financial, regulatory and institutional constraints affecting agricultural lending and access to finance.

• Review existing agricultural credit, risk-sharing and guarantee arrangements and identify gaps and opportunities.

• Analyse the feasibility and design considerations for agricultural credit guarantee mechanisms.

• Assess the enabling conditions for warehouse receipt financing and the use of agricultural commodities as collateral.

• Review rural financial products and delivery models relevant to farmers, aggregators and agricultural SMEs.

• Benchmark relevant regional and international good practice and prepare technical recommendations for BCC and programme decision-making.

Financial Instrument and Reform Design

• Develop practical design options for agricultural credit guarantee mechanisms, including governance, eligibility, risk-sharing, operational and sustainability considerations.

• Provide technical recommendations on warehouse receipt financing, collateral arrangements and related institutional or regulatory requirements.

• Advise on policy and regulatory options to encourage appropriate rural and agricultural financial products.

• Identify sequencing, implementation requirements, risks and dependencies for proposed reforms.

• Prepare technical notes, concept papers, roadmaps and implementation guidance for agreed reforms.

Stakeholder Consultation and Implementation Support

• Support engagement with BCC, MINAGRI, banks, microfinance institutions and other relevant public and private stakeholders.

• Participate in technical working groups, consultations and validation workshops.

• Prepare presentations and briefing materials and facilitate technical discussions on agricultural finance reform options.

• Support government counterparts to translate agreed recommendations into implementable actions.

• Provide timely technical inputs to programme planning, reporting and adaptive management.

Deliverables

• Diagnostic/technical assessment of agricultural finance constraints and existing credit and risk-sharing mechanisms relevant to BCC-led reforms.

• Options paper and technical recommendations for an agricultural credit guarantee mechanism, including proposed design and implementation considerations.

• Technical assessment and recommendations on warehouse receipt financing and related collateral, institutional and regulatory arrangements.

• Recommendations on rural financial products and mechanisms to expand appropriate agricultural lending.

• Stakeholder consultation and validation materials, including presentations, briefing notes and records of technical discussions.

• Implementation roadmap or technical guidance for agreed agricultural finance reforms.

• Technical inputs to programme planning, reporting and adaptive management.

Reporting Arrangements

The Consultant will report directly to the Project Lead for Pillar 1 and work closely with the Pillar 1 Lead, GGP team, BCC, MINAGRI, relevant government counterparts, consortium partners and technical consultants.

• Maintain regular communication with the Project Lead regarding implementation progress, risks and emerging technical issues.

• Coordinate closely with relevant government counterparts and programme stakeholders.

• Collaborate with other technical consultants to ensure consistency across related reform workstreams.

• Provide timely technical inputs into programme planning, reporting and adaptive management and escalate issues requiring management attention.

Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy is expected to run from October 2026 to 31 March 2027, covering the initial implementation period of the assignment.

The Consultant will be engaged on an as-needed basis for up to a maximum of 30 working days during the initial contract period. Services will be provided on a time-input basis, with payment made against approved monthly timesheets for actual days worked. The specific timing of inputs will be agreed with the Project Lead and may vary depending on programme priorities and government requirements.

Working Arrangements

The Consultant will work closely with the Project Lead, Pillar 1 Lead, programme team and government counterparts. The assignment may combine remote work with in-country engagement in Kinshasa, as agreed with the programme. Travel to the DRC may be required for technical missions, stakeholder consultations and workshops.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• A bachelor’s degree, equivalent in Economics, Finance, Banking, Development Finance, Public Policy, Law or another relevant discipline.

Professional Experience

• Proven experience in agricultural finance, banking, development finance, credit, guarantee mechanisms or financial-sector policy.

• Demonstrated experience designing, assessing or implementing credit guarantee schemes, risk-sharing facilities or related financial instruments.

• Experience with warehouse receipt financing, collateral frameworks and/or rural financial products is highly desirable.

• Experience working with central banks, financial-sector regulators, commercial banks, development finance institutions or government ministries.

• Experience supporting government-led financial-sector reform processes, preferably in an international development context.

• Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa is desirable; experience in the DRC is an advantage but not essential.

• Experience supporting donor-funded programmes is desirable.

Knowledge and Competencies

• Excellent analytical, research and problem-solving skills.

• Strong understanding of financial-sector policy, regulation and institutional reform processes.

• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to prepare high-quality technical analyses, advisory notes and policy papers.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills.

• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical policy and implementation advice.

• High levels of professionalism, integrity and attention to detail.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

• Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken) is required.

Closing Date:

2026-11-16