Technical Specialist (Access to Finance)

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The main aim of the FAO Representation in Cambodia is to assist government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL) is a six-year project (2023 – 2029), funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This adaptation project aims to enhance the climate resilience of farmers and local communities in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin (Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey) through public-social-private partnerships and improved access to growing segments of premium agricultural product market while ensuring climate-resilient practices.

To support the market-led transition to climate-resilient agriculture, the project has established the Farmer-led Agricultural Resilience Mechanism (FARM) under Outcome 2. The FARM mechanism is designed to assist smallholder farmers and other small-scale local value chain actors in acquiring the technologies and infrastructure assets necessary for adopting climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing. Through the FARM, the project will support 124 Farmer Organizations (FOs) including agricultural cooperatives (ACs), Community Protected Areas (CPAs), Community Forests (CFs), producer groups (PGs), and agricultural unions to develop customized business plans in partnership with public extension services, private sector actors, and NGO partners. These business plans will be co-financed through matching grants under the FARM mechanism, with a focus on catalysing private sector investment and inclusive public-social-private partnerships (PSPPs). In addition to co-investment, FARM will also provide technical assistance for business and financial management and strengthen the governance capacity of farmer organizations to ensure a just and sustainable transition.

The Technical Specialist (Access to Finance) supports the implementation of Result 2.2 of the PEARL project by providing continuous technical assistance to strengthen climate-resilient agricultural finance and enhance the financial functionality of the FARM mechanism. The specialist’s role includes supporting investment readiness of business plans, facilitating partnerships with financial service providers, and building capacity for inclusive and sustainable rural finance.

Reporting Lines

The Technical Specialist (Access to Finance) reports directly to the Component 2 Lead (Technical Advisor on Agribusiness and Value Chains) and works under the technical oversight of Lead Technical Officer (LTO) in the FAO regional office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and relevant technical units at FAO headquarters and under the overall supervision of Senior Project Manager (SPO) and FAO Representative (FAOR) in Cambodia.

Technical Focus

The position is aimed to strengthen climate-resilient agricultural finance within the PEARL project by improving access to inclusive financial services for smallholder farmers and farmer organizations. The role emphasizes designing and implementing innovative financial products, assessing investment readiness, and supporting bankable business plans under the FARM mechanism. It involves facilitating partnerships with financial service providers, promoting co-financing models, and building capacity for financial literacy and management. The Technical Specialist (Access to Finance) will ensure that financial solutions are gender-responsive, climate-aligned, and scalable, contributing to sustainable rural finance systems and enhancing resilience in priority value chains across the Northern Tonle Sap Basin.

The position will require frequent travel to project provinces (Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, and Oddar Meanchey) to meet stakeholders, assess capacity, and support field implementation. All travel must be approved in advance and will be reimbursed according to FAO rules and procedures.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Technical Support for Rural Financial Inclusion

• Support the design and implementation of inclusive financial access approaches that enable smallholder farmers, FOs, and agribusinesses to adopt climate-resilient technologies and practices.
• Assess financial capacity and investment readiness of target farmer organizations under the FARM mechanism.
• Review and strengthen the financial structure and co-financing proposals in the business plans submitted by farmer organizations.
• Contribute to the support to agro-insurance development provided by the project.
• Identify existing value chain finance models in target commodities and propose options to scale them within the project.
• Design climate-aligned loan products with FSPs (seasonal working capital, input credit, equipment finance, warehouse-receipt, invoice/PO finance, leasing), with draft term sheets, pricing bands, grace/tenor options, collateral substitutes, and gender-responsive eligibility.

FARM Mechanism and Business Plan Support

• Provide technical inputs to the FARM financial procedures, including financial eligibility criteria, disbursement governance, and FO contribution model.
• Conduct financial reviews of business plans submitted under the FARM mechanism from a banking perspective, ensuring feasibility, investment logic and cost-efficiency.
• Collaborate with service providers and provincial teams to improve financial documentation of FOs, improving financial projections, budgeting and loan-readiness documentation in FO plans.
• Contribute to FARM –related knowledge products and internal guidance notes on financial performance, leverage and lessons learned.
• Review FO plans from a lender’s point of view and convert to bankable packages: financial statements (basic), cash-flow, break-even, sensitivity to yield/price/shock, insurance uptake, and repayment calendars aligned to harvest.
• Define minimum documentation sets for each product type and a checklist aligned with ARDB/MFI requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Institutional Coordination

• Map and assess bank/MFI/ARDB/insurer products and underwriting rules; publish a product catalogue with eligibility, KYC, fees, APR/EIR, collateral, and approval timelines.
• Facilitate dialogue between selected FOs and financial institutions for business plan financing and co-investment.
• Identify key barriers to agricultural finance for the partner FOs in the project and propose strategies to support the FOs to successfully connect to finance providers.
• Support the implementation of tailored financial products (e.g., seasonal loans, equipment finance, leasing, insurance) and delivery models with selected financial service providers.
• Run lender roundtables per province; curate FO–bank matchmaking sessions; maintain a live pipeline of applications with stage gates (submitted, appraised, approved, disbursed).
• Negotiate portfolio-level arrangements: indicative caps, simplified documentation for FOs, seasonal grace periods, and partial risk-sharing options where available.

Capacity Building and Policy Engagement

• Contribute to the design and review of financial literacy and financial management training materials prepared by service providers, ensuring consistency with FARM guidelines and FAO standards.
• Deliver financial literacy and basic financial management training to stakeholders, with attention to gender inclusion and adaptation of relevance.
• Build the capacity of subnational agencies, extension service providers and project partners to provide basic advisory services on rural finance access and co-financing processes.
• Provide technical inputs to multi-stakeholder platforms, unions and technical working groups on incentives for agricultural finance, including links to certifications, agro-insurance, and climate-aligned lending.
• Liaise with MAFF, ARDB, MoE, MoC, and other partners to promote climate-sensitive financial products to be integrated into broader institutional and policy frameworks.
• Train PDAFF/CAO/service-provider coaches on lender documentation and pipeline tracking.
• Provide inputs to MAFF/ARDB on climate-aligned lending parameters and certification-linked incentives.

Other Tasks

• Perform any other relevant tasks as assigned.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• University degree in finance, agricultural economics, business administration, rural development, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in rural finance, agricultural credit, value-chain financing, or financial inclusion.
• Working knowledge of English (C1) and fluency in Khmer
• National of Cambodia

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, preferably in rural development or agricultural finance projects.
• Experience in designing and implementing inclusive financial products for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.
• Experience in assessing business plans, investment readiness, and facilitating partnerships with financial service providers.
• Experience working with farmer organizations (FOs), agricultural cooperatives (ACs), and producer groups in Cambodia, particularly in the context of enterprise development or market access.
• Familiarity with value chains of high-value crops such as cashew, mango, rice, and vegetables, and knowledge of premium market standards.
• Strong coordination and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to liaise between financial institutions, government agencies, and rural stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel frequently to project sites in Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Preah Vihear provinces.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application

• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

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