Micro Finance (MF) Business Development Officer

Micro Finance Program – World Vision Vietnam (MFU) is an independently managed program that promotes transformational development through the provision of micro financial services. MFU was established since 2006.
MFU, as a partner of Vision Fund International (VFI) is the microfinance subsidiary of World Vision, a global humanitarian organization. Established to empower underserved communities, VFI provides financial services such as loans, savings, and insurance to help families improve their livelihoods.
Operating in over 28 countries, VFI primarily supports farmers, small businesses, and individuals in vulnerable communities, focusing on women as key agents of change. By fostering economic resilience, Vision Fund helps families build sustainable incomes, invest in education, and achieve long-term stability, all while contributing to World Vision’s mission of improving the well-being of children worldwide.
MFU’s mission is to foster improvement in the quality of life among the clients in Vietnam by assisting the economically active poor and graduating the moderate and poorest of the poor entrepreneurial skills. This will be accomplished through a sustainable Micro Finance program that provides access to loans, insurance and savings within program areas.  All aspects of the services that MF program delivers are built to lead the development of appropriate models, capacities and systems for Micro enterprise development in Vietnam, resulting in sustainable economic development as part of WVI transformational development ministry throughout Area Program (AP) communities. 
MF Program is structured in two management levels: central office in Hanoi and branch office at provincial and/ or regional level. All direct transactions with clients including clients screening, loan processing and loan collection are carried out at communities’ level through a network of local staff.

At present, MF Program is operation in 11 districts in 4 provinces in the north and central of Vietnam.

The Business Development Officer for Agricultural Climate Project who will play a critical role in implementing the Agri-Climate Product, focusing on supporting smallholder farmers and other market actors to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices. The role will ensure the successful rollout, monitoring, and refinement of the product by collaborating with internal teams, financial institutions, and market actors to build climate resilience and enhance agricultural productivity.

1.    Market assessment and capacity building(10%)

•    Collaborate the VFI Senior Technical Agriculture Finance Advisor and independent consultant to conduct comprehensive market assessments to understand the financing needs of farmers and off-farm agricultural enterprises.
•    Conduct a comprehensive review of current agricultural loan products, Identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
•    Establish organisation capacity gaps based on the market needs within SMT and the resultant organisation and build the capacity of internal teams to navigate and adapt to the dynamic agricultural landscape.
•    Offer guidance on mitigating the impact of climate change within the agricultural lending context. This will be done in to context of VFI Climate strategy (currently under review).

2.    Deep dives and strategic analysis (10%):
•    Based on the market analysis, undertake in-depth analyses of existing MFU products and advise how to extract pointers for building better agri finance product.
•    Research, analyze and collect market intelligence on market trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements in the agriculture financing space in the country.

3.     Country agriculture master planning (10%):
•    In partnership with VFI Senior Technical Agriculture Finance Advisor, MFU management team for the agricultural lending unit, delineating clear short-term and long-term goals.
•    Develop a simple, clear effective implementation of the plan, ensuring that all activities align with MFU's strategic plan and VFIs Vison 2030 and THRIVE 2030

4.    Product design and piloting (30%)
•    Lead product design and piloting: Drive the development and testing of improved and new agricultural loan products for both groups, enterprises and individuals. 
•    Collaborate with teams, conduct market research, and incorporate stakeholder feedback for product refinement.
•    Ensure documentation excellence: Establish a thorough documentation process for the entire product development lifecycle. From ideation to evaluation, create precise specifications and user guides, ensuring clarity, compliance, and effective communication

5.    Streamlining business processes (10%
•    Work with Operation Manager and VFI product manager to devise a strong agriculture portfolio through credit policies, and digital processes to optimize product implementation.
•    Craft recommendations for adjusting terms, interest rates, and eligibility criteria that will make the product design a living document yet stable and not prone to simplistic adjustment that will compromise the portfolio quality

6.    Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) (10%)
•    Conduct regular field visits to gather client feedback and track the product's performance against objectives.
•    Assist in preparing reports on loan repayment rates, adoption of climate-smart technologies, and overall client financial health.
•    Collaborate with branch to identify and address emerging challenges.
•    Working closely with M&E staff to develop monitoring tools for measuring project outcome.

7.    Project management (20%)
•    Support Operation Manager in the planning, implementation of all project activities
•    Assist Operation Manager to ensure that project activities are completed on time, within budget and to a high standard
•    Support Operation Manager in managing project budgets, ensuring that funds are used effectively and efficiently
•    Prepare semi-annual, annual narrative progress reports for submission to donors. 
Ensure compliance with MFU financial policies and procedures, including proper documentation and record-keeping of all financial transactions. 
•    Work closely with the Finance team to ensure the integrity of financial documents, procedures and reports.

-    At least 3 years of experience in agricultural project management, financial product development, or rural development programs.
-    Experience working with smallholder farmers and familiarity with climate-smart agriculture is highly desirable.
-    Proficiency in project management tools and data analysis software is an advantage.
Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification:
-    Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Rural Development, or a related field

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications:

    Technical Knowledge:
o    Understanding of climate-smart agriculture practices and technologies.
o    Familiarity with microfinance product design and implementation in rural areas.
    Analytical and Organizational Skills:
o    Ability to conduct market assessments and analyze data for actionable insights.
o    Strong planning and organizational skills to handle multiple tasks effectively.
    Communication and Interpersonal Skills:
o    Strong verbal and written communication skills for stakeholder engagement.
o    Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and external partners.
    Adaptability and Problem-Solving:
o    Flexible approach to addressing on-ground challenges in a dynamic agricultural landscape.
o    Proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.