The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

Background

The CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator (CFSA) program is a science -driven accelerator designed within The CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa, to support agribusinesses scale climate -smart innovations that address pressing challenges in East and Southern Africa food systems. By combining investment readiness with tailored science-based technical assistance, CFSA provides agribusinesses companies with the necessary tools and knowledge to become more commercially viable and sustainable. This approach promotes sustainable farming practices that can enhance food production while mitigating the impact of climate change. The program prioritizes agribusinesses scaling innovations designed with a user -centric approach for smallholder farmers and that have a strong potential for commercial sustainability.

AICCRA (Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa), a World Bank funded program, works to make climate information services and climate-smart agriculture more accessible to millions of smallholder farmers across Africa.
With better access to technology and advisory services–linked to information about effective response measures–farmers can better anticipate climate-related events to take preventative action that helps their communities safeguard livelihoods and the environment. AICCRA teams focus on four themes: Knowledge, partnerships, innovation and gender and social inclusion.
AICCRA builds on the legacy of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which operated on a global scale for more than a decade, coming to a closure in 2021 as part of the ‘OneCGIAR‘ transformation.

The Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT is seeking a motivated and dynamic individual to join our team as a Senior Research Associate for the UU CFSA and AICCRA projects.

Key duties & responsibilities

1. Investment Readiness Assessment:

• Through the process of a diagnostics, evaluate the readiness of agribusinesses for investment by assessing their financial documentation, business plans, and overall financial health.
• Identify gaps in financial preparedness and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Financial Research and Analysis:

• Conduct in-depth financial analysis of participating agribusinesses, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
• Assess financial risks and opportunities, considering market dynamics, industry benchmarks, and sustainable business practices.
• Financial Modeling:

• Develop and maintain financial models to simulate various scenarios and forecast the financial performance of agribusinesses.
• Assist entrepreneurs in understanding the financial implications of different business strategies.
• Fundraising Research and Support:

• Conduct research on the fundraising landscape for capital providers in the sector and map appropriate funding partners in grants, debt and equity for the portfolio of agribusinesses.
• Collaborate with agribusinesses to prepare compelling financial narratives and presentations for potential investors.
• Provide guidance on structuring investment deals, valuations, and negotiating financial terms.
• Support agribusinesses in developing effective fundraising strategies aligned with their financial goals.
• Capacity Building:

• Offer training and capacity-building sessions to enhance the financial literacy of agribusiness owners and management teams.
• Provide ongoing support and mentorship to strengthen financial management practices within the cohort.
• Risk Management:

• Identify financial risks that may impact agribusiness sustainability and work with entrepreneurs to develop mitigation strategies.
• Stay informed about industry trends and regulatory changes that could affect financial stability.
• Collaboration with Investors:

• Facilitate communication between agribusinesses and potential investors to streamline due diligence processes.
• Cultivate relationships with impact investors, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to expand funding opportunities.
• Market Research Analysis

• Conduct comprehensive market research to identify trends, competitive landscapes, and potential opportunities or challenges in support agribusinesses in the cohort.
• Integrate market insights into financial assessments and strategies to enhance business competitiveness.
• Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute insights and feedback to refine the accelerator program’s financial support mechanisms.
• Stay abreast of evolving financial best practices and incorporate innovative approaches to enhance program effectiveness.

The Senior Research Associate will play a pivotal role in equipping agribusinesses with the financial tools and knowledge needed for sustainable growth and successful fundraising within the food systems accelerator and the AICCRA program.

Top of Form

Activities and Deliverables

Requirements

• Degree in Economics, Finance or Business Administration.
• Minimum 3 years working experience in sustainable finance, climate finance, impact investing and/or venture capital.
• Excellent financial modelling and research skills.
• Sound experience working with asset owners, asset managers, corporates, public and private donors etc.
• Experience working in East and Southern Africa
• Sound experience providing hands-on support to businesses, and in particular agribusinesses. Experience in a startup, SME or entrepreneur environment is an advantage.
• Solid knowledge of innovative financial instruments and in particular sustainable land use and climate smart food systems.
• Good understanding of food systems and climate related challenges in developing countries, and how environmental and social issues relate to business risks and opportunities.
• Intellectually curious and business-driven to deliver innovative and high impact results to clients.
• Critical thinker able to analyze complex information and produce high quality work products in an easy-to-understand manner.
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative and decentralized environment, and operate under tight deadlines.
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office, with advanced Power Point/presentation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Terms of employment

This position is a nationally  recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The initial contract will be for one (1) year subject to a probation period of three (3)  months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

This position is graded at BG07, level, with a minimum basic salary of KES 227,931  in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities.

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number REF : 103558 Senior Research Associate  as the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Applications closing date:25 ^th March 2024

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at:

http://alliancebioversityciat.org