Head Agri-Business

This is a 3 year contract for managing the Post-Investment portfolio, ensuring that approved agricultural and enterprise investments deliver measurable financial, developmental, and transformational outcomes. It is an exciting oppportunity for accelerated growth in the development Finance sector. The role provides strategic direction, technical oversight, and performance management for all post-investment activities, including portfolio implementation, farmer support, technical assistance, market access, and monitoring and evaluation.

This position ensures that emerging farmers and agri-enterprises funded are commercially sustainable, compliant with funding agreements, and integrated into the broader food value chain.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Post-Investment Leadership and Portfolio Performance

• Lead and manage the Post-Investment function for all agricultural investments within the organization's portfolio.

• Oversee implementation of approved funding, ensuring that drawdowns, milestones, and covenants are met.

• Monitor portfolio performance against financial, operational, and impact KPIs.

• Identify risks, underperformance, and capacity gaps, and develop interventions to mitigate them.

• Coordinate data collection and portfolio reporting for submission to the Executive Director, Board, and Committees.

B. Farmer Development and Technical Support

• Design and manage structured technical assistance and capacity-building programmes for funded farmers and agri-enterprises.

• Oversee service providers and implementing partners delivering agronomic, business management, or financial literacy training.

• Facilitate peer learning, mentoring, and field visits to strengthen technical and management capacity.

• Ensure that post-investment activities enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability of funded enterprises.

C. Market Access and Value Chain Integration

• Work with Founding Company and other market partners to secure market off-take and contract-farming opportunities for funded farmers.

• Facilitate linkages between emerging farmers and input suppliers, processors, and distributors in the food value chain.

• Support the development of inclusive sourcing and supplier-development partnerships that sustain long-term growth.

D. Stakeholder Management and Partnerships

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with DFIs, government agencies, commodity associations, research institutions, and commercial partners.

• Manage co-funding and blended-finance partnerships for ongoing support to funded enterprises.

-Represent organisations at industry events, policy platforms, and strategic partnerships to advance agricultural transformation.

E. Governance, Compliance, and Reporting

• Ensure all post-investment activities comply with organisation's governance framework, PFMA principles (where applicable), and contractual obligations.

• Prepare quarterly and annual post-investment performance reports.

• Maintain strong internal controls and ensure accuracy and integrity of portfolio data.

F. People Leadership and Team Development

• Lead and mentor the Post-Investment team and interns/graduates assigned to Agri-Business.

• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and results orientation.

-Build internal capacity to improve technical, monitoring, and stakeholder-management capabilities.

3. Key Relationships

Internal: Executive Director, Head of Finance, Senior Credit Investment Analyst, Head of Business Development, Head of Finance, Graduates.

External: DFIs, agri-associations, co-funding partners, service providers, farmer groups, and government departments.

4. Qualifications and Experience

Minimum: Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, or related field.

Postgraduate qualification (MBA, Masters, or equivalent) advantageous.

Experience:

• At least 6-10 years' experience in agricultural or rural development, agribusiness management, or post-investment support.

• Proven experience managing agricultural or enterprise development programmes.

• Strong understanding of South African agricultural value chains, market systems, and development finance instruments.

• Experience working with DFIs, donors, or development-funded initiatives.

5. Core Competencies and Skills

• Portfolio performance management

• Farmer development and capacity building

• Agricultural technical knowledge

• Stakeholder and partnership management

• Financial and impact reporting

• Governance and compliance

• Problem-solving and adaptive leadership

• Communication and presentation skills

6. Personal Attributes

• Purpose-driven and aligned with organisation's mission of transformation

• Ethical, transparent, and accountable

• Collaborative and solutions-oriented

• Results-driven with a focus on impact

• Able to balance social development objectives with commercial outcomes