Islamic Finance Specialist

About Agricultural Development Fund

The Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) will act as a second-tier wholesale lending institution that will lend to intermediaries in the agricultural value chain, who will then on-lend to small commercial farmers, defined as farmers with 1-30 hectares. ADF is capitalized by a $100 million grant provided by the United States Government to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to increase lending to the agriculture sector to create a more competitive agriculture sector through expanded agricultural production and increased incomes for agricultural households. ADF will lend directly and indirectly to banks, non-bank financial institutions, credit unions, microfinance institutions and non-financial intermediaries such as private farmer associations, farm stores, agricultural depots, food processors, agribusinesses and other market participants and informal providers of finance that support the development of agricultural value chains in Afghanistan and can enhance the supply of agricultural credit to the end-borrowers at the farm level. 

Job Summary

The Islamic Finance Specialist will be responsible for Islamic finance operational activities within ADF. He/she will assist the Islamic finance manager to provide client support for Islamic finance facilities and support. 

Duties & Responsibilities

• Manages relationship with the Sharia Advisory Board (SAB).
• Arranges SAB meetings.
• Reviews all Sharia compliant transaction documentation prior to being submitted to the TRC/MCC to ensure they are accurate, appropriate and of the highest quality.
• Acts as a point of contact for all Sharia compliant issues within ADF.
• Assist credit director in preparation of formats documents and related materials for Islamic banking.
• Visit clients if required for Islamic finance issues/inquires.
• Work closely with the agricultural companies, associations and cooperatives as well as financial institutions to develop financing arrangements necessary for the loans.
• Develop and appraise loan proposals in various stages like the preliminary scrutiny, working out on financial viability/bankability (balance sheet analysis, cash flows projection, ratio analysis, sensitivity analysis, etc.).
• Support agricultural value chain technical specialists to manage credit risk by assessing the technical feasibility of the loan applications and provides required training and TA to the ADF borrowers in production, processing and market development, increasing their likelihood of success and therefore increasing the probability of repayments.
• Make sure that the proposed loan applications from the different provinces are financially and technically feasible to invest in certain period of time and provides inputs to ADF decision makers in different stages of their decisions in order to make sure that the proposed ADF loan assists the Afghan Agribusinesses and also to reduce the risk for both parties (ADF and its clients).
• Ensure legal contracts and loan disbursements documents are accurate and complete.
• Manage on-going relationship with the clients after the disbursement and have regular visits.
• Responsible to report the lending/Islamic Finance Manager, management and other correspondence in connection with the ADF’s operation.
• Follow up regularly with the existing clients to ensure timely repayments.
• Ensure the targets given are achieved.
• Any other responsibilities as assigned by management. 

Job Requirements

• Experience working in financial services, banks and in private business.
• Ability to analyze loan documentation and prepare financial statements.
• Strong Communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to quickly grasp key Agricultural concepts and Islamic Lending.
• A University degree, preferably in Islamic Banking and Finance.
• 3 to 5 years of progressively responsible experience.
• Working experience at regional and provincial level, prior work experience in Banking/Islamic Finance.
• Fluent English, excellent Pashto and Dari.

Submission Guideline

All interested qualified applicants are encouraged to send their CV and Cover Letter indicating the position title and vacancy number ( ADF- 105 ) in the subject line before the closing date to the below email address. Only those applicants short-listed for this position will be contacted for an interview.

Functional Area

Banking

Accounting/Finance

Countries

Submission Email

Vacancies@adf-af.org

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