Job Description

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Job Advert Summary

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is South Africa's only specialist agricultural bank established in 1912, the bank's sole objective is to serve South African commercial and emerging farmers and bring specially designed financial services within their reach. These services enable farmers to finance land, equipment, improve assets and obtain production credit. The Land Bank provides financial services that have moved with the times and continues to provide services to agri-business and constantly reviews its offerings to ensure that they match the needs of an industry. As change has swept across the sector in South Africa the socio-economic makeup of agriculture has altered, bringing new entrants from historically disadvantaged backgrounds on to the land, these new farmers, facing the challenges of establishing sustainable agri-businesses across the agricultural value chain, Land Bank has been a commercial lifeline offering appropriately designed financial products that facilitate personal and commercial viability in a sector that is vital to the sustainability of South Africa and its people.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To provide expert agriculture industry economics support services across the Bank when requested with particular emphasis on where there are either skills / competency shortages or where potential investments are either highly complex or high value.



Provide ongoing technical advice and knowledge/information sharing to the Bank's team to ensure submission of high quality accurate applications through support when requested in terms of good governance and compliance to legislation and best practice within the Land Bank's policies and guidelines.

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Key Performance Areas

1. Specialist Inputs into Business Case Viability

Provide expert agricultural support to the Bank to facilitate accurate and efficient structuring of appropriate financial solutions and feasible transactions. Provide support in terms of the completion and submission of reports as and when requested ensuring a comprehensive assessment of potential business transactions, including + Viability/Feasibility of the Business Plan
+ Debt serviceability
+ Sustainability of the Farming operations
+ Risks, mitigations and opportunities identified
As part of the assessment process provide support, as and when requested, in terms of: Best practice approaches in terms of farming trends, potential income realisation and determine the production Margin of the farming enterprise in relation to available resources. Analysis of the financial position (past, present and future) and compare to the projected income to determine the debt serviceability when requested. (Or the relevant assessment tool). Evaluation of the financial position to determine solvency when requested.

2. Agricultural Knowledge Database and Knowledge Sharing

To undertake or provide support with the collection, process, and packaging of information in order to determine, amongst others, the following: Market value of property Production costs Establishment costs Profit margins Produce prices Market trends Economic patterns Potential of land Ensure relevant and updated information for knowledge sharing as and when required Contribute information to the national agricultural specialists' database To ensure knowledge transfer to the various Bank representatives in order to ensure skills transfer and empowerment in terms of technical context. Compile industry / commodity insight reports.

3. Customer and Stakeholder Relationship Management

Build, foster and maintain consistent, effective and strong relationships with all stakeholders in order to strengthen relationships with the potential to secure new business opportunities for the bank. Ensure that all stakeholders remain aware of the value of the Land Bank's products, the processes and principles related to agricultural financing within the Land Bank environment. Stay up to date with provincial initiatives and developments and further strengthen the relationship to assess further business opportunities to promote long term mutually beneficial relationships
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Preferred Minimum Education and Experience

Degree with Agriculture as base. Experience in Agricultural management and financial Extension Services - 5 years; or Experience in Agricultural businesses, a Co-op, or similar organisations, focusing on farm related financing - 5 years.
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Critical Competencies

Microsoft Office Knowledge / Experience of financial and business analytical principles, tools and systems Farm Valuation Principles Agricultural Economics Risk Management Principles Lending / Credit Assessment Principles Financial and Business Acumen
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Additional Requirements

Extended hours as and when required. * Travel as and when required