Job Description

Closing Date 2024/07/15
Reference Number LAN240704-1
Job Title Head: Agricultural Banking & Monitoring Support
Division Agricultural Economics and Advisory
Unit Agricultural Economics
Job Type Classification Permanent
Location - Country South Africa
Location - Province Gauteng
Location - Town / City Centurion
Job Advert SummaryThe Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is South Africas only specialist agricultural bank established in 1912, the banks 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 JOBTo manage the Agricultural Banking & Monitoring Support function and provide agricultural expertise to the Banking and Risk Management Divisions, and other stakeholders thereby contributing to the quality of the loan book and mitigating potential risk on behalf of the Bank.Provision of guidance, support and expertise to support the Bankers / Deal /Restructuring/ Monitoring teams with agricultural industry knowledge/insights, providing expert inputs into the assessment / due diligence of transactions from end to end, addressing the production and market fundamentals enterprise economics and risk management.To provide thought leadership and ensure adherence to the set agricultural norms and standards as well efficient use of agricultural assessment tools (i.e., BF90, cash flow models, tec) that will support the Banks credit assessment process for purposes of decision making processes.
Key Performance Areas1. Lead and Support the Agricultural Banking & Monitoring Support TeamStrategic Management

• Translate the corporate plan into actionable projects translated into the strategy to achieve the strategic /corporate plan.
• Design and implement a fit for purpose target operating model with the appropriate finance, governance and risk frameworks to support plans.

Agricultural Banking

• Oversee the agricultural pre-screening and due dilligence process undertaken by the Agricultural Specialist team for credit transactions.
• Ensure continuous improvements are undertaken to enhance efficiencies in processing agricultural input (desktop assessments, BF90s, cash flows, etc) to inform credit transaction decisions.

Collections, Workout & Restructuring

• Oversee the agricultural advisory and support provided by Agricultural Specialists to the Collections and Worout & Restructuring teams.
• Oversee the farm inspections and due dilligence process undertaken by the Agricultural Specialist team for distressed accounts.

2. Guide and Support the Agricultural Assessment Process for Effective Transaction Execusion

• Creates frameworks, policies and templates to guide an effective credit application assessment approach within the Agricultural Banking & Monitoring Support function.
• Ensure an advisory role in the monitoring and evaluation, post investment of the transactions and projects that the Bank has supported whilst working in cooperation with the Risk Management division.
• Providing advice on primary and secondary agriculture and how best to leverage on the value chains to promote Agri growth and development.

3. Perform Quality Management

• Ensure quality of supported corporate/commercial/development applications for accuracy and sound application of accepted technical and financial agricultural principles.
• Monitor, manage and report on intervention processes in order to develop clear tracking and realignment methodology.
• Determines trends across the business and creates remedial strategies and plans to correct deviations.

4. Manage Stakeholder Relationships

• Leading the processes of engaging with national, regional and international counterparts at appropriate forums in order to gain / contribute to updated trends and practices in the Sector.
• Facilitate the specialist teams engagement with clients, working with the Banking ansd Risk Management teams to provide advice and to formulate sustainable developmental solutions. The objective is to ensure that well-informed investment decisions are made.
• Build and maintain effective stakeholder relations to support the business and promote awareness and understanding of sound agricultural and economic principles and standards.

5. Departmental and People ManagementPerformance Management

• Analyse the business plan to determine the applicable deliverables and targets
• Compile the Performance Management documentation in collaboration with the staff members.
• Conduct performance planning session and Track and monitor performance in accordance with performance contract.

Capacity Planning

• Determine the human capital requirements, in accordance with the expected deliverables and current capacity
• Secure the human capital requirements to ensure that deliverables will be met in accordance with the expected targets
• Set and achieve employment equity targets.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage budget.
• Manage expenditure and ensure no fruitless expenditure.
• Adhere to financial guidelines and thus ensure proper control over expenditure.
• Pursue divisional targets and manage the financial health and stability of division.

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience

• Honours Degree in Agricultural Economics
• Agricultural sector experience covering sectoral research, project assessments, enterprise viability evaluations risk assessment and mitigation industry economics and marketing technical / production assessments, farm planning and development - 10 years.
• Agriculture value chains in order to provide advice on agri value chains and how best to leverage to promote Agri growth and development - 10 years.
• Agriculture Credit and Finance Management - 10 years.
• People and Budget Management - 10years.

Critical Competencies

• Microsoft Office
• Advanced knowledge of risk management principles
• Knowledge / Experience of compliance systems / tools
• Compliance Management Principles
• Knowledge of Compliance related legislation
• Knowledge of Business and Law Principles
• Business operations, business processes, management, budgeting and business office operations
• Accounting Principles
• Financial Analysis
• Customer Service Orientation

Additional Requirements

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

Land Bank