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 design, develop and document agricultural models used for the assessment of agricultural enterprises in the primary agriculture segment. The model outputs assist Banking and Risk Management teams to make informed decisions about the bank ability of each transaction.
To provide capacity building to the team of Agricultural Specialist and relevant transaction teams for a better understanding of the use of the agri tools or output interpretation. Make the teams understand the complex interaction between environmental factors, natural capital, management practices, agricultural norms, financial performance and affordability to inform credit decision-making.
To automate agricultural models within the credit value chain in order to create efficiencies and building database for analytics to improve agricultural adviosory and decision-making.

Key Performance Areas

1. Develop and Review agricultural evaluation tools (BF90, Cash Flow, Livestock calculators, etc)

• Develops and reviews agricultural evaluation tools at least annually or when required.
• Gets approval for implementation of updated or agricultural tools from the governance structures in line with DOP.
• Facilitate development of the tools on an IT platform and integration with other tools and systems.
• Project management of the process to automate the tools.

2. Training and Coaching of agricultural model users

• Conducts training sessions and coaching to the Agricultural Specialist in the provincial network on how to use agricultural tools, i.e., BF90, cash flow model, livestock calculators, etc.
• Schedules training sessions in line with the year plan of the Agricultural Economics & Advisory Division.
• Engages the management in Agricultural Banking and Monitoring Support to identify training needs where completion of the agricultural tools by the Agricultural Specialist is not at the required standard.
• Conducts regional visits where required to strengthen Agricultural Specialist skills.

3. Develop and maintain a database for comparable farm sales and EBITDA margins

• Leads the process to obtain comparable farm sales data from a reputable service provider
• Engages with supply chain management to assist with the appointment of a service provider to provide comparable sales data over an agreed period.
• Maintains the comparable farm sales database on an annual basis or when required and avail it for use by the Agricultural Specialist.
• Conducts financial performance research to update the EBITDA margins of various commodities in the BF90.

4. Stakeholder Relationships Management (Internal and External)

• Builds, fosters and maintains consistent, effective and strong relationships with all stakeholders to strengthen relationships with the potential to secure the gathering of data and information for the bank.
• Ensures that all stakeholders remain aware of the value of the Land Bank’s products, processes and principles related to agricultural financing within the Land Bank environment.
• Stays up to date with economic and market trends and further strengthens the relationship with stakeholders to assess further business opportunities to promote long-term mutually beneficial relationships.

5. Development of Agricultural models or tool on an IT platform

• Development of the terms of reference for models and tools to be automated in collaboration with the IT Business Unit.
• Engages the Supply Chain Management Business Unit in getting approval from the procurement committee to issue a request for proposal
• Ensures on an annual basis that projects to be undertaken are budgeted for.
• Project management of all IT related projects to enhance the agricultural models and tool.
• Ensures that databases are created within the IT environment to enrich analytics and decision making
• Faciltate integration of all agricultural models within the IT environment.

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Economics or similar.
• Experience in agricultural and agricultural financial environment - 5 to 7 years
• Experience in management and farming operations - 5 to 7 years
• Experience in agricultural model development - 5 to 7 years
• Experience in training and coaching - 5 to 7 years

Critical Competencies

• Advanced in Microsoft Excel
• Advanced knowledge of risk management principles
• Knowledge / Experience of compliance systems/tools
• Agricultural Economics
• Knowledge of Compliance related legislation
• Knowledge of Business and Law Principles
• Advanced Microsoft Office
• Knowledge / Experience of financial and business analytical principles, tools and systems
• Financial and Business Acumen
• Training and Coaching

Additional Requirements

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