Agricultural Specialist (Livestock) at Land Bank Careers

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.

Key Performance Areas    
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

Recommendations

• In collaboration with and support of other Bank divisions, conduct collateral management valuations in accordance with the relevant Land Bank policy and procedures.
• 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.

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.

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
• 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

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

Closing Date    
2023/05/22