Associate Director-Business Development and Access to Finance
Job ID 1618
Internal/External: Internal/External
Description
Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with some form of specially abled.
Function:
The Associate Director-Business Development and Access to Finance will lead the conceptualization and implementation innovative approaches to link emerging farm entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and other Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the livestock/agriculture sector with appropriate institutional finance in Bangladesh. S/he will provide strategic leadership in designing and executing the Access to Finance and Business Development agenda aligned with Heifer International’s Program Model of fostering a smallholder farmer-led, inclusive food system, and the organization’s emerging landscape-based approach to program design. Working in close coordination with regional and global Access to Finance and Investments team, Business Development teams, and the Digital Innovation team, s/he will collaborate with value chain actors, financial institutions, and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of entrepreneurs and MSMEs to access loans and investment for enterprise start-up, expansion, sustainability. S/he will also oversee and supervise donor-funded and pilot initiatives – including market-based innovations, digital and fintech-enabled solutions, and programmatic prototypes—ensuring their effective integration into country programs. In addition, s/he will be responsible for responsible for identifying and engaging appropriate financial service providers, and for building and maintaining long-term, productive relationships with Banks and Financial Institutions (BFI), investors, private sector partners, program participants such as individual farmers, cooperatives, Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneurs (CAVEs), traders, processors and other market actors. S/he will also support resource mobilization efforts, including donor engagement, concept note development, and proposal writing, to advance the country program’s business development and access to finance objectives.
Responsibilities and Deliverables: (including approximate percentage effort)
Access to finance (30%)
- Explore, assess, and identify appropriate financing providers and opportunities and float those opportunities to potential clients (individual/cooperative/corporates MSMEs)
- Collaborate with B/FIs to develop, improve, and scale up appropriate financial product and services for all possible type of MSMEs .
- Establish predictable and scalable pathways for banks and financial institutions to sustainably finance program - participant cooperatives and engaged MSMEs.
- Support MSMEs, Coops and Value Chain (VC) Actors to develop bankable business plans.
- Advocacy at different levels to enhance the access to finance for smallholders.
- Identify new opportunities such as mobile banking, mobile money, ICT based solutions, etc. to improve accessibility of financial services and efficiencies.
- Promote fintech solutions to expedite financing the farmers.
- Support cooperatives and its members to transform their financial transactions towards cashless transactions.
- Expand access to risk mitigation products, such as agriculture/livestock insurance.
- Collaborate with the Country MERL in monitoring and reporting impact of access to finance in Country Programs
Business capacity development of VC actors (30%)
- Prepare manuals, briefs, guidelines, technical papers and other Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials related to Access to Finance (A2F).
- Mobilize consultants, and experts as and when needed.
- Orient, coach and follow up the concerned staffs and implementing partners.
- Provide expert advice to project staff and related firms/enterprises on financial analysis and access to finance.
- Provide formalized training or guidance to staff to identify potential clients (medium and large enterprises) and enable them to complete and submit their grant or loan applications.
Business Development of Heifer International Bangladesh (20%)
- Explore new partnership opportunities with different development and private sector organizations.
- Explore funding/donations from different organizations for program and farmers.
- Develop new proposals/concept notes and contribute to proposal writing for funding opportunities closely with partnership and business development team.
- Coordinate closely with regional and global Access to Finance and Investments, Business Development (including Heifer Korea), and Digital Innovation teams, and lead the preparation and delivery of required reports and updates.
- Supervise and monitor different donor funded programs like Milk 4 School and other relevant types.
Leadership and General Operation (15%)
- Lead the access to finance component in Heifer’s program technical leads in HQ for
increased effectiveness and align the local implementation with global goal of Heifer.
- Establishing contacts and building/maintaining relationships with potential implementing partners such as financial institutions (Bank and Financial Institutions (BFIs). Private/Pubic/Investment funds, Impact Investing Companies, Venture Capitalists, Donors, etc.) and MSMEs/agribusinesses.
- Represent Heifer at relevant forums to share the good practices, lessons learnt and elevate the critical constraints on access to finance.
- Document and publish best/success cases, briefing notes, reports, etc.
- Coordinate with other team members with high focus on accelerating and implementing Heifer’s development models (Program, Operating, Business, and Culture).
May perform other duties as assigned (5%)
Qualifications and Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree plus seven (7) years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree plus five (5) years of relevant experience
- Strong interpersonal and people management skills
- Ability to work independently and take initiative while also having strong team building skills
- Fluent in local language and English (both spoken and written).
- Excellent organizational skills.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Excellent leadership qualities.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Proficient in word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft office preferred), and internet.
- Essential Competencies:
- Ability to prepare and present documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
- Good team player with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff, including field staff in several locations.
- Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to perform multiple tasks with minimal supervision.
- Willingness to work with a flexible schedule.
- Willingness to extensively travel to rural areas.
- Able to effectively promote Heifer’s mission values, and objectives.
- Sensitivity in working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and to gender equity.
Location: Heifer International Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka
Application Deadline: January 26, 2026