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, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

BACKGROUND:

Heifer is a leading international development organization working in the agricultural sector in over 20 countries with 32.5 million people since our beginning. Celebrating over 75 years, Heifer works with communities of smallholder farmers to end world hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. In collaboration with Heifer’s Country Offices, our community-led development model leads to food security and nutrition, economic development and environmental sustainability that can empower small scale farmers on the path to a living income. When those components are multiplied by the positive impacts of gender equality and social capital, communities achieve greater resilience and a sustainable reduction in hunger and poverty.

To further develop and strengthen these inclusive local economies, we help our farmers start or expand farmer-owned businesses, cooperatives, or social enterprises so they can profitably participate in pro-poor wealth creating value chains. These value chains integrate poor and vulnerable groups into market activities in an equitable and fair manner. These value chains create lasting wealth that is rooted and stays in communities through local ownership, mutually beneficial linkages and inclusive business relationships.

A few years ago, Heifer formed our Impact Capital department to focus on connecting farmers and cooperatives with access to capital and capacity building.

This team is focused on leveraging Heifer’s history, reputation, and brand to catalyze significant new sources of 3rd party capital to invest into strengthening agricultural value chains and creating resilience with the express intent of closing the living income gap for smallholder farmers. The goal is to achieve scalable, meaningful, and measurable social impact and positive financial returns by investing across the agricultural value chain to empower farmers and agricultural communities to earn a living income while caring for the earth.

FUNCTION:

Accountable to provide strategic and analytical leadership in the development of a cohesive, financial management function for Heifer Impact Capital (“HIC”). Developing and implementing operational approaches, strategic planning, resource development and reporting for impact investing initiatives. Accountable for the introduction, development and adoption of methods and best practices in financial management and systems development, further strengthening stakeholder confidence in Heifer Impact Capital. This position reports to the SVP of Heifer Impact Capital.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS:

Accountable, collaborative, analytical, ethical, disciplined, conscientious, strong communicator, compassionate

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

A. Provide financial management and accounting duties for the Heifer Impact Capital team. Ensure regulatory and organizational compliance of accounting transactions. (30%)

• Manage operational and administrative aspects of HIC initiatives including but not limited to investment accounting, accounts payable, impact and financial reporting, compliance.
• Complete all accounting entries for HIC, including interest income, application of payments, new investment accounting, loan allowance, etc.
• Understand investment related accounting guidance and be comfortable performing accounting research and applying the research.
• Thought leader for investment accounting across Heifer and responsible for investment related content in the annual financials.
• Perform analytical review of general ledger accounts and reconcile balance sheet accounts monthly.
• Develop, prepare, and monitor analyses / dashboards that summarize HIC and portfolio performance in a timely and accurate manner. Share insights and strategies based on analysis of the underlying data.
• Develop and maintain the HIC annual budget / reforecast(s) and monitor / report on performance throughout the year.
• Monitor foreign exchange risks and concentrations within the portfolio with appropriate hedging activities, if necessary.

B. Portfolio Management (50%)

• Help manage all aspects of HIC investments from approval stage through repayment, coordinating with HIC team and cross functionally as needed.
• Lead portfolio policies and procedures, including periodic evaluation of these / implementation of improvements.
• Frequently communicate with investees around data needs, repayments, challenges, etc. in collaboration with local teams.
• Participate in periodic meetings with local teams and represent the investment portfolio as it relates to each specific country.
• Assist with the collection impact and financial data from investees on a quarterly basis, and work with team members to analyze and summarize findings.
• Ensure investees are adhering to covenants and other clauses within legal agreements.
• Collect quarterly data for Heifer around access to finance commitments from 3rd party partners.
• Create and enforce strategies for investments that are non-performing or face other challenges. Assist Investment Directors in restructure conversations, when necessary.
• Review existing HIC processes and systems, including those related to managing the HIC investment portfolio, recommend and implement process and system improvements.
• Periodically share learnings from the portfolio management activities with the HIC team to influence future strategies.

C. Pre-Investment Support (15%)

• Provide due diligence support and financial modeling for proposed transactions as needed.
• Assist in negotiating terms and structure of proposed investments, coordinating between stakeholders.
• Review legal agreements for appropriateness / consistency, with an operational and financial feasibility lens.

D. May perform other job-related duties as assigned (5%)

• As assigned by your manager

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field plus, ten (10) years of finance and operations experience, including a minimum of five (5) years in a supervisory capacity.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:

1. Master’s degree in accounting, business administration, finance, MIS, or related field.
2. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification.
3. International education and/or experience.
4. Public accounting / auditing experience.
5. Financial analysis experience.
6. Project management experience.
7. System selection, implementation, and integration experience.
8. Experience in evaluating and implementing process improvements.
9. Transaction structure and diligence experience.
10. Experience reviewing legal agreements.

MOST CRITICAL PROFICIENCIES:

1. Process oriented and able to effectively manage multiple detailed workstreams simultaneously.
2. Strong user of Microsoft Office Suite with advanced skill in MS Excel.
3. Effective communicator and influencer with ability to clearly convey complex financial issues in a clear format for non-finance professions, motivating continuous and collaborative improvement.
4. Technical knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and ability to conduct accounting research.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1. Ability to work under pressure, perform multiple tasks and manage consistently competing priorities, comfortable in rapidly changing environment. Must be flexible and able to improvise to handle a variety of situations.
2. Ability to effectively supervise, delegate and to train individuals and teams using participatory methodologies. Strong facilitation skills preferred.
3. Ability to work with sensitive information and to maintain confidentiality.
4. Ability to maintain close relationships and work with team members from a distance and with limited opportunity for personal interaction.
5. Constant sitting and working at a computer for extended periods of time.
6. Constant face-to-face, electronic and telephone communication with colleagues and the clients.
7. Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours.
8. Ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.
9. Adequate physical condition necessary to travel to project sites in rural areas.