There are so many job opportunities and career paths when working in the agricultural sector. One of the many benefits of working in the agricultural world is that jobs are always in high demand, especially agricultural finance jobs. You'll also be treated to some stunning natural views and great job satisfaction in knowing that you are making a difference.
The role of agricultural finance is not very well known and often overlooked. A career in agricultural finance will equip you with the best of both worlds, that of being able to work and live within a rural setting while doing a job that is typically found in an industrial setting or city centre. So, if you love the idea of working in the agricultural sector, love the outdoor life and all things nature and have a passion for accounting and finance, then agricultural finance could be the ideal career route for you.
Below we explore what is meant by agricultural finance, associated career opportunities, and the skills and qualifications that are needed.
What exactly is agricultural finance?
The job role of agricultural finance is vast and very much depends upon your specific place of work and specified role. The role will combine your love of farming with finance. In many cases, agricultural finance jobs could see you helping those first-time farmers acquire that much-needed loan, or helping a farm to sell their product or services to the local community.
Agricultural finance involves examining and preparing any financial papers or records while helping farmers to ensure that they are adhering to regulations surrounding their business with regards to financial matters.
The main thing to understand is that the agricultural finance role is incredibly varied. If, for example, you take on the role of a crop adjuster, then you will be working outdoors in assessing crops. If any crops have been damaged due to flooding or pest infestation, then you will need to help with the assessment of financial damage and with any insurance claims on behalf of the farmer.
What are the career opportunities?
The great news is that there are so many wonderful opportunities for you to choose the right career path in agricultural finance. Career opportunities will combine your financial expertise within the agricultural field; everything from managing a farm's accounts, right through to the specialist crop adjuster. There really is a role for everyone.
Where you can be employed is also as equally varied. You may be employed solely by the farmer to work with them on an in-house basis, or you may want to go freelance. Alternatively, you could seek work in a loans company who solely deal with agricultural businesses or you may choose to work for an insurance company who deal with the loss of crops.
Common agricultural finance roles
Chief Financial Officer: This is an important role that will deal with all financial data and reports for your agriculture employer, plus the creation of any financial strategies to strengthen and make the business profitable.
Accountant: This will involve all of the usual accounting jobs, but within the farming or agriculture setting. The main role will be that of tax planning.
Agricultural Lender: Your role will involve drawing up loan requests and advising the farmer about any potential credit risks.
The qualifications needed for agricultural finance work
As the roles and career opportunities are widely available within this sector, so too are the routes into this career. So, the required qualifications will very much depend upon your chosen role and your employer. This is because different employers will require different qualifications while looking at your overall experience.
In most cases, if you are seeking an agriculture finance accountancy role, then most employers will need you to have an undergraduate degree in agricultural business, marketing or finance. However, there may also be entry-level jobs that will allow you to work on the job and build up your qualifications while working in a junior position. The main requirements are that you are good with numbers and have a passion for agriculture.
What's also worth mentioning here is that because you will be working in mainly rural communities that do not have a great local transport system, you will in most cases also need to hold a full UK driver's license.
What skills are required in the field of agricultural finance?
So, what are the skills that are needed to succeed in an agriculture finance job? Well, once again the skills that are needed are very varied, depending upon your chosen role. But, there are a few common skills that are needed, no matter what role you take in agriculture finance.
You will need to have good verbal and written communication skills, as you will be writing reports, dealing with farmers and their clients. Working for a farm will also require knowledge of the credit and tax system. Sales experience is always a sought-after skill, and this doesn't always have to be in the agriculture or farming sector.
On a more personal level, to succeed in agricultural finance then you really do need to be a "people person" and like working with others. A lot of your time may be spent working as part of a larger team and you will inevitably have to deal with clients. Problem-solving and critical thinking are also a must-have skill.
We live in a technical age, and a lot of your time when in the office will be spent behind a computer screen. You will, therefore, need to be able to use the internet to conduct relevant research, be able to compile data, have word processing skills, be able to navigate and prepare a spreadsheet and, most importantly, be able to prepare taxes.
If you have a keen interest in seeking agricultural finance jobs then we can help you. Here at Agricultural Recruitment Specialists, we have an extensive online job database where you can search for agricultural finance jobs UK wide. Start your search today.
If you're looking for work in the agricultural sector, Agricultural Recruitment Specialists can help you find the right niche in the UK, Europe and beyond. We can assist in finding which doors are open for you with your specific background and even advice on what you could do to improve your prospects.
Agricultural Recruitment Specialists are worldwide recruitment experts in agricultural, food, farming and rural recruitment and have a variety of executive and management positions available within agriculture, horticulture and the food and rural sectors throughout the UK and the rest of the world. To find out more about our agricultural job vacancies and discuss your future career, contact our team of agricultural recruitment professionals. You can visit our website here: www.agriRS.co.uk or call our team on: 01905 345 155 or email us at: info@agriRS.co.uk
