RIC expands team to speed up farm relief loans

The Regional Investment Corporation is ramping up its operations with a significant staffing expansion, moving to manage the entire loan lifecycle internally and cut processing times for farmers struggling with the aftermath of drought, flooding and biosecurity threats.

The Orange-based lender, which has funnelled more than $3.15 billion in concessional loans to affected farmers since its establishment, is adding 27 positions to its current workforce of 70 — a roughly 39 per cent increase. The expansion marks a strategic shift toward vertical integration, with the RIC bringing customer contact, loan documentation and ongoing account management entirely in-house rather than relying on external service providers for parts of the process.

Chief executive John Howard framed the move as essential to the organisation's mandate. "We've done significant parts of it before, but we are increasing our base of how we do that," he said. "We're bringing in a contact centre, we're having our own loan management system." The consolidation means farmers navigating a loan application will deal exclusively with RIC staff from initial assessment through final settlement and the entire ten-year loan term.

Howard stressed that the expansion reflects a commitment to responsiveness. The enlarged team will reduce bottlenecks and improve communication with applicants, particularly important in a sector where timely capital can mean the difference between recovery and collapse.

Program delivery executive director Alli Gregory described the shift as customer-centric. "When an application comes in we do an assessment, we do all the loan documentation, we disperse and settle the loan, and then we manage the loan for the rest of the loan term," she said. Having all those functions under one roof should tighten response times and eliminate the friction of coordinating across multiple service partners.

The RIC is in its fifth year of operation, a span during which it has approved more than 2,910 loans — testament to the persistent demand from farmers facing climate volatility and other shocks. The expansion signals confidence in continued demand and a priority on delivering support without unnecessary delay.

Regional presence forms a core part of the strategy. Currently, nine in ten RIC staff members are based outside the capital cities, with 67 per cent stationed in Orange and the Central West. The recruitment campaign will maintain that regional anchor, with positions open at the Orange head office as well as hybrid and fully remote roles available across Australia. Howard flagged that hiring for cultural fit is paramount. "One of the things we've found really important is having a workforce that's got a great affinity with the farmers and the farming community that we're dealing with," he said.

Gregory emphasised that the expanded product suite and service footprint will now be available right across the country, removing geographic barriers for farmers in remote areas.

Information about vacancies is available on the RIC website.