Private Sector Engagement Advisor - ACE

Job Profile

1. Required qualifications, competences and experiences.

Qualifications

• University qualification (MA/MSc) in social sciences, business development, economics or other relevant fields. Qualification in the area of international development cooperation is a plus.

Professional experience

• At least 5 years’ professional experience in the field of private sector development, with a focus on MSME and start-up promotion and value-chain approaches. Experience in fostering entrepreneurship and employment in the agri-food sector is a plus.
• At least 3 years of experience in international development cooperation.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in private sector engagement.
• Experience in conflict-sensitive programming in Lebanon.
• Previous work experience and knowledge of the projects target regions and working environment is required.
• Experience in managing service contracts and financing agreements.
• Experience in developing operational planning tools and work plans.
• Experience in implementing capacity building measures is required.
• Experience in developing training material and delivering trainings is an advantage.

Other knowledge, additional competences

• Business fluent in English; and fluent in Arabic.
• Detailed knowledge of the national economy, economic sectors and the national and international business community.
• Social, intercultural understanding and interest, flexibility, ability to work in a team, sense of diplomacy, ability to work in a politically sensitive environment.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced office environment, both independently and as part of a team.
• Flexibility working from Beirut with frequent travel to the areas of implementation (40% Beirut and 60% from the areas).

2. Responsibilities

 The advisor is responsible for:

• Planning, development, and implementation of activities within the GIZ project strengthening agriculture, local communities and small and medium enterprises (ACE) in the component of private sector development to support sustainable economic development and increase local value creation.
• Leading on activities related to MSMEs support which includes topics such as Business Continuity Management, Circular Economy, Marketing/Sales, Energy efficiency.
• Responsible for gender mainstreaming at all stages of the development and implementation of activities.
• Designing and backstopping of service contracts and financing agreements in close coordination with finance and M&E departments.
• Managing and monitoring the direct implementation of activities in the projects target regions: Beqaa, Mount Lebanon, Southern Baalbeck and Hasbaya.
• Reporting on project activities in line with GIZ standards and requirements.
• Advising the project management team on strategic developments of the project in the field of private sector engagement, with a focus on agri-food industry and just transition.

In this context, the position holder fulfils the following tasks:

3. Tasks

1. Managing the direct implementation of the project activities

The advisor:

• Develops work plan for the support of MSMEs to stabilize and increase their production and income, maintain, or create new jobs with decent work conditions and increase the environmental sustainability of their business models.
• Leads on and oversees outreach activities in the areas of Beqaa, Mount Lebanon, Southern Baalbeck and Hasbaya.
• Develops selection criteria and leads the selection process of MSMEs.
• Develops needs assessment tools for MSMEs and conducts mappings along with potential partners.
• Develops capacity development strategy and plan according to the needs of the selected MSMEs.
• Develops terms of reference for external services needed for implementation, backstopping, partner management; identifies and contracts short-term experts for the development of specific measures and monitors contract performance.
• Supervises and oversees the implementation of activities related to their field of responsibility.
• Monitors the development and the direct implementation of project activities in close consultation with relevant partners on field level and project team.
• Oversees the budget related to the direct implementation of MSME support.
• Develops and organizes quality assurance measures and suggests necessary changes, improvements, and initiatives.
• Handles various tasks as assigned by the Head of project.

2. Networking and cooperation

The advisor:

• Supports cooperation, regular contact and dialogue with relevant partners, local communities, and other stakeholders related to the project.
• Communicates local interests and efforts, forwards these and encourages sharing ideas and information for the benefit of the project.

3. Knowledge management

The advisor:

• Promotes a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous learning across the projects departments.
• Collaborates with technical teams and other departments to ensure capturing, documenting, and sharing knowledge effectively.
• Ensures knowledge transfer within the project team.
• Identifies best-practices, strategies and technical concepts, including guidelines, manuals and procedures.
• Supports data collection and drafting of reports in the relevant field of action.
• Prepares appropriate input for various project reports including annual reports and contributes to the requests by the Head of project and GIZ Country Office.

4. Project Description:

The situation in Lebanon is characterized by a structural economic and financial crisis and by the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic and the explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020. The focus of the Transitional Development Assistance project is to strengthen the socio-economic resilience of vulnerable groups in Bekaa, Mount Lebanon, Southern Baalbek and Hasbaya. This is done along three fields of action:

(1) strengthening agriculture,
(2) promoting MSMEs and start-ups, and
(3) promoting social cohesion at the local level.