Position: Enterprise Development Specialist

Reporting to: MSMEs & Private Sector Specialist

Location: PMU Peshawar

Travel: Frequent travel to all districts of NMDs

Background

Associates in Development Pvt. Ltd. (AiD) is a Pakistan-based development and management consulting company which provides high-quality consulting services in the core areas of 1) Social Sectors; 2) Engineering & Infrastructure; and 3) Environment and Climate Change.

AiD has received USAID’s award for the Economic Recovery and Development Activity (ERDA), which is a five-year project designed to expand economic opportunities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including in Newly Merged Districts (NMDs). ERDA will promote sustainable economic growth by improving agriculture sector capacity and supporting allied MSMEs in the non-agriculture sectors.

Job Description

The Enterprise Development Specialist will lead the designing and implementation of interventions to strengthen and promote the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in both farm and non-farm sectors in the NMDs. The incumbent will work under direct supervision of the MSMEs & Private Sector Specialist and will be required to adopt proactive approaches with special focus on MSMEs development, Private sector development, improving market access for MSMEs, improved access to finance and business enabling environment for MSMEs in the target areas. Furthermore, the incumbent will be responsible to identify, design & implement need-based grant interventions for sustainable private sector-led economic growth in the NMDs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist MSMEs and Private Sector Specialist and lead the designing & implementation of work plan interventions under Component 2 i.e., Micro- and small businesses promoted by strengthening MSMEs in both farm and non-farm sectors;
• Oversee, supervise & guide Component 2 field teams and ensure effective and efficient implementation of the work plan interventions in respective districts of NMDs.
• Conduct sector & sub sectors assessments through consultations with relevant actors within and outside NMDs to understand the key challenges as well as identify doable interventions for ERDA support to improve MSMEs of NMDs access to potential markets at local & national level;
• Conduct gap analysis to identify the most potential business clusters, actors, institutions and services providers and develop an opportunity matrix for each cluster with reference to the private sector development stand point;
• Design and implement interventions for capacity building, networking and matchmaking of MSMEs in the NMDs with other actors of high potential value chains through development & strengthening a network of local business development services providers within the NMDs.
• Engage with key local & national level private sector actors in the on, off & non-farm sector; exporters, processors, inputs dealers, service providers and technology companies etc. and link them with MSMEs in the NMDs to support franchising, technology upgrade, business process improvement and market linkages development through technical assistance and grant packages ensuring private sector investments within the NMDs;
• Develop strong relationships and work closely with the key partners such as GoKP departments, donor funded projects, incubators/accelerators, academia, associations, business chambers, financial services providers and business development services providers to engage them in designing of project interventions and facilitate private sector investment into NMDs;
• Manage consultations and engagement with banking and credit service providers and facilitate their entry in untapped NMDs markets;
• Lead the development of Concept notes, Scope of Work (SOW), Request for Proposal (RFP), grant packages, success stories, progress reports and analytical reports;
• Work closely with other project components and sub-components teams and maintain close inter-component and inter-office communication, coordination and cooperation to achieve the project objectives.
• Any other assignments/ tasks assigned by the COP/DCOP and Component 2 lead.

Requirements:

• A university degree in business management, business administration, development studies, international development, economics or related field;
• A minimum of five (05) years of experience of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Private Sector Led Economic Development, Improving Market Access and Business Enabling Environment for MSMEs and MSMEs/private sector focused grants initiatives;
• A minimum of three (03) years of experience with private sector led economic growth projects with special focus on MSMEs development (through technical assistance and challenge grants);
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of the private sector development ecosystem, MSMEs development and MSMEs sectors (on-farm, off-farm & non-farm), challenges as well as support platforms/institutions in Pakistan and preferably in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Newly Merged Districts (NMDs);
• Proven understanding & experience of designing & implementing MSMEs/business grants intervention;
• Excellent technical writing and written communication skills in developing concept notes, proposals, ToRs, RFPs, Success Stories & analytical reports;
• Good understanding of the economic and operational context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and NMDs;
• Experience of working with the USAID funded economic growth, MSMEs development, private sector development and or grants programs will be preferred;
• Strong computer skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Spoken Urdu and Pashto is desirable;