Program Overview

“Economic Recovery and Development Activity (ERDA)” is an upcoming five-year project funded the USAID. The project’s budget will be about $20-25 million and is designed to expand economic opportunities in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by strengthening and modernizing the agriculture sector and promoting farm and off-farm micro- and small enterprises (MSEs). Interventions under this activity will promote sustainable economic growth by improving agriculture sector capacity and supporting allied MSEs in the non-agriculture sectors. Additionally, the activity will leverage planned public sector development initiatives and will support policy reforms to create an enabling environment for private sector investments in sectors that offer the highest potential for economic growth. The activity will provide targeted technical assistance to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP) to maximize the impact of planned public sector economic growth initiatives in the NMDs and promote sustainable economic activity in the region.

Overview of the Position:

The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Objective Lead will look to increase employment in MSMEs and for entrepreneurs by stimulating entrepreneurship and innovation; enhancing formalization of private enterprises; improving services to MSMEs, especially those owned by women and youth; integrating MSMEs and entrepreneurs in progressive value chains; and addressing enabling environment policy reform initiatives to facilitate MSME development.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Design and lead activities under ERDA Objective 2, providing technical direction and managing activities to develop and strengthen MSMEs in the NMDs;
• Identify value chains with potential to provide opportunities for MSMEs and potential areas of business that will create additional local jobs
• Working with senior executives of local and international agribusinesses to develop, expand, and improve product and service lines, and to increase value-addition.
• Assisting local entrepreneurs to identify and attract investment.
• Assisting local businesses to develop and implement improved marketing strategies.
• Undertaking research on markets, products, trade fairs, market information sources, potential investment partners and distribution channels.
• Design and implement training programs in cooperation with a wide range of project partners including NGOs, associations, training/business service providers, government organizations, and others.
• Ensure effective service delivery to the project’s beneficiaries, namely SMEs, employers, the unemployed, and areas of special state.
• Design and identify appropriate funding mechanisms for MSMEs and entrepreneurs
• Lead and integrate MSMEs into potential markets

Requirements (Education, Experience, Skills, Languages.):

• A Bachelor’s Degree, or its international equivalent, in a field relevant to business development, such as economics, finance, business administration, or a closely related field is required.
• 15 or more years of progressively responsible experience in MSME or private sector led development in Pakistan; including improving market access, cluster development initiatives, technical assistance to micro and small businesses, strengthening business representative bodies, establishing value chain platforms, business enabling environment, and other relevant interventions.
• Experience working with the MSE sector in NMDs and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or the region, with expert knowledge of the Pakistani and NMDs MSE sectors’ legal and institutional frameworks, policies and institutions

• Technical expertise in enterprise development, start up, business incubators, business development services and strategy development, with a strong emphasis on organizational position and marketing (leveraging results).
• Technical expertise in areas such as business processes, increased competitiveness, development and enhancement of MSMEs and entrepreneurs through knowledge sharing, applied best practices, and establishment of local centers and applied best practices
• Demonstrated knowledge of entrepreneurship market and potential growth in addition to knowledge of international best practices.
• In-depth understanding of the regulatory and institutional governance frameworks for the NMDs region of Pakistan
• Proven ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with donors, development partners, sub Implementing Partners, and multiple host-country counterparts
• Experience   providing   capacity building, including one-on-one or small group technical assistance, and creating related tools and resources.
• Experience managing large development programs in partnership with communities and in politically sensitive and potentially volatile environments
• Experience in border areas of Pakistan/Afghanistan is preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required; proficiency in Urdu and Pashto desired.