SME Dev Specialist Balochistan

Location: Quetta
Company Name: ActiveUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Background

About ITC:

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, focusing in particular on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies. ITC is 100% "Aid for Trade", supporting trade that delivers inclusive and sustainable development results. ITC’s mandate covers all developing countries and transition economies with special emphasis on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDs) Fragile States and Sub-Saharan Africa. ITC Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. ITC projects and programmes contribute to the global efforts to achieve UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Aid for Trade agenda. ITC works at three levels:

• Strengthening the integration of the business sector of developing countries and economies in transition into the global economy,
• Improving the performance of trade and investment support institutions for the benefit of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and enhancing the abilities of trade support institutions to better support them,
• Improving the international competitiveness of SMEs.

About the GRASP Project:

The Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) is a 66 month project that will contribute to the reduction of poverty through development of rural SMEs in selected districts within two provinces of Pakistan: Balochistan and Sindh. GRASP will focus on selected product lines within livestock and horticulture.

GRASP will take a holistic approach to building SME competitiveness in agribusiness value chains starting from a deep understanding of markets and working back through the value chain to enable SMEs and ultimately producers to create and capture additional value. To do this, GRASP will intervene in three main ways:

• Improving the eco-system for rural SME development through building institutional capacity and improving the business environment
• Building production and quality of primary products through support to SME agribusiness service providers and business intermediary organizations in rural areas
• Increasing added-value and marketed volumes through developing value chains and supporting SMEs to improve management, increase access to finance, apply sustainable technology to add value and improve quality and reduce waste throughout the system

At the impact level, GRASP will create employment and income opportunities in rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan. Outcome and outputs of GRASP include measurable improvement in the business environment for SMEs, improved agricultural productivity in selected areas, better access for farmers to market information and agricultural services, increase in revenue and financing for selected SMEs and increased value added and adoption of environmental sustainable technology. GRASP has a very strong focus on women's economic empowerment.

GRASP has a budget of €48.5m funded by the European Union and ITC.

ITC will implement GRASP through three Pakistan based teams and a wide network of Pakistani and international partner organizations. This challenging project will involve managing many concurrent inter-linked activities from the market to the production level and innovative tools such as matching grants.

Duties and Responsibilities

The outputs expected from the SME Development Specialist are to:

• Contribute to the strategic direction of GRASP relating to SME development
• Oversee, contribute to and ensure quality control of delivery of the following sub-outputs relating to SME value chain development, technology adoption, value addition and market development (outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7)
• Maintain relationships with key counterparts for these sub-outputs of GRASP at federal level, provincial and district level.
• Ensure smooth coordination with other sub Outputs relating to access to finance, climate resilience, gender and quality standards/food safety as well as Output 2 (Agribusiness service providing SMEs (run by Male/Female) and their Business Intermediary Organizations (BIOs) are capacitated to enhance primary production and quality ) where relevant
• Coordinates provincial activities of above sub outputs in coordination with ITC Geneva SME lead, Provincial Leads and other technical specialists

Function / Expected Results: Coordination of project activities

• Manage relationships and engage regularly with counterparts including chambers of commerce, SMEs, processors, logistics, retailers, policy makers, regulators, governmental/administrative agencies/departments, experts/implementing agencies/service providers relevant to Output 3 (3.1, 3.2 &, 3.7) of GRASP
• Share and collect information at federal, provincial and district levels and obtain support for Output 3 (3.1, 3.2 & 3.7) related activities;
• Contribute in the preparation of and participate in project steering committee meetings (federal and provincial levels) for Output 3 purposes;
• Contribute to project wide communication and outreach initiatives with the objective to ensure Output 3 (3.1, 3.2 & 3.7) visibility at federal, provincial and district levels: e.g. drafting short articles, press releases, social media inputs and delivering media interviews in relation to Output 3 (3.1, 3.2 & 3.7);
• Undertake any other related tasks agreed with the Output 3 (3.1, 3.2 & 3.7).

Function/Expected Results: Technical guidance

• Coordinate technical delivery of Output 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related activities at federal, provincial and district level with project technical leads, project staff and project partners;
• Carry out and/or coordinate research/analysis/gap assessment of relevance for Output 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related activities;
• Design capacity building for support to SMEs in the field of marketing, backward linkages to farmers, value addition, technology adoption, innovation, climate resilience, business management, enterprise and product development
• Produce and/or coordinate the production of briefs/technical reports/presentations/speaking notes required for Output 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related activities;
• Organize, coordinate and participate in high level/technical meetings; workshops; public private consultations to deliver or/and ensure delivering of technical information about Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related activities at federal, provincial and district level;
• Review quality of Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related outputs and ensure compliance with high standards;
• Monitor progress, measure results, collect any evidence/means of verification through desk research, interviews, and questionnaires and produce reports required to assess Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 outcomes/impacts; Coordinate and contribute to the development and implementation of Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related work plans and identify and ensure linkages and synergies across project activities and implementing partners;
• Keep abreast with developments at federal, provincial and district levels of relevance to Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 related activities;
• Undertake any other tasks agreed with the Outputs 3.1, 3.2 & 3.7 Leads in support of efficient implementation of Output 3 and in consultation with the Senior Advisor (SIVC) and Project Coordinator.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Activities related to Outputs 3.1, 3.2, & 3.7 of GRASP are strategically designed and efficiently implemented as per work plan under the direct technical guidance of the Senior Advisor (SIVC) and Project Coordinator.
• Key counterparts for Output 3 of GRASP at federal, provincial and district level are kept well informed
• Meticulous monitoring and reporting.

Impact of Results

• Achievement of delivery targets and results as outlined in the project work plans for Output 3
• Strong partnerships with national stakeholders and relevant government agencies and private sector
• Good communication and positive image the project in Pakistan

Competencies

ITC’S VALUES are: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

ITC’S CORE COMPETENCIES are: Communication, Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, Accountability, Creativity, Client Orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Technological awareness.

ITC’S MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES are: Vision, Leadership, Empowering Others, Managing Performance, Building Trust, and Judgment/Decision making.
For further information on competency-based interview please visit: www.intracen.org.

Functional Competencies:

• Proven leadership and strong project management and coordination skills
• Excellent interpersonal and advocacy skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships
• Proven ability to lead and work collaboratively in teams, with colleagues and encourage sharing of knowledge to achieve organizational goals
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required
• Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment
• Ability to plan own work and use time efficiently, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines

Technical Competencies:

• Demonstrated knowledge of challenges of agriculture SMEs in Pakistan
• Very good understanding of business environment and public and private institutions relating to SMEs and agricultural development
• Good understanding of the private sector needs and expectations in Pakistan as well as cross cutting issues relating to climate change and gender.
• Experience in training in private sector on key skills (e.g. entrepreneurship, business management, marketing and sales, logistics, processing)
• Experience in working with government and private sector counterparts
• Knowledge of result-based management skills
• Strong drafting and communication skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Work experience:

• Master Degree or equivalent in Rural Development, Business Administration, Marketing Applied Economics, Development Studies or related field.
• With a minimum of 7 years of experience in SME/and or agricultural/rural development
• Including some experience in project formulation and management

OR

• A Bachelor’s degree in in Rural Development, Business Administration, Applied Economics, Development Studies, Marketing or related field With minimum of 9 years of experience in SME/and or agricultural/rural development
• Including some experience in project formulation and management , administration or related field

Language Requirements:

• Advanced English with strong written and oral communication skills is essential
• Knowledge of local languages

Required knowledge and skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of challenges to agricultural/rural SME development in Pakistan
• Demonstrated capacity to evolve in large, complex and multi-dimensional projects
• Very good understanding of business environment and public and private institutions relating to SMEs and agricultural development
• Technical knowledge and training experience of key issues facing SME development
• Good understanding of project result-based management and coordination
• Proven leadership, advocacy and management skills and ability to operate in multi-stakeholder contexts
• A track-record of successfully implementing projects
• Excellent drafting and communication skills

Desirable knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of the UN system and procedures or experience of EU-related projects would be an asset