International Business Development Consultant (Individual Consultant)

About Sarey

Job Summary

The BDS Consultant will work under the component B of AREDP i.e. Small and Medium Enterprise Development component. The BDS consultant will work to develop the critical policy and strategic documents for the SME Development component.
The BDS consultant will particularly develop a comprehensive SME Development manual which should elaborate the SME development process from the scratch to the very end point. When required, the BDS consultant will also act as a mentor and advisor for the SME Development component staff, mainly to the provincial business development officers. Finally, the BDS consultant will establish all the procedure envisaged on the operations manual of the program for the SME Development component.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Under the direct supervision of the SME Development component Manager, develop a detailed SME development manual which should elaborate the whole SME development process;
• In consultation with the Program Operations officers, Provincial Business Development officers, SME Development officers, and SME Development Specialist, prepare annexes for the SME Development manual which should support the manual for more details;
• Conduct a secondary data desk review for the SME Development manual development countrywide and may be internationally;
• Compile the lessons learnt, good practices of other organizations develop SMEs either nationally or internationally;
• Develop toolkits and generic formats for the Business Support Action Plan, Technical Feasibility, and Economic Viability study;
• Develop detailed procedures for the Innovation Award scheme of the program;
• Develop criterion for the potential SME/entrepreneurs selection;
• Develop SME’s application generic formats;
• Develop Innovation Award scheme criteria for the SME which may apply for the awards;
• In consultation with the SME Development component, undergo critical calculations e.g. number of jobs to be created per SME which receive the trainings and technical know-how advisories, number of jobs created by receiving both advisories and loans from financial institutions;
• In consultation with the SME Development component, undergo critical calculations in terms of income generated through the support provided to the SMEs by the program;
• Advise the SME Development component what industries require more attention, this should be based on the right rational and ground socio-economic realities of the country;
• Advise the SME Development component whether and to what extent it should focus on the import subsidy SMEs or the SMEs which work to promote export or on domestic markets or on a mix of all three;
• Determine if and where there are linkage opportunities linking regional SMEs to larger companies throughout the country;
• Undertake critical analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, of the current industries on the provinces where the program operates, and thus provide policy inputs to the SME Development component and the Office of Enabling Environment of the program to be later developed with the policy and legislative government bodies in order to further improve the champion industries;
• Develop capacity of the SME Development component staff on the critical issues on the SME development;
• In consultation with the training component of program, identify and develop the generic business trainings curriculum for the SMEs that may receive support from the program throughout the country;
• Revise the component B of the program operations manual and thus bring necessary adjustments, modifications, revisions, and improvements;
• Define a generic SME graduation criteria and ongoing support of the program for the SMEs;
• Where possible, advise targeted SMEs on feasible capital and revenue raising strategies;
• Undergo any other relevant assignment as per direction of the SME Development component manager.

Job Requirements

Knowledge/Experience
• At least 7 years of relevant working experience in developing countries.
• Experience in the design and implementation of development programs, where a focus on enterprise development is highly desirable;
• With advanced degree on Business Administration, Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy or related discipline
• Own experience working in an SME environment and/or managing an SME, especially in a developing country is desirable;
• Proven experience in building capacity of national staff in a challenging operating environment.

4.2 Qualifications/Skills
• Qualification: An advanced degree in a related field;
• Professionalism – an highly developed understanding of the management of the implementation of activities and general operations of development organizations with focus on small and medium enterprise development – ability to represent an organization to external stakeholders including donors, GoA, and other development agencies - demonstrated ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given – extremely high level of discretion;
• Planning and Organizing - Ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities;
• Management – Ability to mentor staff and contribute to the skills development and capacity building;
• Communications - Good communication (spoken and written) skills, including ability to explain and present program support services-related information/requirements and prepare written documents/communications in a clear, concise style;
• Technology Awareness - Highly developed computer skills using Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the Internet;
• Teamwork - Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Excellent in English (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) required;

4.3 Abilities
• Ability to communicate effectively with persons of various cultures and disciplines;
• Ability to determine and review priorities and meet deadlines;
• Ability to work in a high pressure environment;
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure;
• Ability to work independently and also as an effective team member;
• Professionalism in appearance and demeanor;
• Willingness to travel frequently to provinces in Afghanistan contingent upon normal security considerations.

4.0 Reporting relationships:
Report to SME development component manager and, subject to unavailability of SME development component manager, the AREDP Senior Management team.
5.0 Period of Assignment:
The assignment is for 8 months and may be extended if required.

6.0 AREDP now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above mentioned services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (in addition to the educational qualifications, experience of similar assignments and country of work etc. should be incorporated in the CV to be submitted along with expression of interest/application).

Submission Guideline

7.0 A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in section V of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (May 2004) revised in October 2006.

8.0 Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours [i.e. 0900 to 1600 hours]. Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours (0900 to 1600 hours Kabul time), from the Website (www.mrrd.gov.af), or by sending an E-Mail to: freshta.sharif@mrrd.gov.af

9.0 Expression of interest must be delivered to the address below by 1600 hours on
29 May 2010 to:
Mr. Baseer Farahi, Human Resources Manager
Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program
Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development
House# 1071, Saraye Ghazni, Near Music High School, Kabul, Afghanistan

E-mail for applications: vacancies.aredp@mrrd.gov.af
Copy to: Baseer.farahi@mrrd.gov.af and freshta.sharif@mrrd.gov.af
Website: http://mrrd.gov.af/aredp

Functional Area

Consulting

Countries

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