Market Development Technical Officer

Job Description

Title: Market Development Technical Officer

Company Name: Young Power in Social Action (YPSA)

Vacancy: 1

Age: At least 30 years

Job Location: Cox`s Bazar

Salary: Tk. 63470 (Monthly)

Experience:

• At least 3 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO, Development Agency

• Master’s Degree in Marketing, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Management, Development Studies from a recognized University.

• At least 3 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO, Development Agency

• Age At least 30 years

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in development, livelihood, Agriculture market development, or related programs.

• Strong planning, analytical, organizational, and decision-making skills, including data and gap analysis.

• Ability to do market forecasting for the agro-based goods and services

• Good leadership, networking, rapport-building, and stakeholder coordination skills.

• Experience working in South Chattogram or Cox’s Bazar is preferred; familiarity with the local context and ability to communicate in the local dialect will be an advantage.

• Experience working in South Chattogram or Cox’s Bazar is preferred; familiarity with the local context and ability to communicate in the local dialect will be an advantage.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

• Strong report writing and documentation skills.

• Good written and verbal communication skills in English and Bangla.

• Proficient in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, email, internet, and other common IT applications.

• Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team.

Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) <www.ypsa.org> is an organization for sustainable development, working in the greater Chattogram division including Hill Tracts (CHT) since 1985 (International Youth Year). YPSA is going to implement a project titled “SheFarms” at Chakaria and Mathamuhuri in Cox’s Bazar. The project will be implemented with fund from the Federal German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and technical support from Plan International Bangladesh.

Job Title: Market Development Technical Officer

Duration: 28 Months

No. of Vacancy: 1

Job Description/Responsibilities:

1. General Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, implement, monitor, and report on market development, livelihood, and economic empowerment activities in line with the approved project design and work plan.

• Ensure timely, quality, and sustainable implementation of project activities in accordance with relevant policies, procedures, legislation, and quality standards.

• Provide technical support to project staff and beneficiaries on market access, enterprise development, employment, and livelihood-related issues.

• Arrange and facilitate training, workshops, seminars, farmer-buyer dialogues, and other capacity-building activities for beneficiaries and stakeholders.

• Collect, analyze, document, and disseminate relevant market and project information to support evidence-based decision-making.

• Monitor changes in the market and project context and provide timely recommendations to the Project Coordinator.

• Identify good practices, lessons learned, gaps, and challenges and contribute to project learning and advocacy.

• Prepare periodic and annual progress reports on assigned project components.

2. Technical Responsibilities

• Lead the start-up market mapping exercise across the five target Unions, identifying input suppliers, faria traders, bepari aggregators, agribusiness buyers, and other relevant market actors.

• Conduct market assessments to identify viable, market-oriented income and employment opportunities for female farmers, youth, and young adults.

• Facilitate pre-season planning meetings between female farmer groups and identified buyers under Activity 2.2.

• Negotiate and facilitate documented market linkage agreements for at least 500 female farmers under the revised Indicator 2.1.

• Train and support 100 Local Service Providers (LSPs) under the Firm-to-Farm approach (Activity 2.3) and facilitate documented service agreements with female farmer groups.

• Organize promotional campaigns, farmer-buyer dialogue sessions, and other market linkage activities under Activities 2.4–2.6.

• Coordinate financial literacy and MFI cost-share sessions under Activity 2.10, including pre-verification of the suitability of MFI products for target beneficiaries.

• Facilitate the development of Individual Action Plans (IAPs), Family Development Plans (FDPs), and Business Development Plans (BDPs) based on market assessments and individual needs.

• Organize and facilitate work-readiness, vocational, and skills development training to improve youth employability and access to decent economic opportunities.

• Facilitate linkages between youth and private-sector actors for employment, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and other economic opportunities.

• Facilitate appropriate cash or in-kind start-up support for eligible youth to establish small-scale enterprises, where applicable.

• Establish linkages with government service-providing departments to facilitate access to skills development, training, employment, and other livelihood opportunities.

• Maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships with relevant market actors, skills development providers, private-sector entities, financial institutions, government agencies, and other service providers.

• Prepare and maintain a local resource map of relevant market, employment, skills development, financial, and livelihood service providers.

• Provide technical inputs to project planning, implementation, monitoring, and review processes, particularly on market development, enterprise development, employment, and livelihood interventions.

• Provide technical support to project staff and beneficiaries to address identified market, enterprise, employment, and livelihood-related challenges.

3. IT Competencies

• Maintain and update databases and records of market actors, buyers, suppliers, Local Service Providers, service agreements, market linkages, and beneficiary enterprises.

• Use MS Excel and other appropriate digital tools for market data compilation, analysis, tracking, and reporting.

• Prepare presentations, tables, charts, and other digital materials to communicate market assessment findings, progress, and results.

• Use MS Word, MS PowerPoint, email, internet, and other common IT applications for documentation, communication, reporting, and coordination.

• Ensure systematic maintenance and updating of electronic project records and supporting documentation.

4. Others

• Represent YPSA and Plan International in relevant local-level coordination platforms, networks, meetings, and forums.

• Maintain effective working relationships with government departments, private-sector actors, market intermediaries, financial institutions, service providers, community institutions, development partners, and other stakeholders.

• Support coordination with relevant stakeholders to strengthen market linkages, employment, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

• Arrange necessary resources for project activities and ensure their efficient utilization in accordance with approved budgets, organizational procedures, and value-for-money principles.

• Ensure proper documentation of market assessments, agreements, trainings, meetings, field activities, and other project interventions.

• Contribute to project learning, case studies, success stories, advocacy materials, and other communication products.

• Support efforts to strengthen the profile of YPSA and Plan International and facilitate opportunities for scaling up relevant interventions in the project areas.

• Perform any other relevant duties assigned by the Project Coordinator or Management.

Job Location: Chakaria and Mathamuhuri, Cox’s Bazar

• Monthly Consolidated Salary: BDT 63,470/-