Technical Specialist - Market Systems

Job Description

Title: Technical Specialist - Market Systems

Company Name: International Development Enterprises (iDE)

Vacancy: 1

Job Location: Dhaka

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ At least a Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or other relevant disciplines

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 4 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ We are currently seeking an all-round Technical Specialist with a focus on market systems to join the Feed the Future Bangladesh Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia Mechanization Extension Activity (CSISA MEA). The Activity is a partnership between CIMMYT, iDE, and Georgia Tech, and is the second phase of the Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia - Mechanization and Irrigation (CSISA-MI) project.
∎ CSISA MEA`s objective is to enhance agricultural resilience, productivity, and profitability by improving the competitiveness and effectiveness of agricultural machinery lead firms while generating business opportunities for collaboration with US manufacturing firms, technical institutions, and financial advisory companies. The Activity also focuses on developing an appropriately trained gender-inclusive workforce, with a special focus on linked support market actors and manufacturing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Bangladesh, as well as crisis-affected areas.
∎ CSISA MEA`s activities will accelerate new business opportunities for domestic and US agricultural machinery manufacturers, suppliers, and light engineering firms in the Bangladesh agricultural machinery sector. The project applies cutting-edge research to analyze selected lead firms and their supply chains to determine critical areas for improvement, such as best manufacturing, management and governance, and sales and customer service practices and then provide, or facilitate access to, technical and business support. This is coupled with the professional development of skilled workforces with a focus on Bangladeshi women and youth. CSISA MEA places emphasis on medium to large enterprise-level actors and their supply chains that meet basic criteria of worker safety standards, experience in the market, and share a vision for transformation in the provision of agricultural equipment to the Bangladesh market. The Activity prioritizes MSME-level actors in the supply chain that are critical to service and maintenance of existing and new machinery utilized in the market, as well as machinery and spare parts import, manufacture, assembly, and/or sale.
∎ Job Location Dhaka, with frequent field visits
∎ Reporting Line Project Manager

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Provide technical inputs on the design of market-based interventions and activities in the following broad areas:
∎ Assembling/manufacturing/retailing/distribution of agricultural machinery by national and international agricultural machinery private companies
∎ Improvement in the competitiveness of MSMEs in the light engineering sector
∎ Access to financial products and services for key market actors in the value chain
∎ Trade facilitation and investment promotion to attract international firms
∎ Provide technical guidance and support to field teams in the implementation of the above activities in Jashore, Bogura, and Cox's Bazar as and when required, ensuring that a market system approach is maintained and followed.
∎ Support implementation of the project's overall private sector engagement strategy, including building and managing partnerships
∎ Facilitate the development of Joint Venture Agreements with private sector partners; subsequently, manage their implementation; and monitor and report on results using market system indicators
∎ Support market-based initiatives aimed at improving access to finance and financial management by agricultural machinery lead firms and machinery manufacturing enterprises in coordination with the project's US-based financial advisory partner
∎ Manage budgets for assigned interventions and ensure efficient allocation of funding
∎ Assist in the preparation of periodic progress reports, technical briefs, case studies, and success stories
∎ Work closely with iDE's Evidence & Analytics unit to periodically review and refine the project's results chain and indicators in order to ensure that the project is capturing market system change

Additional Requirements:
∎ Work Experience:
∎ A minimum of four years of experience in international development with a focus on private sector engagement and stakeholder management
∎ Proven, practical experience with market systems development
∎ Prior experience with USAID programs preferred
∎ Personal Skills:
∎ Ability to work with team members and flexibility to adapt to different work conditions
∎ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
∎ Proven interpersonal and intercultural skills, including flexibility and sensitivity
∎ Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to gender diversity
∎ Physical and Language Skills:
∎ Ability to travel and undertake fieldwork in rural contexts
∎ Written and oral communication skills in English, including the ability to present coherent and convincing messages to different audiences
∎ Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Apps
∎ Other Information and Conditions:
∎ The position would be the regular employment of iDE Bangladesh
∎ The remuneration package, workdays, and deliverables may change based on negotiations with the iDE management
∎ iDE reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any time with the consultation of the employee as per HR policy

Application Deadline: 8 Aug 2020

Company Information:
∎ 2 Aug 2020
∎ International Development Enterprises (iDE)

Category: NGO/Development