Regional Facility for Business Development and Investment Climate Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean

The contract will provide technical assistance services covering 25 countries in Eastern, Southern Africa in order to support interventions falling into three different categories: the macro-level which aims at creating a fertile environment for the private sector to grow, the mid-level which targets interventions at market level, in order to address market failures, enhancing value chains and competitiveness, and the micro-level which works directly with businesses and individuals. Ideally the aim is to have a coherent approach that would include micro-, mid-, and macro-interventions supporting a configuration of the private sector needs in a way that enable it to contribute to economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

The purpose of the contract is to deliver high-level technical assistance to strengthen access to finance and implementation of dedicated financial instruments, and improve the investment climate for inclusive and sustainable growth, job creation and decent work.
A Regional Technical Assistance Facility (hereinafter the RTAF), will be established, pooling expertise from Academia, technical experts, practitioners and business managers from Europe and Africa.

The team leader will have the strategic vision of the assignment and will be responsible for the supervision and timely implementation of the activities by the three key experts and the short-term experts. S/he will be also responsible for the preparation and timely submission of reports.

As needs arise, ToRs for each assignment, including type and profile of needed expert(s) will be developed jointly by the EU staff at HQs, and in EU Delegations if relevant, the contractor, and the beneficiary country(ies)/relevant target group beneficiary.

For this upcoming regional project AFC cooperates with GOPA Consultants.

The Expert will be responsible to develop, implement and maintain an M&E system, collecting and analyzing data and information from other EU interventions in the region, drawing conclusions and making recommendations for better synergies. Moreover:

  • Develop a theory of change and a result-based monitoring framework for the RTAF;
  • Conduct programme monitoring and evaluation;
  • Develop sustainability interventions to ensure that the support provided will be based on long term approach including exist strategy and strengthening ownership of stakeholders;
  • Support business resilience and design business continuity plans and methodologies;
  • Prepare activity and progress reports;
  • Conduct environmental, economic and social impact assessments;
  • Collect and analyse evaluation and monitoring data and information from other EU interventions in the region in order to draw conclusions and make recommendations for better synergies;
  • Support the Commission in ensuring that evaluation findings and recommendations are incorporated in new programmes activities and procedures.
Qualifications: 

Qualifications and skills

  • A level of education corresponding to at least 5 years’ completed university studies in economics, Business Administration or a relevant, directly related discipline, or a professional qualification of an equivalent level, followed by a minimum of 8 years' relevant professional experience;
  • Demonstrated excellent communications and negotiating skills;
  • Excellent writing and oral presentation skills in English. Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese and/or Arabic would be an advantage;
  • Excellent leadership skills and proven successful experience in project coordination and team management;
  • Excellent communication skills and experience in establishing good working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at national and global levels;
  • Ability to identify strategic needs and new opportunities related to RTAF implementation;
  • Ability to provide guidance and build a connected and informed team able to address all matters related to planning, delivery and sustainability of the services;
  • Expertise in project management (including coordination, planning, note-taking and reporting, liaising with experts and stakeholder groups, drafting terms of reference for the provision of short-term expertise and organising the selection of experts, assisting the experts in the organisation of events, reporting to the EU);
  • Expertise in the financial & administrative requirements of EU contracts.

General professional experience

  • At least 10 years of professional experience, covering formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies, programmes and projects in areas related to Business environment reforms, value chain development and support to MSMEs in developing countries;
  • At least 5 years’ experience in high-level coordination related to the above professional skills.

Specific professional experience

  • Demonstrable expertise in leading technical teams and programmes, and ensuring coherence with international partners and initiatives;
  • Familiarity with the latest developments in the field of Business environment reforms and private sector development, including national and international policies and latest international developments, institutional arrangements, initiatives and strategies;
  • Experience and knowledge of EU development policy, cooperation programmes and procedures.
Start / Duration: 

The intended start date is 16 November 2020 and the period of implementation of the contract will be 48 months from this date.

The Team Leader and senior key experts will be based in Brussels. Their role in this assignment require a communication on a daily basis among the team and with the European Commission in the relevant DEVCO unit, and with geographic or thematic units of the European Commission and EU delegations. The contractor must provide office space and optimum access to internet and to video and audio remote communication facilities

Please send your most recent CV to: job [at] afci.de