Posted: 09.16.2016
Closing Date: 09.25.2016
Category: Accounting and Finance, Business and Administration
Location: Bahirdar
Career Level: Senior Level (5+ years experience)
Employment Type: Full time
Salary: View Jobs by this company
Job Description
Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is a Foreign Charity established in 1953 specializing in business solutions to poverty. MEDA uses innovative approaches, market linkages, investment finance and business development services to improve profits for individuals and micro/small and medium size enterprises along selected value chains.
Overview:
The Micro/Small/Medium Enterprise Service (MSME) Senior Specialist provides business expertise to the development and promotion of micro, small and medium-size businesses in Ethiopia. He/she will build strong relationships with a range of players in enterprises related to the EMERTA project and will use these relationships to improve business opportunities for those MSMEs. The MSME Senior Specialist will provide key support to the Project Implementation Manager and will work closely with staff in the three sectors involved in EMERTA: gemstones, vegetables and rice. The MSME Senior Specialist will guide the development of business cases that demonstrate the cost/benefit of undertaking innovations; he/she develops and introduces tools that businesses can use to better monitor business activities (sales, expenses, profit, etc.); he/she assists the sector teams in EMERTA to trace benefit flows to private sector partners and builds the capacity of business service providers to support MSME’s.
In addition to the sector specialists in the project, the incumbent will work closely with other EMERTA staff: Finance Service Specialists, Marketing Specialist and partners to conduct ongoing constraints analysis and identify stakeholders able to take advantage of innovations, and thus effect MSME’s improvements. Innovations include structural relationships between rice/vegetable/gems value chain participants, enhancing medium and small scale infrastructure and technologies, and introducing or strengthening new services.
MEDA seeks a communicative and dynamic team player to fill this role to be based in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
Develop a deep understanding of the time/labor and technology constraints faced by producers and MSMEs in each sector, particularly rice, and, employing user-focused research, identifies technologies that can be introduced to alleviate these constraints.
Assist the sector teams in tracing benefit flows to producers/lapidaries (in terms of increased producer sales, prices, employment)
Develop business cases to demonstrate the cost/benefits of undertaking innovation,
Develop simple tools for businesses to monitor basic metrics – sales, expenses, profits, etc.
Build the capacity of business service providers to better support MSMEs.
Ensure that activities are implemented according to a well-defined set of program protocols and tools.
Serve as expert in MSME constraints analysis, assessing weakness, strengths, opportunities and threats to all the sector clients.
Assist with monitoring and evaluation to ensure timely donor reporting on Micro/Small/Medium Enterprise Service (MSME)
Provide expert advice and build core capacities of the rice/vegetable/gems business development specialist and key partners in developing innovative business services, new business partnerships, and market oriented information systems.
Responsible for supporting or developing new consulting services to support participating financial and non-financial institutions in all aspects of rice, vegetable and gems value chain opportunities toward increasing understanding of the rice, vegetable and gems value chain and markets.
Assist with development of manuals, lending forms, portfolio reviews and acquisitions, and serve on task forces or committees as required in the promotion of opportunities in the rice, vegetable and gems sector.
Work with public institutions and research institutions, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, business community to build sector-wide, mutual benefits on the rice, vegetable and gems value chain, including reduction of transaction costs, reduced waste, risk reduction, increase in market and employment opportunities.
Provide key input into the use of tools to strengthen incentives to sector growth: innovation grants, loan guarantees, capacity building.
Assist with special projects, such as trade fairs, promotional events, advertising, and product development support in close collaboration with project clients.
Perform other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor.
Reports to: Project Implementation Manager
Terms of employment: One year with very high possibility of extension
Job Requirements
Qualifications:
Essential: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Investment Finance or Marketing, or other relevant discipline.
Six (6) years’ experience demonstrating success in business consulting, investment finance, marketing or private sector entrepreneurship.
Excellent oral and written communication in English and Amharic, including report writing
Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s economic and business environment, particularly at the MSME level
Computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications, specifically Excel and Word and Access
Desired:
Agricultural Markets and/or Value Chain development
Development of Business Services, finance and financial services
Private sector experience, particularly entrepreneurship
Knowledge of production (Agriculture), including quality control, market standards, and/or product development
Core Competencies:
Results oriented and sound decision making
Demonstrating accountability and commitment
Ability to communicate effectively and work within a team
Ability to gathering information, assist with research
Build relationships and ability to bring people together
Managing and improving team performance
Number Required: 1
How to Apply
Note: Only qualified candidates will be screened and a written test/interview which measures the capacity of the applicant will be given.
Those who satisfy the above requirements can send application letters and CV through the following email address only: gaster@meda.org
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU STATE THE JOB POSITION ON THE SUBJECT OF YOUR EMAIL.
Application Deadline: 5:00PM, September 25, 2016
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