Position:

Private Sector Development (PSD) Specialist

Number of Positions:

One (01)

Base Station:

Islamabad with frequent travel to Peshawar

Contract Type:

Full-Time

Estimated Duration of Assignment

Life of the project

Activity Objectives:

USAID-ERDA’s objective is to expand economic opportunities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its MD’s by strengthening and modernizing the agriculture sector and promoting micro and small enterprises.

Sub-Objective 1: Agriculture sector capacity enhanced and modernized through strengthening of agriculture production resources.

Sub-Objective 2: Micro, small and medium businesses promoted by strengthening MSME’s in both farm and non-farm sectors.

Sub-Objective3 3: Improved business enabling environment through policy reforms and technical assistance to the GoKP.

Summary of Role:

The Private Sector Development (PSD) Specialist will report to the MSME and Private Sector Specialist and will be required to work closely with the relevant team. The specialist will be required to maintain high level engagement and seek regular guidance (virtual or face to face) from the "AID senior team" and "Private Sector Round Table Forums (RTFs)". The incumbent will focus on fostering private sector engagement, establishing sustainable partnerships, attracting investments, introducing innovations, and improving market access for MSMEs. The incumbent will play a pivotal role in executing business partnerships across priority sectors and scaling up ongoing private sector initiatives in high-priority value chains.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the MSME & Private Sector Specialist or their designee, the PSD Specialist will:

• Work with component leads, finalize and implement the private sector engagement strategy & plan for effective execution of USAID- ERDA private sector led economic growth work in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and MDs.
• Identify key private sector entities in agribusiness, minerals, tourism, hospitality, and ICT sectors in domestic and international markets.
• Lead commercialization and scalability efforts for private sector-led interventions in priority sectors such as agribusiness, tourism, and ICTs.
• Organize and lead meetings with relevant private sector entities to identify innovative business development and growth opportunities with the potential for replication across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its MDs.
• Develop actionable strategies to connect MSMEs in KP/MDs with private enterprises nationwide emphasizing business matchmaking, technology upgrades, and ICT integration.
• Identify and promote replicable private sector best practices and models from national and international markets relevant to ERDA’s priority sectors.
• Collaborate with GoKP departments to ensure government ownership and alignment during partnership implementations.
• Develop a baseline/bench-marking index of economic growth and business enabling environment (BEE) initiatives successfully demonstrated under MSME sector in Pakistan and Globally that will serve as a reference for the proposed interventions under ERDA.
• Assess the overall business enabling environment regime in KP with reference to new private sector investments, public private partnerships and MSMEs sector.
• Enlist and assess business enabling environment models and efforts already undertaken by public sector and donor assisted projects across Pakistan including KP.
• Engage with relevant public sector departments within KP identify specific reforms and regulatory changes required relevant to ERDA purview.
• Identify, design and manage targeted BEE interventions aimed at mobilizing new private sector investments, export promotion, local market strengthening, youth and women-led entrepreneurship, increasing access to finance for MSMEs and promotion of MSMEs digitalization.
• Support market exploration through participation in expos and trade shows to foster sector-based engagement.
• Assess, compile and report impact and outcomes of on-going and potential partnerships, private sector investments and BEE interventions under ERDA.

Qualification & Competencies Requirements

• An advanced degree in the field of business management, business administration, economics, development economics, social sciences or other related field from a reputed university.
• Minimum of 10 years of prior work experience either with the public sector, private sector or donor funded programs on economic growth initiatives, private sector development, and related aspects.
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience directly in private sector development, developing successful commercial partnerships among large/medium-scale private sector partners and multi-sectoral MSMEs is highly desirable.
• Hands on experience in developing commercial partnerships among large-scale private sector entities and MSMEs is desirable.
• The incumbent with strong networking with private sector within ERDA priority sectors at local and national level will be given preference.

Competencies & Skills:

• Ability to work independently, be entrepreneurial, think strategically and translate strategies into actual implementation and delivery is highly desirable.
• A team player with the ability to develop and foster relationships with the private sector actors.
• Good writing and presentation skills are highly desirable.
• Should be familiar with MS office skills.