Advisor; Markets, Investments and Business Development

Job Description

Advisor; Markets, Investments and Business Development

GIZ- Internal/External Vacancy Announcement ‘#027/2022’

EnDev

 As an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations, the federally owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its development policy objectives. GIZ promotes complex reforms and change processes. 

In Ethiopia, GIZ has been working for more than 40 years in bilateral cooperation on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and on the commission of the Ethiopian Government and other international donors. 

Energizing Development Ethiopia (EnDev) Ethiopia (being implemented by GIZ) supports a sustainable supply of energy services to lower-income households, social institutions and small to medium sized enterprises with a focus on rural areas. EnDev is a multi-donor and multi-implementer energy access partnership. It is currently financed by six donor countries – the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden. Being part of the global programme, EnDev Ethiopia receives additional co-funding from Ireland, the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare and the European Union. 

As part of EnDev program, the Household Energy Cooking Component seeks to strengthen the clean cooking sector, promote cleaner cooking technologies and alternative fuel efficient and healthy fuels, working closely with the public and private sector.

 Duration of contract:   31.12.2022 (with the possibility of extension)

 Required Candidates:  One

 Responsibilities & Duties

 A.  Responsibilities 

The Markets, Investments & Business Development Advisor will have the following areas of responsibility: 

• Initiates all business development support interventions of the Household Energy cooking component with focus on growth and transformation of firms to semi-industrial production.

• Initiates, organizes, and implements the firm level, sectoral and industry wide assessments and studies meant to strengthen the clean cooking value chains.

• Plans and implements the technical assistance, co-financing and competitive grant schemes that are targeted at firms, industry associations and value chain players.

• Produces the implementation plan and organizes the rolling out of public private dialogues as well as other platforms of discussions between private sector players and public sector agencies.
• Conceptualizes, formulates, strategizes and implements plans for creating a favourable environment for FDI and local investment in the clean cooking sector as per the directives of the cooking component.

• Collaborates with other team members for crafting, developing and furthering policy/regulatory reforms that ease the market barriers to clean cooking sector market players.

• Takes part in the design, implementation and monitoring of awareness creation, promotional and mentoring/coaching activities of the cooking component.

• Technical advisory on project identification and funding proposal development.

• Technical advisory on funds acquisition from national, international, public and private sources.

• Follow-up on funds disbursement and technical advisory on financial reporting.

• Technical advisory of public, private and other stakeholders relevant for the component’s activities.

• Support of the component’s team members as well as external consultants and other service providers hired for the implementation.

• General support of the planning and implementation of the Cooking Component.

• Contribution to monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management of all relevant activities within his/her component. 

Within the above broader context, the market, investments and business development advisor will fulfil the following tasks: 

B.    Tasks 

Technical Engagement & Implementation Processes 

• Crafts the terms and conditions for the semi-industrialization support scheme of ICS producers, and follows the implementation of the same.

• Creates and implements the framework of engagement between ICS producers under a cost-sharing scheme and assigned technical experts.

• Designs the detailed content, structure and timeline of the capacity building trainings to be provided for executives of semi-industrial ICS producers.

• Collaborates with other team members, particularly with the policy advisor for the Household Energy Component, on establishing the terms and conditions for the competitive growth grant scheme of ICS producers.

• Designs and leads the implementation of an effective and efficient coaching and mentoring schemes for clean cooking sector producers, industry associations, government agencies, sector associations and other local level stakeholders.

• Runs the operational support system to the national briquetting dialogue platform and serves as the focal person for the same.

• Defines and enforces the ToR of engagement for consultants and commissioned contractors in TAs, needs assessment, diagnostic studies, gap assessment studies, event organization and promotional activities.

• Prepares concept notes, ToRs, work plans, write-ups and other essential materials that constitute the planning and realization of subcomponent objectives.

• Identifies the capacity gaps of subcomponent staff at HQ as well as regional levels, and crafts strategies for redressing them.

• Produces and takes part in the evaluation of tender documents/proposals for various collaborative activities with third parties ranging from firms to industry associations and onto government agencies.

• Provides assistance to the planning, execution and documentation of events, meetings, workshops, seminars and other market, investment promotion and business development related activities.

• Collects, cleans and conducts data analysis and consequently writes reports that showcase program performance with regards to the cooking component.

• Plans, prepares and implements project activities in support of funding proposal development and funds acquisition. These shall encompass, amongst others:
• Identify and assess potential decentralized renewable energy projects that require funding for implementation through investments, loans or grants.
• Develop together with the funding applicant project funding proposals in collaboration with other GBE staff members, that include, amongst others, financial and technical planning, implementation timelines and prospective outputs and pay-back/profit distribution plans.
• Advise on national-, international-, public- and private investment-, loan- and grant opportunities. This shall be done in collaboration with other GIZ projects such as the Get.Invest project in Germany.
• Once successful, follow-up on the disbursement of the funds and provide technical advice to the funded project regarding the required financial reporting.

• Provide any further technical advisory to public- and private sector actors where required and relevant for the above undertaking.
• Supports the planning, implementing and documenting of meetings, workshops, seminars and other capacity development measures in support of the above activities.
• Develops ToRs for external trainers/consultants to support component activities. 

Advisory Services

• Consults executives of potential semi-industrial ICS producers on planning, implementing and monitoring of training schemes as well as networking events intended to build the capability of ICS producers.
• Consults the component manager, policy advisor and other stakeholders in conceptualization, formulation, designing and development of cost-sharing and competitive grant schemes under the cooking component.
• Advises industry, sectoral, national cookstove & ICS associations on key strategies that will better position the private sector in the clean cooking value chain.
• Organizes and advises partners during public private dialogues on crafting, advocating for and tracking timely and relevant business agendas with the intention of bringing changes to constraints for private sector development.
• Consults clean cooking sector partner/players on better ways to create, develop and further their outreach in the relevant value chains.
• Assists private FDI firms in the identification, investment, creation of linkages and integration to the local markets.
• Works closely with training institutions, both inside and outside of the country, for improving their capacity around clean cooking technologies.
• Technically supports and supervises external contractors and service providers engaged to develop/strengthen markets, promote investments in the cooking sector and develop businesses identified and gives guidance on technical aspects and provides feedback on performance. 

Networking and Cooperation 

• The recruited advisor will be working closely with fellow advisors/technical experts under the supervision of the head of the cooking component so as to ensure that all market, investment promotion and business development related activities in the cooking component are implemented on time, within budget and upon pre-specified quality standards.
• Collaborates with focal persons of government agencies (regional as well as federal), private sector representatives, chambers of commerce, sectoral associations, industry associations and others for an effective implementation of public private dialogues and other discussions within the realm of markets, investment promotion and business development.
• Works closely with commissioned contractors and consultants for an effective and efficient delivery of expected results.
• Consults routinely with – and reports to the head of component regarding all relevant project activities. Undertakes duties in consultation and collaboration with his/her head of component and partner institutions to ensure smooth communication and knowledge exchange.
• Establishes and entertains relevant networks between key stakeholders relevant for the above activities. 

Monitoring, reporting and knowledge management 

• Provides relevant information and any other support needed by the following teams at project, country or global level as related to market and investment promotion as well as business development: Monitoring & Evaluation, Knowledge Management and PR & Communication.
• Updates information concerning the progress and results of his/her activities in any required on-line and off-line databases and data management systems in line with GIZ filing and ICT standards.
• Produce progress reports and participates in regular and ad-hoc internal meetings of the household energy cooking component.
• Contributes to the design and compilation of information material for external communication and knowledge management purposes.
• Shares all information about all market, investment promotion and business development related activities as well as research findings and studies that are relevant for the component.

General Duties

• Familiarises with GIZ- and EnDev Ethiopia-specific planning, implementation and reporting procedures and its updates.
• Represents the interests- and always acts on behalf of GIZ and EnDev Household Energy program in Ethiopia.
• Participates in trainings related to his/her position and duties, as required and agreed on in the annual staff talks.
• Ensure the use of office and transport facilities in accordance with terms, conditions and any other agreements of usage.
• Carries out tasks relevant to the component which may not be explicitly mentioned in the job description but lie in its nature. Carries out other program/project activities as related to market and investment promotion as well as business development as assigned by the head of the Cooking Component, the head of EnDev Ethiopia and the head of the Energy Portfolio in Ethiopia.

Job Requirement

Required qualifications, competences and experience

Education Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Economics, Business Strategy, Energy Engineering, Natural Resources, Energy Management, Environmental Studies, African Development Studies or a related field and minimum eight years of experience with development cooperation, particularly in the energy and clean cooking sector. 

Professional experience and competencies

• Solid understanding of the energy sector in Ethiopia and with household energy clean cooking in particular as well as applicably gender sensitive project approaches is required;
• Solid working experience (minimum 6 years) in market development, investment promotion and business development with in the private sector and focused on value chain development/strengthening.
• Proven experience in developing business development plans, market strategies and market-based approaches as well as with engaging key investors from private sector.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working on energy and household cooking is required.
• Excellent English and Amharic language proficiency, both in written and spoken form. Knowledge of any other local languages is an advantage.
• Proven experience in the field of household energy and/or the implementation of market-based and investment promotion approaches in rural settings, preferably in the displacement context;
• Strong demonstrated knowledge and experience with energy innovations and demonstrated ability to develop out-of-the-box solutions on issues related to markets, investment promotion and business development private sector actors and public sector partners;
• Ability to perform under high pressure in a dynamic environment, and adjust quickly to new circumstances;
• Excellent networking, partnership development, communication and presentation skills, considering the cultural and political contexts in development cooperation particularly in the energy sector;
• Good team player with a high interest in sharing knowledge and collaborating in dynamic and multicultural environments;
• Strong experience in project management will be an advantage;
• Experience in handling procurement processes and managing consultants towards the successful delivery of their assignment is considered an asset;
• Ability to apply good judgement in the context of assignments given, ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities;
• Proficiency in computer skills, use of relevant software and other applications strong analytical, research and documentation skills;
• Willingness to frequently travel to other regions in Ethiopia.