Private Sector/Market Assessment Specialist

Private Sector/Market Assessment Specialist

Women and Youth Creating our Future (WYCF), Timor-Leste

 

Background

NCBA CLUSA is seeking a private sector specialist with experience in conducting market assessments, supply chain mapping, and identifying workforce pathways in small economies. The assignment will take place in Timor-Leste.

The WYCF is a five-year activity and USAID/Timor-Leste’s vehicle to increase the incomes of youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through education, employment, and entreprenuership. One of the greatest challenges to creating a more diversified economy with increased demand for labor is that Timor-Leste lacks a dynamic private sector and faces significant barriers in cultivating a positive business-enabling environment. It is a very young country both in terms of government institutions and demographics. The market is relatively small, and the private sector is nascent. The country’s limited micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) suppliers capable of delivering quality products and services have required many companies to vertically integrate. Nevertheless, the existing growth-oriented firms are seeking to enhance their competitiveness in supply volume, sales, and profitability by outsourcing production and services in their value chains.

The project is tasked to support the development of market-based opportunities to empower women and youth across the country through employment and entrepreneurship. The WYCF project is expected to conduct a market assessment to better understand Timor-Leste’s labor market, identify businesses and industries with SME and employment opportunities, and assess various options that could be opened for integrating entrepreneurs into various value chains with potential for growth. The rapid market study will identify major private sector partners (e.g. companies, chambers of commerce, business associations, etc.) as potential employers and enterprises to establish SENTRU private sector partnerships that will drive market-based learning programs/curriculum, job placement programs (on-the-job training, work attachments and internships) and support entrepreneurship opportunities for youth- and women-led MSMEs. The goal of the WYCF project is to better prepare youth for job placement or entrepreneurship in line with labor market demand.

The expected duration of the assignment: 20 days (13 days in-country, 2 travel days and 5 days for report writing). The anticipated period of performance: May – June 2023

 

Objective:

To study the current situation and constraints in employability and entrepreneurship involving youths and adults in Timor-Leste and identify private sector businesses interested and ready to explore opportunities to create employment and enterprise pathways for youth and women.

Areas of Responsibility

The STTA in Market Assessment will accomplish the following tasks to assist with USAID WYCF entrepreneurship and employment options and opportunities development requirements.

1. Review the private sector and the relative importance of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries, analyzing their contribution to private sector growth and employment levels.
2. Conduct a quick Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (S.W.O.T.) on the country, highlighting relative competitive advantage of Timor-Leste compared to the neighbor countries, and the implications of the external environment. Conduct a SWOT analysis of the most promising sectors with opportunities for employment and business growth.

• Identify market dynamics, assess barriers/opportunities, and map the supply and demand of services in targeted areas to determine which sectors/industries hold promise of product expansion, market viability, value addition opportunities, and quality improvement to become enterprise opportunities for WYCF graduates.

1. Map promising key value chains with highest potential to integrate/involve large numbers of youth as employees, suppliers and business service providers to contribute to increasing supply chain efficiency. This may also include the production and processing of merchandized goods suitable to meet rising domestic demand.
2. Analyze supporting functions that are required to make the value chains work, including both existing and missing support functions (e.g. distribution, information, related services) which could serve as entry points for entrepreneurial youth.
3. Identify major potential private sector partners (e.g. companies, chambers of commerce, business associations, etc.) as potential employers and/or as lead firms interested in outsourcing or expanding their supply base/service base.

• Review opportunities for youth or women-focused financing solutions and mechanisms for MSMEs access to finance.
• Plan for the assessment and hold initial consultations/meetings with WYCF project team including implementing partner, IOB.

Deliverables

The Consultant shall be responsible for timely delivery of the following:

• Draft report of the market assessment.
• Final draft report of the market assessment, incorporating any feedback from the reviewers.

 Successful candidates will have the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree in business administration, labor and employment, trade faciliation and logistics, SME development, international development, or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in market and private sector growth analysis,  labor and employment performance assessment, entrepreneurship development, value chains development, supply chain improvement and trade facilitation analysis.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to situate findings within a wider context.
• Experience working with international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector.
• Past work experience in South-East Asia region preferred
• Exceptional communication (verbal and written), presentation and facilitation skills.
• Ability to confidently engage with staff at all levels to define needs and expectations, collaborate on projects, and communicate results.
• Ability to work sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
• Fluency in English required.

 

To be considered applicants shall forward Cover Letter and CV to  sasadov@ncba.coop  by May 20, 2023, with the subject line: “WYCF_ Private Sector/Market Assessment Specialist”.

 

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