Private Sector Partnership Specialist

Job Description

Project Overview and Role

The goal of the USAID Future Growth Initiative (FGI) under the E4 IDIQ activity is to increase employment and jobs through increased private productivity and competitiveness. The theory of change is: “For the number of jobs to increase, businesses must grow; and for businesses to grow, constraints preventing growth must be removed.” Following this logic, Palladium will focus on removing obstacles to growth at the firm level and will work to develop skills identified by employers and industry associations or develop entrepreneurial expertise. Additionally, Palladium will work to address legal and regulatory constraints if they are determined to be significant inhibitors of firm growth. These efforts will result in the creation of new firms, the growth of existing firms, and new job creation.

Work performed under the E4 IDIQ is divided into two objectives:

Objective 1: Inclusive and sustainable market systems strengthened;

Objective 2: Strengthened trade linkages among market actors, for domestic, regional, and international markets.

Palladium seeks a Private Sector Partnership Specialist for the FGI Task Order 2 under the USAID (E4) Activity.

Under the guidance of the Country Manager, the Private Sector Partnership Specialist will support implementation of the USAID’ Future Growth Initiative program in Kyrgyzstan.

He/she will support FGI’s relations with the private sector as assigned and work closely with HQ and field offices to increase the technical support of private sector and ensure their continued increased support.

This is a full-time position and contingent upon contract award.

This Opportunity:

The Future Growth Initiative (FGI) Task Order 2 will increase the competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to provide jobs and incomes for Central Asia’s growing workforce, propelling the region toward self-reliance. FGI will transform market systems in ways that help firms and sectors grow, foster market linkages to match the demand for workforce skills with training offered to women, youth, and vulnerable people, link entrepreneurs to high-growth markets, and build more business- and worker-friendly policy environments and institutions to sustain private sector-driven growth. Moreover, FGI will promote the adoption of “green” practices and digital transformations to propel the region toward self-reliance and sustainable economic development.

Under Objective 1, the project will drive national-level, private sector-led economic growth, and inclusivity in each of the five Central Asia republics. FGI will support competitiveness and job creation in each country, which will lay the foundation for regional growth and integration. The project will also work to develop inclusive market systems by working with motivated businesses, business advisory service providers (BASPs), financial institutions, and sector associations to overcome growth constraints. The project will co-invest with businesses to expand and strengthen supply and distribution channels that include women, youth, and vulnerable populations. It will also diversify markets and product/service offerings, upgrade market-demanded skills, and facilitate innovation and digitalization, especially in green and climate-smart technology. The project will also facilitate the inclusion of diverse private sector perspectives in policy development and strengthen the business enabling environment (BEE), including access to finance, venture capital, entrepreneurship, and investment.

Under Objective 2, the project will leverage the strengthening of domestic firms, sectors, and BEEs catalyzed under Objective 1, to support regional associations and service providers to coordinate regional trade, export promotion, and market linkage efforts. FGI will support regional public private dialogue (PPD) forums and encourage government ministries to share information with regional counterparts, discuss and address common challenges, and collaborate on needed policy reforms to reduce barriers to sector growth.

Activities concerning partnership facilitation will include building a pipeline of prospective private sector firms and associations, understanding their main constraints to growth, identifying opportunities on addressing their investment and advisory needs as well as the needs of women, youth and vulnerable people, building and maintaining strong firms’ relations, drafting concept notes for program engagement, follow up and other activities as arise in the course of implementation of activities.

Activities of the project will be focused on expanding market access, promoting cross-border linkages, and facilitating international integration. This will encompass various initiatives, including fostering regional cooperation, encouraging exports and investments within the region, aligning regional regulations with international standards where possible, facilitating trade linkages, and promoting joint partnerships and contracts. Moreover, the project will provide support to businesses in expanding their markets regionally and globally.

Location:

The position is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Reporting and Supervision:

The Private Sector Partnership Specialist will report to the Country Manager and coordinate her/his activities with the Team Leaders of Objective 1 and 2. The Private Sector Partnership Specialist will be responsible for building and maintaining successful relationship with partners, including, but not limited to, MSMEs, business associations, government organizations, international donors’ community etc.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain a strong pipeline and portfolio of MSMEs, business associations, BDSPs and collaborative alliances.
• Define advisory and investment needs of sector firms and propose solutions to address them to Palladium including in Business Enabling Environment (BEE).
• Develop and draft concept notes of Palladium engagement for work with partners and alliances.
• Seek approval of concept notes and ensure formal closing of the approved engagements.
• Manage partnership engagements and ensure their successful implementation aiming at contribution to achievement of goals and objectives of the project.
• Collaborate with private sector firms and associations to identify capacity-building needs of MSMEs, including businesses owned by women, youth and vulnerable populations.
• Collaborate with private sector partners and associations to design and implement projects that focus on the adoption of green technologies, practices, and sustainable business solutions.
• Identify and develop opportunities for private sector engagement in support of women, youth, vulnerable people.
• Identify local, regional and international BASPs and build successful relationships with them; seek their active participation in selected sector development activities.
• Identify access to finance providers which are able and willing to address MSMEs’ investment and other financial needs.
• Identify prospective start-ups and innovations and build and strengthen linkages among industry experts, buyers, and investors that can provide business plan feedback and link them to markets and capital aimed at rewarding innovations that can be scaled up to improve sector competitiveness.
• Identify business incubators and/or accelerators in the country to host sector-specific programming and scale the outreach necessary to achieve programmatic results.
• Prepare regular reports, news reports, success stories, and updates on project activities.
• Liaise with other donor programs and private sector initiatives to facilitate Objective 1 and 2 activities and expand market linkages.
• Perform monitoring and evaluation activities of the project.
• Track, monitor, evaluate and report on results after each activity with sector firms and alliances.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Competencies Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in relevant discipline (business, administration, finance, etc.)
• At least 5 years of experience working related to the field of ICT, food processing, tourism, light industry, or other relevant industry.
• Demonstrated skills and understanding of private sector development, investment facilitation, access to finance and project management.
• Experience in developing public-private partnerships with MSMEs and business associations.
• Experience with women’s, youths, and vulnerable people’s programs.
• Familiarity with global trends and best practices in the green economy and private sector engagement for sustainable development.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet hard deadlines.
• Experience managing several activities at a time.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams with a focus on social inclusion.
• Experience reporting to multiple lines.
• Creativity, agility and team spirit.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluent in verbal and written English, Russian and Kyrgyz.

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred:

Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Commitment and Motivation, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Ethics and Values, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Self-Management, Technological Awareness, Working in Teams.

Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures, and reporting requirements preferred.

About the Organization

About Palladium:

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver a positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success, and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce. All job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include (but are not limited to) socio-economic experience, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations due to a disability, or you are a neurodivergent individual, or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com. We will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients, and the communities we work with from harm.” We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process, including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.