PROJECT BACKGROUND

The USAID Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) program is designed to bolster the U.S. Government’s ability to boost trade and investment to, from, and within the African continent. The continent-wide program is USAID’s flagship effort in support of the Prosper Africa initiative and will expand and accelerate two-way trade and investment between African nations and the United States.

Driven by market demand, ATI embraces innovative approaches to achieve its goals. ATI is designed as a small, core set of centrally coordinated technical and institutional support activities, and a large, flexible performance-based subcontracting and grants under contract facility designed to support the needs and opportunities that USAID Missions and the private sector identify.

Overview of Job Description

Driven by market demand, the Activity will embrace innovative approaches to achieve its goals. The Activity is envisioned as a small, core set of centrally coordinated technical and institutional support activities, and a large, flexible performance-based subcontracting and grants under contract facility designed to support the needs and opportunities that missions, and the private sector identify. The Activity will mobilize private sector resources and expertise, in conjunction with other USG interagency partners, resulting in the increased capacity, competitiveness and availability of businesses, investors and intermediaries that will drive future trade and investment efforts on Africa’s Journey to Self-Reliance.

USAID ATI seeks to appoint a Market Systems Development Advisor that will be based in the DRC with English and French language capabilities and a network of private sector players, to promote ATI’s in-country presence in the DRC, to effectively identify private sector partnerships within the Agricultural sector, work closely with private sector clients and public sector stakeholders, negotiate partnerships involving Small Medium Enterprise (SMEs) associations and Smallholder Farmers’(SHFAs), associations ,ensure effective communications with USAID DRC and ATI and outreach to key agricultural/farmers stakeholders in the DRC and ensure adequate monitoring and evaluation of activities.

The Market Systems Advisor will work closely with the Reinforcing Resilience Markets (RRM) Buy-In Activity Team, providing both technical and management support to all buy-in activities. S/he will advise on the implementation of the buy-in to leverage and support relationships with key market actors working with trade promotion agencies, national or regional business, trade associations, export firms, trade service providers, and other potential partners. The Advisor will work closely with ATI trade and investment technical teams and activity management staff (both long and short-term), as well as in tandem with ATI subcontractors, in order to align with the overall contract and its objectives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a representative for ATI in the Reinforcing Resilient Markets Buy-in in meetings with officials from USAID, other USG agencies and partners, governments, corporations, capital partners, and other key stakeholders across the buy-in geography.
• Provide close technical leadership to all activity staff and partners to ensure that they apply best practice market systems development methodologies in the targeted market systems.
• Prepare deal notes with private sector partners laying out clear intervention designs and measurable results.
• Contribute to the identification, structuring, and support of ATI service offerings, including trade, business enabling environment, food security, and resilience activities.
• Participate in technical evaluation committees to assess potential grantees and subcontractors; contribute to co-creation discussions with USAID and other stakeholders; engage a broad spectrum of private sector actors to expand programmatic interventions.
• Provide quality assurance to the team and on all buy-in deliverables, ensuring quality standards, and working with ATI leadership to improve deliverables when they fall short.
• Liaise with partners to ensure proper MEL data capture and data quality; Contribute to the quarterly reporting and Activity updates.
• Collaborate with Activity team on implementing learning activities to translate lessons into tangible intervention adjustments; and,
• Work with the Activity team to develop Annual Work-planning and Country Annexes and activity design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree + 15+ years of experience of increasingly proficient management and technical leadership of market systems-based trade or related programming
• Proven experience assessing markets and working with private sector partners to design market-based interventions.
• Experience in a market systems development project, preferably in the DRC.
• Experience working in a regional program in trade or related programming context.
• Experience working in African countries to implement trade and private sector development strategies, preferably under USAID-funded programs in Africa and with experience working at a regional level.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, and oral communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently.
• Solutions-oriented, customer-service motivated team player who is also able to work independently and on own initiative.

Reporting

This role reports to the Feed the Futures (FtF) team lead and Reinforcing Resilient Markets Activity Manager.

ABOUT DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.