Overview

Strengthening Host and Refugee Populations in Ethiopia (SHARPE) is an initiative funded by the UK Department for International Development (DfID). The aim is to create inclusive economic growth for, and increase the economic agency of, host and refugee communities in three locations in Ethiopia, namely Gambella, Jijiga and Dollo Ado.

SHARPE utilises a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to partner with private and public sector players to facilitate investment in and innovation in key regional markets and value chains, namely cereals, horticulture, livestock, dairy, poultry, fisheries, financial and business services and the regional labour market. Because humanitarian assistance constitutes a significant transfer of goods and services in these regions, SHARPE also support efforts which enable this assistance to strengthen the regional economy by flowing regional economic channels. 

Investment and innovation should result in regional market systems and the host and refugee communities participating in these to become more productive and resilient, and experience increases in employment opportunities, income and savings. Joint economic participation in growing economic sectors should also facilitate win-win scenarios (mutually beneficial exchanges) for host and refugee communities and contribute to the integration of refugee communities in the regional economy, in line with the UNHCR Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and the nine Pledges of GoE.  

SHARPE is expected to last for 3.5 years, from September 2019 to March 2023.

Assignment Objectives

With the guidance of the Portfolio Lead and the Thematic Leads, the Business Advisor (BA) is a member of a team that implements regional market development strategies and manages interventions with a large variety of strategic private and public players in the economy to stimulate innovate practices that unlock inclusive and resilient growth for host and refugee communities.

The BA works in a flexible, professional, business-friendly manner, driven by a wish to create genuine partnerships, sustainable changes in business practices, rules and norms, and inclusive and resilient results. S/he needs to be a team player who is self-critical about the quality, inclusiveness and value for money of the results achieved. S/he continues to reflect on and learn from achievements to date. S/he must be sensitive to the regional political economy as well as the importance of an inclusive portfolio relevant for different ethnic groups, gender, youth and persons with disability and actively contribute to a balanced portfolio that furthers economic integration without doing harm.  

A Business Advisor contributes to smooth teamwork with other SHARPE departments, namely the Hubs, Monitoring, Results and Learning (MRL), and Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Coordination

• Support a healthy team dynamic that foster creative and critical thinking, in which Market Analysts (MA) are encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts and suggestions.
• Support smooth coordination between the Addis Ababa office and the Hubs and other SHARPE departments (MRL and Operations); avoid working in silos.
• Support proper work planning and progress against plans made; together with the MRL team help prepare for SHARPE’s six-monthly management cycle and portfolio review

Technical

• Understand and strive to apply the MSD approach to development and design and manage interventions in line with its principles.
• Understand and strive to apply the DCED guidelines for results measurement in order to be able to conduct results measurement in line with these guidelines.
• Understand and strive to apply SHARPE frameworks and guidelines for grants management, vetting, due diligence, resilience, Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI), Political Economy Analysis (PEA)/Do No Harm and Value for Money (VfM).
• Support the analysis of strategic sectors and subsectors with the regional economy in a quantitative and qualitative manner and develop a deep understanding of their functioning.
• Contribute to Identifying their potential for inclusive growth, constraints to growth and innovative solutions and opportunities to unlock this growth potential, thereby increasing local productivity and resilience and allowing host and refugee communities to experience an increase in employment opportunities, income and savings.
• Support the development of regional market strategies. 
• Support communications, negotiations with and partnership development with a large variety of strategic private and public players to introduce innovation and unlock inclusive growth potential.
• As a member of a Partnership Management Team (PMT) be instrumental in preparing the documentation to get Partnership Concepts approved, Partnership Deals signed, and supportive evidence for vetting, due diligence and deliverables being made available.
• Travel extensively to develop deep insight in the economy, meet the players and potential partners, and verify whether SHARPE interventions achieve their objectives.
• Contribute to maintaining a results measurement system in line with DCED guidelines and collaborate with the MRL team for effective results measurement.
• Support the timely development of Partnership Guides, results chains and measurement plans for each intervention and strategic engagement area in which SHARPE is active, and execute those plans, applying good research practice.
• Contribute to portfolio reviews.
• Contribute to learning, engagement and influencing efforts and products.
• Support the recruitment of staff as well as STTA.
• During inception, contribute to analysing sectors and regional markets.

Grant and Financial Management, Operations

• Ensure that interventions adhere to the SHARPE Resource Fund management processes.
• Adhere to all SHARPE manuals and procedures (notably, HR, security, grants management, operations and IT).

Reporting Support

• Contribute to the development of the annual plans, implementation reports and other (weekly, quarterly) reporting requirements and communication efforts, as required.
• Ensure that all technical documents are stored in the appropriate manner.
• During inception phase, contribute to relevant inception deliverables.

Stakeholder Management and Representation

• Uphold the public image of SHARPE by ensuring that all interaction and communication with (potential) private and public partners as well as development partners and donors is well prepared, to the point and polite.
• Serve as a representative of SHARPE and, as directed by the Portfolio Lead, maintain relations with relevant stakeholders; update relationship management tracker tool as relevant.

Other

• Other activities as directed by SMT members or DAI representative(s).

Key Performance Indicators

• KPIs set annually in agreement with the Portfolio Lead, Technical Lead and Team Leader.

Reports to: Portfolio Lead

Duration: 12 months, with the possibility of extension

Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• Post graduate qualifications in business, economics, agriculture, development or relevant field(s).
• Familiar with Ethiopia’s political economy and examples of successful business models and market trends; at least two years’ relevant work experience in a related field.
• Experience with business innovation/expansion processes or high-quality socio-economic research in areas and sectors relevant for SHARPE.
• Experience implementing the MSD (or related grant/investment) approach and/or implementing the DCED Guidelines for Results Measurement is desirable.
• Experience working in environments sensitive to conflict; responding to challenges related to exclusion on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age and ability; analysing and improving resilience is desirable.
• Familiar with trends in humanitarian aid and Ethiopia’s CRRF is desirable.
• Skills
• Good socio-economic and business analysis skills; familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research methods and strong numerical skills is an advantage.
• Mature interpersonal skills with the capacity to constructively engage with the private and public sector, development partners, other development programs and other stakeholders; understand stakeholder needs.
• Can identify how innovative investment in growth opportunities can result in positive development outcomes such as poverty reduction, inclusion, resilience; can identify key challenges in facilitating economic self-reliance for host and refugee communities.
• Flexible time management and organisational skills; be supportive of teamwork and HRM.
• High level of written and oral communication; fluency in English essential; proficiency in Amharic, Somali, Anuak and/or Nuer is an advantage.
• Strong command of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to work in a challenging environment and frequently travel.