Job Description

The Private Sector Engagement Expert is responsible for the institutionalization of the private sector engagement, mainly in the digital ecosystem. The expert will be responsible for Identifiying and developing the relevant ICT policies to nurture the digital ecosystem. S/he will be liaising between the government and the private sector to identify critical sector bottlenecks and facilitate the formation of a conducive digital ecosystem as well as a backstop for the private sector for enhanced digital technology utilization. The position requires multiple technical and management competencies in the areas of private sector engagement and development, partnership facilitation, policy frameworks and landscape mapping. The ideal candidate is one who demonstrates an authoritative understanding of private sector engagement within the context of e-commerce and digital business and how it contributes to the digitally empowered economy and increased youth employment and entrepreneurship. S/he will closely collaborate with other team members of Digital Transformation Program Office and MinT.

1. Duties and Responsibilities

Digital Ecosystem

• Conduct gap assessment to identify the current state of e-commerce in the country, challenges, emerging e-commerce opportunities, and future e-commerce promotion plans incorporated in the Digital Ethiopia2025 strategy

• Identify emerging opportunities and areas where policy and regulatory changes can be considered in order to facilitate an enabling digital ecosystem.

• Collect market data and industry feedback to identify emerging e-commerce opportunities, including value chains that should be prioritized, technologies, and business models, and recommend appropriate policy changes linked to these

• Develop a strategy for the engagement of the ICT private sector and the digital ecosystem actors in the country, validate the strategy among stakeholders and translate it into an action plan and lead implementation.

• Guide activities in light of the national direction of building a private sector-led economy by 2025 and beyond, enabling a well-designed and consulted action plan for the growth of the ICT private sector ecosystem

• Facilitate engagement of the government with the ICT private sector in gathering industry inputs on national policies and strategies leading to the holistic growth of the sector.

Digital Investment and Utilization

• Facilitate an enabling environment for the successful delivery of the project by identifying potential bottlenecks (Institutional, infrastructure, Human resources, lack of supporting policies) and seeking solutions

• Coordinate information and knowledge exchange between different actors and the ICT private sectors, industry associations, and other networks or communities through network events and community of practices (CoPs), including through digital means.

• Coordinate and facilitate activities in increased investment in the digital entrepreneurship(start-ups and growth-oriented businesses) in the digital economy sector with increased flow of investment through angel funding, venture capital, etc.

• Design, implement and promote market-led digital product development

Sector Association and Platform coordination

• Support the growth and strengthening of existing ICT sector industry associations that can play a significant role in the growth of the sector and overall ecosystem; and help the association to work with diverse stakeholders to build focused initiatives that catalyze the growth of the sector through policy advocacy, skills building, and talent development, research, start-up programs, facilitating business and increasing industry outreach.

• Facilitate a series of sector platform meetings that involve the private and public sectors to address key policy, strategic and operational issues that stifle the development of the ICT sector.

• Provide backstopping to ICT sector association for self-sustaining by offering strong value propositions to its members.

Additional Role

• Support and work with the project manager on the strengthening and institutionalization of the private sector ecosystem actors such as those established or in the process of establishment – the Digital Entrepreneurs Association, Young Entrepreneurs Association, Couriers Service Providers Association others.

• Undertake other duties that the project managers may assign from time to time.

Technical competencies

• Experience in providing technical guidance to governments and/or private companies on promoting increased private sector engagement within the context of e-commerce

• Experience in partnership development

• Experience in knowledge management, including organizing events/webinars, drafting reports, and developing knowledge products

• Experience in coordinating, liaising, and working with private sector actors, including coalitions, financial institutions, SMEs, and large companies

• Familiarity with ways of working in the private sector and ability to read the economic and political context of the country

• Experience in conducting value chain analysis and/or private sector actor mapping and/or business case development

Leadership and personal competencies

• Works well in a team

• Strong communication, presentation, and networking skill

• Mastery in demonstrating personal effectiveness and delivering results in teamwork

• Ability to listen and synthesize ideas from wide-ranging perspectives and  come up with a consolidated and implementable plan from such a process.

• Outstanding skills in planning, organizing, and reporting

• Value differences and diversities while demonstrating constructive assertiveness in leading people towards the result.

• Fast learner, decision-maker, and problem solver

Job Requirement

• MA or equivalent education in digital economy leadership, economic studies, business administration, and related fields

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in working with the private sector in relation to e-commerce, business incubation, and related areas

• Demonstrating knowledge of economics and diverse interaction with the private sector is required.

• Experience in working with the private sector in relation to start-up incubation and job creation is a strong asset.

• Proficiency in spoken and written English language.

• Proficient in tools like MS Office, Office 365, MS Project, and Visio.

Duty station: Addis Ababa with travel to the regions from time to time

How to Apply

Interested applicants can send their completed resume/CV and cover letter by e-mail or in hard copy to the following address before close of business on July 1, 2022. Applicants are expected to clearly indicate the position they are applying for.

We strongly encourage qualified women to apply.

Shayashone Trading PLC. Recruitment Coordination Office, located on Bole Road, Friendship Building, 4th Floor, Office Number 401/3 Telephone +251 911595073/ +251 960066917

E-mail: recruitment@shayashone.com, elham@shayashone.com

Note: Use ” Private Sector Engagement Expert” as the subject line of your email!