Market Systems Development (MSD) Lead

Job Summary

Job Title:	Green Market Systems Development (MSD) Lead
Grade / Level:	TBA
Country:	Zimbabwe
Location:	Bulawayo
Reports to:	Team Leader
Supervision given to:	MSD Team

 Overview / Objectives of the position:

GOAL is seeking for a qualified and experienced Green Market Systems Development (MSD) Lead for an anticipated SDC – funded Urban Resilience, Inclusion and Socio- Economic Empowerment (U-RISE) project in Zimbabwe. The project (4.5 – 12 years), aims to enhance the economic resilience and well-being of vulnerable urban communities in Zimbabwe’s secondary cities. This will be achieved through economic empowerment activities including developing technical and business skills, improving financial inclusion and promoting inclusive market participation of targeted project communities with focus in food systems and green value chains. In addition, the project aims to foster an enabling policy environment by addressing barriers to agriculture production, entrepreneurship, informal business operations and other economic opportunities in urban areas. The project also aims to support enhanced learning, knowledge sharing and coordination on urban resilience building in Zimbabwe.

The U-RISE Green Market Systems Development (MSD) Lead is a member of the Programme Management Unit, reporting to the U-RISE Team leader. The MSD lead will lead the research, portfolio & strategy development and partnerships in green food value chains, jobs and financial services across the target urban locations. As an experienced MSD practitioner, the post holder will mentor and support team members to identify opportunities, develop appropriate partnerships based on existing business models, manage adaptively and contribute to the evidence and learning across U-RISE and other urban socio-economic projects.

This position is contingent upon receipt of funding and requires donor approval.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Consortium relationship management-Develop professional and productive working relationships and communication channels across the consortium’s technical, management and implementation team.
2. Market Systems Research & Design

• The MSD lead is responsible for leading (with other PMU leads), the green food value chain assessments to include GESI and resilience to context specific shocks in each target area.
• Design a portfolio of interventions for each location to include a mapping of potential private sector partners in each location / system.
• The MSD Lead is responsible for the appropriate documentation and updating of market systems research.

1. MSD Technical Leadership

• Lead all operations related to MSD outcome area, according to the programme work plan, programme budget and implementation strategy.
• Work with the grants management and finance teams to manage programmatic partners due diligence assessment, sub-granting and reporting.
• Work with the U-RISE Team Lead to forecast expenditure surpluses and deficits to enable adjustments to be made to the programme in a timely fashion.
• Ensure that all work follows international quality standards and best practices and that initiatives are technically and environmentally sound.

. 4. MSD Team leadership

• Build a vibrant and creative MSD team for a market facilitative approach to green food value chains.
• Manage the recruitment, induction and ongoing skill development of the MSD team to ensure staff are of the quality and capacity to ensure the successful implementation of activities.
• Embrace and support an adaptive management approach to programme management.
• Ensure performance management and any necessary disciplinary measures are made according to GOAL policy.

1. Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA)

• CLA is central to all programming and critical to adaptive management. The MSD Lead will work closely with the MEAL and CLA Leads to ensure that the programme has an appropriate monitoring, adaptation and learning system for the green value chain work and contributes to the development and documentation of the learning (both what is working and what is not) and the mechanisms to communicate learning, both internally and externally.
• The MSD Team Lead will ensure that learning loop are short and monitoring data is derived (as much as possible), from partners existing data systems, and reviewed regularly and used to adjust and drive programme direction.

1. Representation

• Support all efforts towards accountability to project participants and to international standards guiding development work. This includes understanding and following established international guidelines and actively engaging participating communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
• Work closely in the U-RISE and GOAL teams to represent the programme to SDC and thee Zimbabwe Government at all levels. Engage appropriately and creatively with the programme Steering Committee and U-RISE coordination group
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of relationships with target communities, and local government structures.
• Represent U-RISE and GOAL at external and relevant thought leadership events as needed

 

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults a must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

 

Accountability within GOAL

Alongside our safeguarding policy, GOAL is an equal opportunities employer and has a set of integrity policies. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:

• Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, Code of Conduct, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
• Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
• Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.

 

Knowledge and Experience

• Academic qualification in development, management, agriculture, economics, business resilience and/or related fields.
• Demonstrated at least 7 years’ experience in leading MSD programmes including market systems research, analysis, portfolio development and adaptive management.
• Evidence of supporting team members to successfully manage private sector partnerships
• Experience in managing and motivating MSD team to support a learning culture and document both what is and is not working
• Very strong written and verbal communication skills (proficiency in English)

Desired

• Previous experience in programming that used a Green MSD approaches
• Experience in working with financial service providers in Zimbabwe
• Proficiency in local languages an added advantage.

 

Summary of the desired candidate

The ideal candidate is a green market systems development practitioner, a skilled communicator and facilitator, able to work within a team as well as lead the MSD team from a position of experience and confidence. S/he will be able to develop and manage a portfolio of interventions, evaluate the viability of a business and will be experienced in finding and managing good private sector partnerships. The ideal candidate will be able to lead and shape the teams learning culture, their motivation and capacity as well as able to manage pressure for results and create the space for teams to operate creatively. S/he will lead the green food value chain assessment to inform a diverse portfolio of interventions, to be managed adaptively to progressively build a knowledge and learning base for future urban resilient economic interventions in Zimbabwe.

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document. Any published closing dates are estimated.  Due to the nature of GOAL’s work we aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible.  This means that we will close adverts as soon as we have found the right candidate and this may be before the published closing date.  We would therefore advise interested applicants to submit an application as early as possible.

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