VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Organization: Strengthening the Employment Ecosystem Project

Swisscontact is a leading partner organisation for the implementation of international development projects. The organisation promotes inclusive economic, social, and ecological development to make an effective contribution towards sustainable and widespread prosperity in developing and emerging economies. With this objective in mind, Swisscontact offers the chance to economically and socially disadvantaged people to improve their lives on their own initiative. The independent, non‐profit, and private foundation was established in 1959 in Switzerland. The organization strengthens the competencies of people, improving their employability, increases the competitiveness of enterprises, growing their business, and fosters social and economic systems, promoting inclusive development. In Nepal, Swisscontact is registered as an International Non‐Governmental Organisation that started its operations in 1991 with the initiation of the Training Institute for Technical Instruction programme. Currently, Swisscontact Nepal has four development programmes across all seven provinces, with a well‐functioning country office that employs over 50 national and international staff members.

Swisscontact is implementing the “Strengthening the Employment Ecosystem Project” in Province 1. The primary goal of the project is to increase the income of the target groups through productive and sustained employment contributing to poverty reduction and resilient livelihoods. Swisscontact intends to achieve the desired goals by:

• • Strengthening labour market information system.
  • Improving the offer of viable labour market insertion services that provide jobseekers with information on placement and business opportunities, career guidance and counselling, market relevant trainings, and networking support.
  • Exploring opportunities along economic sectors and clusters with potential for growth, provision of employment, and creation of jobs.
  • Working with private sector companies to implement inclusive business models that allow the integration of target groups into their supply chain.
  • Supporting entrepreneurship support organisations to provide existing and newly established micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with critical services to grow, sustain, and improve their performances.
    As such, Swisscontact will carry out activities across two interlinked intervention areas:

• Intervention Area (IA) 1: Improving labour market information and insertion services
• Intervention Area (IA) 2: Catalysing entrepreneurship for job creation in economic corridor and clusters

Position: Manager – Private Sector Engagement (PSE)

Start of employment: 15 January 2021 (negotiable)

Place of work: Kathmandu

Reports to: Project Manager

Tasks The PSE Manager is responsible for the planning, designing, and monitoring of interventions which aim at supporting relevant private sector stakeholders such as labour market insertion service providers, business development service providers, training providers, financial institutions, and other entrepreneurship support organisationsto upgrade their products and services or to develop and implement innovative business models. The PSE Manager is also responsible for interventions aimed at facilitating the identification, promotion, and implementation of inclusive business models together with the private sector and collaboration with business networks and industry associations. Overall, the PSE Manager is responsible for the outputs of the IA 2.
implementation of inclusive business models together with the private sector and collaboration with business networks and industry associations. Overall, the PSE Manager is responsible for the outputs of the IA 2.

Their major tasks include:

• Lead the design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of strategies and interventions in IA 2 consistent with the overall objective of the project.
• Conduct analyses to understand opportunities to foster economic opportunities for the target group through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
• Identify and implement strategies that create shared value partnerships with the private sector through inclusive business models or sectoral/cluster growth.
• Conduct analyses to understand challenges and barriers in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and provision of entrepreneurship support services.
• Identify strategies and business models for the provision of sustainable support services to MSMEs.
• Support IA 1 by assisting to foster partnership with private labour market insertion service providers.
• Identify potential strategic private sector partners, including business networks and platforms, to support the strengthening of products and services or introduce and implement innovative or inclusive business models.
• Lead the selection and solicitation of private sector partnerships in line with Swisscontact’s procurement procedures.
• Pitch and negotiate ideas and innovative business models with the private sector as required.
• Develop, build, and maintain strong relationships with implementing and strategic partner agencies including government, private sector, and NGOs.
• Monitor private sector partner collaboration strategies including co-investments, activities, and deliverables.
• Provide relevant input to progress reports.
• Coordinate and exchange information/ideas with the other Intervention Area and Swisscontact projects.
• Support timely monitoring and streamlining of data collection and analysis in collaboration with the Monitoring and Results Measurement Officer.
• Comply with the Office Manual and other relevant requirements of Swisscontact.

Requirements

• A Master’s Degree in relevant field with at least 5 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing similar initiatives (ecosystem development, entrepreneurship development, private sector partnerships)
• Demonstrated experience in leveraging private sector partnerships
• Should be familiar with the government structure, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and have excellent understanding of challenges for MSMEs growth
• Experience in building and maintaining strong/productive relations with implementing and strategic partner agencies is required.
• Advanced communication skill in both English and Nepali (verbal and written).
• Excellent negotiation skill
• Ability and willingness to work in a team to deliver high quality outputs within deadlines in a dynamic and fast‐paced work environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel between Swisscontact offices in Kathmandu and Biratnagar and to field locations in Province 1.

Last date to apply: 4 th January 2021.

HOW TO APPLY

Please visit https://www.swisscontact.org/en/countries/nepal/jobs to download the “Job Application Form – Swisscontact Nepal.” The application form shall be filled in and submitted with a CV and motivation letter to recruitment.nepal@swisscontact.org latest by 4 th January 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Swisscontact shall not entertain any phone enquires.
Swisscontact is an equal opportunity employer. Women and applicants from disadvantaged groups are encouraged to apply.