Economic/Market Research Analyst

Description

Content

Background and overview

 

The Nawaya Network is an NGO based in Beirut which develops the skills of underprivileged Lebanese and refugee youth. One of the programs that Nawaya runs, GIL: Generation of Innovation Leaders, in partnership with UNICEF, is designed to address the high youth unemployment rates and the inaccessibility of the knowledge economy for the youth population across Lebanon through entrepreneurship.  

 

PHASE 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATIVE THINKING

Objective: Learn the concept of Creative Thinking and turn ideas into strategic business plans.

Description: Through GIL’s Entrepreneurship track, a group of 15-25 high potential but disadvantaged youth (aged 17-25) first go through a 9-day training, in which they learn the concepts of Design Thinking. At the end of the training, youth would gain important skills that help them identify the market’s needs and gaps, build their business ideas and turn them into small enterprises or community projects. They will also learn important soft skills and life skills that improve their awareness about critical issues, such as better managing relations with people and with themselves.

Duration: The 9-day training runs for three hours daily from Monday until Friday. Training timing will be determined for mornings, afternoons, or evenings based on youth needs and outreach in each area.

 

PHASE 2:  BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Objective: Develop a prototype.

Description: After the first training phase, youth with a viable project idea go to  the next phase of the training, which is a 9-day Business Development where they learn how to financially manage their small enterprise and how to generate sustainable income. Youth will also learn more about operational planning, HR requirements, sales approach and marketing plan. At the end of this phase, youth would develop a well detailed financial plan and a budget for their pilot project

Duration: 9 days.

 

PHASE 3:  INCUBATION

Objective: Pilot the business idea and reflect on progress

Description: Post the entrepreneurship training and the financial bootcamp, teams will pitch their projects in front of a selection committee who will then select around 20% of the projects presented that can be sustainable and have a chance in providing an income generation opportunity for the youth.

The jury selects projects that:

1. Have a clear idea and have a well identified problem/solution
2. Have a market or fill a need/gap in the community
3. Have followed a thorough market research
4. Have a well-defined target audience
5. Is feasible and makes sense in terms of costs and pricing
6. Have a go-to-market strategy
7. Have a prototype that can be tested
8. Have a social impact aim

Youth which projects are selected need also to have shown commitment during the training and have developed the skills and knowledge needed to manage an enterprise.

Selected projects will then transition into the Incubation phase in which youth will receive further support to test their prototypes and launch their micro-enterprises. During this phase, youth will set milestones, go to the field to explore, do market research, and pilot their idea. Youth that continue to show commitment and projects that seem feasible and lucrative have a possibility of receiving a minor seed-funding to help with the launch.  The seed-funding ranges between 1000 USD and 2000 USD, depending on the project.

Duration: Generally, incubation takes place over 2 to 3 months where there will be group and one-on-one meetings with the coach. There will be 10 sessions. Individual sessions would take around 2 hours whereas groups sessions would take around 3 hours.

 

Purpose and scope of work

 

Given the turbulent situation that has been taking over the country for the past year, GIL has been facing challenges in continuing its support to youth business and social projects for the following reasons:

• The economic and financial crisis,
• hyperinflation, 
• double market currency rates,
• the pandemic outbreak,
• and lastly the Beirut explosion repercussions

All the above listed reasons have caused a change in the market’s dynamics, which calls for a need to redefine what GIL’s Entrepreneurship Programme is and to understand what this change means for the programme’s incubation and funding phase.

 

The programme’s Selection Committees need guidance on what type of projects they should be selecting to receive seed funding and mentorship support. Currently, the Selection Committees don’t have enough information to judge what business ideas are promising and which ones are not likely to succeed as much larger market forces have come into play and the committees need guidance in analysing how these factors affect the viability and sustainability of the projects being pitched during GIL’s Entrepreneurship Track. For example, should businesses in particular areas focus more on agriculture? What specific opportunities exist there? Should other areas focus more on import-replacement? Should they focus on developing products and services that are no longer available in the market due to the economic and financial crisis? What skills and backgrounds are needed for such businesses to launch and grow? To what extent will micro-businesses focused on less lucrative products/services be sustainable?

 

 

Under the GIL Programme, The Nawaya Network is looking for a research analyst able to conduct a business sectors assessment across Lebanon and study the impact of recent events on the GIL Entrepreneurship programme and advise how the programme should be pivoted to adapt to current and projected market changes.

Based on macroeconomic indicators and market predictions, the consultant is expected to provide guidance on the type of projects the programme should be encouraging and supporting.  These projects will have the highest likelihood of:

• (1) generating income for the young people involved
• (2) sustaining in the medium to long run 

 

Under the supervision of Nawaya’s Project Manager, the research analyst is expected to:

• Phase 1: Identify and analyse the challenges GIL Programme is facing in terms of identifying viable youth projects to fund and sustain.
• Phase 2: Analyse the impact of current and expected future events on the sustainability of youth projects and small enterprises, and identify current potential market opportunities across the different regions or zones in Lebanon (e.g. urban vs. rural, South vs. North…)
• Phase 3: Provide recommendation to GIL programme on how to ensure supporting viable sustainable projects.

Phase 1: Identify and analyse the challenges GIL Programme is facing in terms of supporting viable youth projects

 

Description: During this phase the consultant will conduct key informant interviews with different stakeholders from GIL Programme to better understand the programme’s phases and its main current challenges.

Relevant stakeholders include: GIL’s Project manager, Nawaya and INJAZ’s project managers, trainers, coaches, mentors and youth with current running enterprises.

The consultant is also expected to draw up a plan of action and timetable for accomplishing all tasks of the project.

 

Deliverable:

• Action plan and Interviews findings

 

Phase 2: Analyse the impact of current and expected future events on the sustainability of youth projects and small enterprises, and identify current potential market opportunities across the different regions or zones in Lebanon (e.g. urban vs. rural, South vs. North…)

Description: During this phase the consultant will provide an in-depth desktop review of the various political, economic, social and legal forces affecting and governing small enterprises, such as:

• Funding restrictions due to banking regulations
• Double market rates (bank official rate vs. black market rate)
• Inflation in product prices
• Devaluation of currency (and expected further devaluation)
• Lack of imports
• COVID-19 restrictions
• Civil unrest

 

The consultant will also assess the current job market across different zones or regions in Lebanon to identify potential business opportunities that can be sustained within the current Lebanese context and that fill a market need.

 

Deliverable:

• Desktop Research
• An assessment of potential business ventures in each zone/region

 

The desk review must be based on available reports, publications, and other case studies that study the current economic trends in Lebanon and the business sectors challenges and opportunities such as (e. g.):

• The McKinsey 2019 Report: Lebanon Economic Vision
• The World Bank’s Lebanon Economic updates
• Community-based market assessments
• Recent publications released by UN agencies, The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, Lebanon Opportunities

 

 

Pillar 3: Provide recommendation to GIL programme on how to ensure supporting viable sustainable projects.

Description: the consultant is expected to provide recommendations on redefining overall entrepreneurship track parameters, and to develop new judging criteria (overall criteria + zone-specific criteria) for the selection of projects to be funded.

 

Deliverables:

• A full detailed report of the findings with recommendations
• Scoring criteria for funding opportunities across zones/regions
• Overall presentation: present findings and recommendations to the key stakeholder of GIL.

 

Deliverables and Schedules

 

Task

 

Effective working Days /location

Timeline

 

1^st Month

2^nd Month

 

Deliverable 1: Action plan and Interviews findings

 

Development of a specific action plan for the consultancy

3 days

X

 

 

KIIs with relevant stakeholders

5 days

X

 

 

Deliverable 2: Desktop Research and Business Assessment

  

Desktop research on the impact of current events on the small enterprises

10 days

   X

  

Business assessment of potential business opportunities across different regions/zones

4 days

  X

 

 

Report on findings and analysis

3 days

 

X

 

Deliverable 3: Final Report and Recommendations

  

Develop scoring criteria for funding opportunities across zones/regions

3 days

 

X

 

Submission and approval of the final report

8 days

 

X

 

Review by Nawaya and UNICEF

2 days

 

X

 

Overall presentation

4 days

 

X

 

TOTAL Working Days

42 Days

 

 

      

 

 

 

Timing

Duration of assignment: 2 months (42 working days).

Start date: October 2020

 

The selected candidate will make time to meet one week before the start date and one week after the end date to discuss the assignment (e.g. outcome, methodology and findings) with the Nawaya team and the UNICEF GIL team. These lines of communication and liaison will remain open for regular contact throughout the assignment, and staff will remain available to assist and participate in the assignment as necessary or appropriate.

Qualifications and Experience

 

• A Master’s Degree in Economics, Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Urban/Rural Development, International Development or any related field
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in conducting research and analyses in SMEs and micro-financing
• Experience in business development, entrepreneurship or related fields
• Fluent in English and Arabic is a must
• Must have good writing skills in English
• Knowledge of the Lebanese context is a must

 

Evaluation process and method

 

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

Candidate is encouraged to ensure they meet the requested evaluation and qualification criteria; The technical evaluation will be based on a total score of 70 points, and 49 points will be the minimum score to determine eligibility.

 

Evaluation criteria 

 

 

Criteria

Marks

Benchmarks

Completeness of response and understanding of requirements

 5

 

Relevant education and experience

15

Provide resume (5 points for the first 5 years, each additional year will get three points up to 15 points)

Experience working on similar projects

20

Provide two samples of previous similar work (10 points per each report provided)

Proven related experience

10

Provide letters of reference or copy of contracts (5 points per each letter of reference up to 10 points)

Methodology provided

20

Methodology meets the requirements of the TOR (especially in regard to the timeframe and deliverables)

Total

70

 

 

Financial evaluation Criteria:

Only bidders obtaining the minimum pass mark in the technical evaluation (49 points) will be considered for the financial evaluation; Financial evaluation is composed of 30 points. Please attach your financial proposal to your application which provides a breakdown of your fees.

Administrative Issues

 

• NAWAYA will identify a focal point to act as a liaison officer to support the selected candidate throughout the assessment and will help facilitate the contacts with stakeholders
• The selected candidate will work under the direct supervision of the GIL programme manager at NAWAYA Lebanon
• The assignment will be a combination of desk-based and field work, with frequent consultations and meetings. Given the current situation, and should it remain this way, consultations and meetings can take place online.
• The selected candidate is expected to be able to work independently, although NAWAYA staff will assist within reasonable parameters to ensure the smooth running of the assignment
• The selected candidate will organize their own transportation for field visits (should they need to take place face to face)
• The selected candidate is required to provide his/her own computer and communications equipment (laptops, telephones, etc.)
• Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days and fees are prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays
• The selected candidate is not entitled to payment of overtime; all remuneration must be clearly described in the contract agreement
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both NAWAYA and the consultancy team