Regional Private Sector Engagement Specialist - ARE Activity

BACKGROUND

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economics in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Regional Private Sector Engagement (RPSE) Specialist is a mid-career level position for a candidate that seeks to apply his/her financial and business analysis skills to strengthen program design and implementation. The RPSE Specialist will work closely with ARE’s Business Development Officer (BDO), the four Business Portfolio Managers (BPM) and the RPSE Assistant on the day-to-day activity management that the department provides to the wider ARE program. The RPSE Specialist will have technical/operational and communication duties (detailed below) that are essential to the efficient and effective functioning of the RPSE team and wider ARE program.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical and Operational Duties

Shadow and support the Business Portfolio Managers (BPMs) on the design, development and implementation of ARE's PFA interventions;

Support and assist with reviewing and/or editing and/or summarizing reports, studies, and other documentation;

Conduct field visits alone or with the RPSE team members to SMEs and other stakeholders;

Support the BDO and RPSE assistant in managing and update MS database and input information including document control and deliverable tracking;

Support the BDO and RPSE assistant to continuously update PFA progress and tasks in the Microsoft Project for the Web platform;

Undertake research on specific/assigned agricultural, agribusiness and tourism topics and review studies and other relevant documentation;

Conduct ARE’s information and coaching session;

Other programmatic and technical duties as assigned by the Business Development Officer (BDO).

Communication Duties

Support in planning and organizing ARE networking events;

Support in gathering documentation needed for the monitoring, evaluation and learning as well as Grants teams (fill surveys, collect data, etc.);

Facilitate effective internal communications with other departments;

Other communication related tasks as assigned by the Business Development Officer (BDO).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Bachelor’s or higher degree in relevant field, including Business Administration, Agribusiness, Agriculture;

Minimum of six years of experience preferably working on donor-funded projects in a related role and with demonstrated financial skills experience; Applied financial/business skills in agricultural programs are a plus;

Demonstrated experience in assisting technical teams in day to day program operations, basic financial modeling and analysis, and report writing;

Knowledge of USAID, or other donor  preferred;

Excellent/fluent written and spoken English and Arabic;

Proficient use of Microsoft Office package (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) is required;

Demonstrated capacity to adapt to an international multicultural environment;

Good communication and excellent English writing skills, ability to work independently and under pressure, solid managerial skills and environment team player with demonstrable self-initiative and drive.

LOCATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The RPSE Specialist will be based in the project’s main office in Beirut, with travel throughout the country as needed.

REPORTING

The RPSE Specialist will report to the ARE’s Business Development Officer