consultant agency
Through the project named promotion of synergies between population groups affected by the Syrian crisis in order to increase the profitability of vegetable and fruit value chains, create jobs and reduce social tensions in Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, Lebanon, LOST is planning to support coops in the area of intervention. LOST is currently seeking to hire a consultant agency to build up the capacity of coops and make the needed coaching
What is the overall aim of this initiative?
- Build up the capacity of coops to be more resilient and sustainable
The intervention main objectives:
- Provide business development services for each coop (training as well as mentoring sessions)
- Develop a business plan and a feasibility study for each coop so it can apply for a grant
Target:
17 cooperatives (mainly agriculture cooperatives with limited number of food processing cooperatives)
Program outline:
The capacity building program consists of:
1- Group training aiming to address the common knowledge gaps and main business concepts (intermediate levels) while offering the related templates. This will be based mainly on the business model canvas methodology. In addition, the program aims to emphasis on the below mentioned topics.
o Social enterprise concept
o Fair trade principles
o Procurement process
o Risk management system (operational, financial, exchange rate, etc.)
o Governance
2- Individual missions based on the training sessions and the customized need of the beneficiary. These missions will be followed by individual one to one session in order to address special challenges facing the coop / beneficiary.
This will be done based on the initial assessment done with the coop representative (s). Each Business development support should have a deliverable submitted to the beneficiary and approved by LOST (for quality assurance and credibility).
Below a list of potential Business development services.
Market access (helping them finding customers including export opportunities and participation in exhibitions, marketing campaign. It includes:
■ Market research
■ Market information
■ Branding
■ Packaging
■ Trade fairs
■ Product exhibitions
■ Advertising
■ Social media presence
■ Marketing trips and meetings
Input supply (helping them finding suppliers including importing from abroad, recruiting competent staff, etc.). it includes:
■ Linking coops to input suppliers
■ Improving suppliers’ capacity to deliver quality inputs
■ Facilitating establishment of bulk buying groups
■ Information on input supply sources, etc.
Training and Technical assistance
■ Feasibility studies
■ Business plans
■ Counselling / advisory services
■ Legal services
Financial advice
Accountancy and bookkeeping
Cost analysis
Pricing
Financial reporting
Technical training, etc.
Technology and product development including:
Technology transfer / commercialization
Linking MSMEs and technology suppliers
Facilitating technology
Design services, etc.
Access to finance
Grants
Governmental support
Etc.
Management
Strategy development
Activity modeling
Process mapping and reengineering
Org chart development
Job description
Each beneficiary will get support in a maximum of 3 areas (identified in the assessment) with an average of 9 one to one sessions for each beneficiary.
3- A third component will be dedicated to hygiene and food safety including training on GMP / GHP along with the establishment of food safety system. This to be done for all participants.
We estimate that the cooperative needs around 10 sessions under this component
NOTE:
Daleel Madani, the civil society network, serves as a platform for organisations to post their professional opportunities, but is not involved in the recruitment process. The hiring organisation is solely responsible for the job and candidate selection.
- Lebanon
- Baalbek-Hermel