MSE Support Services Specialist at Adam Smith International

Tracking Code: 951-112
Location: Kano/Katsina    Application Link

                Jigawa  Appication Link
Reporting to: Local Economic Development (LED) Intervention Manager
Department: Private Sector Development
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular

Background

• MAFITA is a 6-year DFID-funded programme working in Nigeria’s northern states, with a vision to empower marginalised youths and women through the provision of increased economic opportunities and social inclusion.

About MAFITA

• Northern Nigeria has high-youth unemployment, insecurity and limited economic opportunities. MAFITA aims to assist 68,000 marginalised young people – with a particular emphasis on adolescent girls and Almajirai – to find gainful employment. By 2021, the program will create a net total of 43,300 full-time equivalent jobs and assisted 23,500 micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The project will tackle the supply and demand side of the labour market, focusing on the delivery of skills essential for employment, as well as the absorptive capacity of the labour market.
• MAFITA will partner with public and private stakeholders to improve access to relevant and quality training, mentorship, work experience, business development, and financial services for marginalised youths and women. The programme will also support local market systems to enable the absorption of MAFITA’s target beneficiaries into sustainable income-generating activities.

Position Overview

• The MSE Support Specialists will work with MSMEs and ensure readiness for job placement of graduates in 2018.
• He/she will also work with trade associations, MFIs, and BDSPs to support local economic growth in the state.

Duration and Location

• This is a full-time position, commencing as soon as possible with an anticipated 160 days of input until 31st March 2018, but with scope to increase this depending on budgetary constraints.
• The Specialists will be based in the Kano and/or Katsina office and may require some travel to other project focal states in the North.

Responsibilities
The MSE Support Specialists are expected to:

• Support MSE growth through training and capacity building of key partners such as SMEDAN
• Develop and implement effective business development services for MSEs and new start-up entrepreneurs
• Develop and implement effective and affordable financial services for MSEs and new entrepreneurs
• Establish an effective broker system at selected trade associations for provision of BDS and financial services to members and new start-ups
• Engage with private sector to develop relationships that result in work placement and job opportunities and identify areas of support for enterprise growth
• Support state governments in formulation and implementation of MSE support and job creation policies and strategies
• Responsible for timely and effective delivery of MSE support initiatives
• Support the timely delivery of LED quarterly milestones including contributing to written reports and monitoring activities
• Provide the communications team with appropriate communications pieces relating to LED activities

Required Skills and Experience
The Entrepreneurship Specialist should bring a commitment to the programme’s overall aims of providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to marginalized young people across our core states of operation. The preferred candidate will bring a strong work ethic to a lively and dedicated team of professionals. The following qualifications are required:

• Degree relating to Business Management, Business Administration, Economics or similar fields.
• At least 5 years’ experience working with MSE development. Experience working with private sector is preferable
• Experience working in northern Nigeria essential preferably Katsina/Kano
• Excellent people skills and ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders, both written and oral
• Time management
• Competent knowledge in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Relevant computer proficient, experience in using Microsoft tools and/or any relevant software.