Value Chain & MSME Advisor (Retainer)

The Agribusiness, Value Chain & Acceleration Advisor provides senior technical leadership and policy guidance to the Private Sector Resilience Project (PSRP) team and implementing partners. This home-based retainer position supports value chain matching grant structures and early-stage business acceleration, ensuring commercial viability and quality assurance of value-chain mappings.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal technical expert on value chain support and MSME development for the PSRP project.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to the Senior Programme Manager and project team on relevant areas of the project.
• Provide technical support and quality assurance reviews of value chain mapping exercises, diagnostic reports, and sourcing studies developed by implementing partners.
• Work with implementing partners to formulate eligibility, evaluation, and selection grids for Value Chain Groups composed of lead firms and partner micro-producers.
• Design and audit pro-rata matching fund structures for Value Chain Group projects, ensuring grants match private co-investments to prevent market distortions.
• Develop and implement technical verification and on-site monitoring protocols to track progress of supported interventions.
• Design and implement startup acceleration support programs, including performance-based matching grant mechanisms.
• Liaise and advise implementing partners on technical matters related to value chain support and MSME development, including entrepreneurship startups.
• Engage with technical stakeholders in the World Bank and IFC on technical matters.
• Represent PSRP in wider discussions and working groups; engage in technical meetings and workshops with stakeholders and donors.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration and project success.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other project implementing agencies to ensure complementarity and cross-component learning.
• Review and provide technical input on terms of reference, tender documents, and proposals for procurement of specialized technical services.
• Review and provide technical input on evaluations and other technical documents related to contract management of PSRP grantees.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives within UNOPS and with project partners.
• Develop and deliver training programs and workshops on private sector development topics.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices; facilitate knowledge exchange and learning events.
• Conduct field visits to project and partner sites to assess effectiveness and provide on-site technical assistance.
• Support development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track project outcomes and impact.
• Contribute to preparation of project reports, briefs, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Support identification and assessment of potential private sector partners for project implementation.
• Provide technical input into design of new private sector development projects and initiatives.
• Ensure gender and social inclusion considerations and sustainable, environmentally responsible practices are integrated into project design and implementation.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Private Sector Development, or related field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience; OR Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Private Sector Development, or related field with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience.
• Relevant certifications in financial services, including regulatory compliance (desired).
• Minimum 7 years of progressive professional experience in value chain and MSME development.
• Broad-based technical expertise with track record in at least two sectors of relevance (e.g. agribusiness, light manufacturing, health sectors).
• Experience in private sector and MSME development in fragile and conflict-affected contexts (desired).
• Experience working on projects financed by the World Bank or similar international finance institutions (desired).
• Direct experience in designing, administering, or monitoring matching grant schemes, challenge funds, or micro-enterprise performance-based funding (desired).
• Prior experience working in partnership with business incubators, accelerator programs, or venture capital platforms in developing or fragile countries (desired).
• Understanding of the economic, political, and social context of Afghanistan, with specific knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for MSME access to finance.
• Experience in Afghanistan or other conflict-affected countries.
• Fluent English language proficiency.

Skills

• Value Chain Analysis
• MSME Development
• Agri-Business Expertise
• Agricultural Economics
• Business Administration
• Entrepreneurship
• Private Sector Development
• Financial Services Data Compliance
• Regulatory Compliance
• Matching Grant Schemes
• Challenge Funds Management
• Micro-enterprise Funding
• Business Incubation Partnerships
• Accelerator Program Collaboration
• Venture Capital Platforms
• Project Design and Monitoring
• World Bank Project Experience
• Working in Fragile Contexts
• Economic Context Analysis
• Policy Guidance

Languages

English