Job Title: Market & Export Development Manager
Project Stage:  Proposal
Reports to: Technical Director/ Objective 1 lead
Location: Kathmandu
Date: May 2024

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

JAA is seeking a Market & Export Development Manager for an anticipated economic growth activity in Nepal. The activity will help accelerate a transition from subsistence farming to diversified commercial farming in Nepal. The activity will enhance farm productivity and increase market competitiveness through a market systems approach to strengthening the agriculture ecosystem. This will lay the basis for inclusive economic growth and contribute to the Government of Nepal’s (GoN) “Agriculture Development Strategy – 2015-2035” by advancing governance, productivity, competitiveness, and profitable commercialization. The activity will build strategic partnerships with the government at all three tiers (local, regional, national) to build capacity to replication business models and best practices that promote agricultural transformation, which is a central goal of the GoN’s agricultural development agenda. The program is anticipated to start in 2024.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Market & Export Development Manager will lead and support SME market access and export development efforts to increase buyer linkages; develop SME responsiveness to market requirements and trends; reorient product, sales, and capacity; expand and strengthen SME networks, supply chains, relationships, and horizontal and vertical cooperation; improve SME marketing through business service provision; and enhance product quality and traceability in response to market demands and requirements. The position is expected to draw on experience from other previous and current USAID and other donor partners, and introduce SMEs to new knowledge, standards, and technology. The position will have a focus on South Asian markets, especially India.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support and oversee efforts to expand market access and intelligence working with business service providers (BSPs) and SME associations to assist SMEs to better understand and respond to market opportunities. Assist SMEs already exporting and with potential to export to become lead firms, inspiring other SMEs to replicate success. Build BSP and association knowledge on market requirements, export marketing, and green technologies and processes, while stimulating Nepali SME access and utilization of BSP services. Through BSP networks, support SMEs to gain a more sophisticated understanding of market requirements to build linkages to supply chains. Expand the availability of business data and market intelligence for each sector and apply market intelligence services and other information platforms.
• Support and oversee efforts to link SMEs to strengthened export networks and supply chains by assisting lead firms to develop sustained relationships with expanded networks of micro and small suppliers while building Nepali links to new market channels. Identify and develop retail chains looking for new suppliers for sustainability and risk management and B2B e-commerce. Seek successes and quick wins to demonstrate best practices while building SME demand for business services.
• Support and oversee efforts to expand sector cooperation and synergies to facilitate sector cooperation to increase exports, with a focus on women-owned SMEs; facilitate public-private dialogue and evidence-based advocacy between sector associations, groups, government, and SME support institutions to address trade regulations, procedures, and service constraints; and facilitate sector coordination in trade show participation and branding, marketing and export logistics through BSPs.
• Support and oversee efforts to improve SME product, environmental and technology standards by working through local standards certifiers and providers to help SMEs comply with or obtain certifications, including Global GAP, ISO 14000, HACCP, and EU standards and ecolabels. Improve BSPs’ ability to assist SMEs to apply and finance new and innovative technologies for environmental/waste management and energy/resource efficiency.
• Support and collaborate with all other JAA and partner team members in areas of SME development, access to finance, workforce development, MEL, gender and inclusion, research and analysis, and operations and administration.
• Support Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA). Within the Activity team, reinforce internal team collaboration and relationships; share and seek constructive feedback; practice positive work ethics and attitudes; and empower others, grow professionally and develop team talent. With external partners and stakeholders, collaborate through participatory methods and consultations; integrate different perspectives in the technical strategy; and develop networks and stakeholders to achieve desired results. Advance and share learning objectives by working with the team and stakeholders to propose innovative, participatory ways to test ideas and solve challenges; critically analyze processes approaches and tools; assess, document and reflect on results and impact; encourage and facilitate discussion and debate around Activity impact; develop knowledge and skills to improve personal performance and the contributions to the team; and actively participate in learning forums.
• Support Activity Adaptive Management principles and actions, including propose adjustments to interventions, alliances and strategies based on learnings; demonstrate a flexible attitude to change and refinement; effectively present and negotiate ideas, concepts, perspectives and alternative approaches and solutions; and positively influence others.
• Lead and support research, field assessments, evaluations and other MEL efforts to objectively evaluate the activity’s impact and effectiveness.
• Contribute to annual Work Plans, working with other managers, teams and partners to develop and revise strategies to improve impact and effectiveness.
• Contribute to quarterly and annual reports, summarizing activities, results and evidence to document progress, impact and evidence of transformative approaches.
• Support the training and continuous learning of project staff and partners in relevant areas and approaches to improve SME productivity and profitability.
• Support required and ad hoc reports for government, donor, and HQ, and prepare success stories and profiles that highlight successes and lesson learned regarding SME development efforts.
• Assist in the design and implementation of impact assessments and other learning studies.
• Network and follow the efforts and impact of other donors and their implementing partners to share and adopt lessons learned and best practices.

REPORTING:

The Market & Export Development Manager will work under the direct supervision of the Technical Director/Objective 1 Lead. and will collaborate with the DCOP and other project staff.

The Market & Export Development Manager will be based in Kathmandu, Nepal with travel throughout the country. Preference will be given to applicants who hold Nepalese citizenship/residency.