Business Competitiveness Team Leader

Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike. 

Position Summary:

Creative Associates seeks a Business Competitiveness Team Leader for an upcoming USAID-funded program in Afghanistan. The overall goal of the Afghanistan Market Based Jobs for Peace program is the integration of internally displaced persons, returnees, former militia fighters, women and youth into the economy in rural and peri-urban areas of Afghanistan. The Business Competitiveness Team Leader will take a lead role in private sector outreach to facilitate an inclusive market system to provide support to increase sales, improve competitiveness of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for exports, and hence create employment and income opportunities for Afghan youth. She/he will also lead the private sector partnership strategy to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities, career counseling, mentoring, and other important follow-on support.

Reporting & Supervision:

The Business Competitiveness Team Leader will report to the Chief of Party.

Expected Outcomes:

• Improved business performance of Afghan client firms (e.g. increased productivity, improved competitiveness, increased sales), enabling firms to quantifiably create new jobs.
• Full-time equivalent jobs created and maintained during the duration of the project.
• Facilitate client firms' access to and ability to obtain financing, as necessary.
• Increased hiring of women, youth, returnees and vulnerable population by client firms.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of criteria and processes for identifying and selecting client firms to receive technical assistance;
• Provide technical assistance and administer processes that deliver technical assistance to enable firms to grow their business and create jobs, by for example assisting in the identification of ways to increase the sale of existing products, services or markets, improving firm competitiveness through manufacturing efficiency (e.g. lean manufacturing); marketing, financing, human resources, etc.
• Assist client firms to improve their business operations (i.e. sales, profitability, and market share), maintain high quality products and services, and meet export market requirements;
• Assist client firms to increase their capabilities to access loans or equity investment;
• Assist selected banks and investors to improve lending processes to small and medium enterprises; and
• Support client firms, including services firms (e.g. training services) in identifying international markets, exportation business models, new technologies and partners to increase their productivity and growth.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in business, engineering, economics, accounting, marketing, or other relevant field highly desired; equivalent work experience with significant commercial sector experience/expertise, highly desired ;
• Minimum ten years of experience in the domestic or international private sector in the role of managing, developing and deploying innovations and efficiencies in business with demonstrated results in helping firms expand at least three years of which in an international developing country context;
• Excellent track record of achieving improved employment outcomes in similar workforce development activities; and
• Pashto and/or Dari fluency preferred, and English fluency required.

Position contingent upon donor funding.