Call for Interest: Consultant - South-South and Triangular Cooperation. Addis Ababa; Beijing; Brasilia

Organizational context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

As part of the External Relations and Governance Department (ERG), the Global engagement, Partnership and Resource mobilization (GPR) Division has a specific focus on global engagement, partnerships (including with the private sector, foundations, bilateral and multilateral organizations), and on driving the resource mobilization efforts with traditional and non-traditional donors and partners. Within this framework, the GPR Division addresses three main functions: (i) Global engagement and multilateral relations; (ii) replenishment, resource mobilization and advocacy; and (iii) South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).   

GPR pursues the SSTC function in close collaboration with other divisions in IFAD, and particularly with the three South-South and Knowledge Centres (SSTC & KC) recently established by IFAD in pursuit of its overall corporate agenda of positioning SSTC as a key development modality. The Centres are located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Beijing, China, and Brasilia, Brazil. Under the leadership of the Head of Centre, and serving IFAD's regions of operation, these SSTC & KC will support the implementation of IFAD’s corporate SSTC Strategy and the Brasilia Declaration and Action Agenda, further strengthening the linkages between IFAD’s country, regional and global activities. Among other duties, they will assist development partners in increasing their access to agricultural and rural development solutions, technical assistance and technology, good practices and resources from developing countries. Th­ey will also focus on evidence-based knowledge sharing for improved rural transformation.

 Objectives of the Consultancy

GPR has obtained funding, through the China-IFAD SSTC Facility, to recruit one consultant each to be stationed in the three SSTC & KC. These consultants will be tasked with the implementation and strengthening of IFAD's SSTC Strategy at the regional and country level, to allow a better analysis of country contexts and to ensure the firm rooting of SSTC partnerships, business-to-business (B2B) and match-making activities within the operations of these countries in further support of IFAD's engagement in the field. 

GPR is therefore seeking expressions of interest from qualified consultants with expertise in the following areas: building partnerships, particularly in business-to-business cooperation; investment promotion and resource mobilisation from the private sector. Activities will focus on women and/or rural youth to develop and support smallholder farmers and the agricultural sector for the improvement of the overall living standards of IFAD's target population, rural people. 

Reporting Relationships

The consultant works in a matrix reporting function. S/He reports to the Senior Partnerships Officer in the Global engagement, Partnership and Resource mobilization (GPR) Division, who is his/her primary supervisor. In addition, the incumbent will work under the day-to-day supervision of the Head of Sub-regional Hub and  SSTC Knowledge Centers in Addis Ababa, Beijing or Brasilia. To ensure coverage of the countries under the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) the consultant based in Ethiopia will also work in close collaboration with the Regional NEN Team for the activities to be implemented. The activities carried out by the consultant will be aligned with the Hub plan and complement and support those of the staff of the SSTC and KC in which the consultant is based.

Key results expected / Major functional activities

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

Operational Support. The overall aim is to promote business-to-business cooperation and match-making opportunities to strengthen the interaction of private sector organizations with development initiatives, in particular those supported by the SSTC & KC hosting the consultant, especially those with activities targeting women and/or the rural youth in developing countries for the development of the agricultural sector.

The consultant will therefore undertake the following tasks:

• Taking into account the assessment already performed by the Centres and the information already available, prepare a paper assessing the needs of B2B and match making opportunities, targeting at least 4 countries in the region, and considering the following:
  • Companies/cooperatives interested in B2B activities;
  • Types of partnerships to be established, including but not limited to those in support of IFAD-supported projects;
  • Type of activities to be undertaken.
• Establish at least two new partnerships per region with private companies, especially to reinforce the effectiveness and impact of existing IFAD-supported projects in the geographic region. This should take into account already established partnerships;
• Implement at least five B2B activities per region in support of and/or associated with IFAD-supported projects, including carrying out training and capacity building activities. This activity should include: matching the private companies to be involved in each of the activities; defining the type of activity to be undertaken, the costs related to it and the number of stakeholders involved; supervising the implementation of the activities; and documenting the results for knowledge sharing purposes.

  Resource Mobilization. The overall goal is to increase the mobilization of resources from the private sector, especially for farmers' organizations supported by IFAD-supported projects in the promotion of investments to improve living standards and activities targeting women and/or youth in rural areas.

  The consultant will therefore:

• Identify at least 10 target countries in the region of competence and based on these, develop a plan/strategy for resource mobilization (RM) from private companies;
• Undertake an assessment on demand and supply to ensure that the resources mobilized are utilized to respond to the needs of selected businesses and farmer organizations in the concerned countries;
• Explore potential contribution from multi-national/regional private companies interested in investing in B2B activities. At least 10 private companies should be identified per region;
• Develop a list of private companies from the region interested in partnering with IFAD;
• Ensure that at least two resource mobilization activities are initiated, which will then lead to the signature of an agreement/MoU to ensure the investment flow from private companies to targeted beneficiaries/farmers organizations. 

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Key performance indicators described above

Representation / Work relationships

The consultant shall not have any representative functions. Work relationships will be in close collaboration with colleagues in GPR, the assigned hubs as well as assigned portfolios.

Competencies

Organizational:

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence;
• Demonstrating Leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change;
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates;
• Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients;
• Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem solving and decision making ability;
• Managing time, resources and information: Manages own time, information and resources effectively;
• Team work: Contributes Effectively to the team;
• Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understating between self and others;
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships.

Technical/functional:

• Rural private sector experience.
• Knowledge and experience in agriculture, rural development sector, project/grant implementation, resource mobilization, partnership building, in country operations and south-south and triangular cooperation.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Communicate effectively with different partners. Listens effectively to engage others.
• Writes clearly, succinctly and convincingly.
• Computer skills including full command of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Power Point) and common Internet applications.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in agriculture, agricultural economics, rural development, development policy, economic development, management, business administration or related disciplines.
• In the absence of an advanced degree, a bachelor's degree with at least four (4) years' post qualification experience may be considered.

Experience:

• At least three (3) years progressively professional experience in international or regional organizations, country level development institutions, government organizations, rural companies and/or NGOs (at least 7 years in case of the holder of a bachelor's degree).
• Experience related to resource mobilization, project/grant implementation, partnership building, private sector engagement and south-south cooperation is highly desirable.

Language requirements:

• For the SSTC and Knowledge Centre in Addis Ababa: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and French. Working knowledge of Arabic is desirable. 
• For the SSTC and Knowledge Centre in Beijing: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Chinese. 
• For the SSTC and Knowledge Centre in Brasilia: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish. Working knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

Other information

It must be noted that consultants are not staff of IFAD, and that this consultancy does not carry any expectation of employment with the Fund. Remuneration will be in line with the standards set for UN consultants.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.