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SDP Project Assistant

Gaborone

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Gaborone
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-3 (SC6/SC7), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
    • Administrative support
    • Poverty Reduction
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP operates in more than 170 countries and territories around the world. UNDP offers global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations that can withstand crisis, and that drive and sustain growth that improves the quality of life for everyone.

 

In Botswana, the role of UNDP is shaped by the status of the country as an upper middle-income country. UNDP has been collaborating with the Government, civil society and the private sector to develop solutions to meet global and national development challenges. UNDP’s approach has been to develop and sustain strategic partnerships that find innovative solutions to address gaps on both the demand and supply side of development processes.

 

Botswana has reached a relatively high level of infrastructure development, is well-resourced and able to fund most of its developmental needs. However, Botswana requires best practices, high-quality policy advice on how best to respond to challenges associated with its middle-income status, including widening inequalities and disparities, persistent poverty among population groups, and climate change and natural disaster risks.

 

This project supports both the public and private sector to adopt the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) as a strategic tool to insert indigenous firms in the supply chains and to build their competitiveness through skills development. Small businesses are associated with low levels of productivity. They rarely get access to financing for innovation, support for exports or access to public procurement 

tenders. They face unequal relations in supply chains that mean that costs and risks are often pushed down to them by larger firms.

 

In support of its development mandate, UNDP Botswana has partnered with the Government of Botswana (GoB) and private sector to implement the Supplier Development Programme (SDP). The project has established a broad-based Project Steering Committee, co-chaired by UNDP and the Botswana Chamber of Mines. The PSC and its co-chairs offer overall strategic guidance, oversight and partnership coordination and support to the project.

 

The Supplier Development Programme creates demand-based, market-driven opportunities for SMEs to increase their competitiveness through the innovative Suppliers Development Methodology (SDM) while connecting essential small-scale producers/suppliers to larger markets locally as well as abroad. Additionally, it strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem in country to encourage innovation and create employment.

 

As a tool, the SDP has a targeted approach to engage large scale companies purchasing (or willing to purchase) goods and services from SMEs.  The SDP focuses on integrating suppliers into a strategic relationship that allows them to improve their productivity, competitiveness and quality of products. The SMEs go through a rigorous six stage improvement process over a period of 10 months with close involvement of the lead/anchor company. The improvements brought about in these SMEs enables them to produce/manufacture more goods in better quality, less time and low costs; enhance their capacity to explore and enter new markets including export markets. This important linkage between large sourcing companies and their small suppliers remains central to the assistance, helping the SME’s to expand and generate employment opportunities. The project currently focuses on eight (8) priority sectors of; Mining, Agri Business / Agro Processing, Leather, Projects (Infrastructure), Textiles, Health, Other Manufacturing and Digital Services, to develop the associated value chains

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Role Summary:

Under the guidance and supervision of the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) Project Manager at UNDP, and the Project Manager at Botswana Chamber of Mines (BCM), the SDP Project Assistant provides support to project operations performing a variety of standard project administrative, coordination processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Project Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations and Programme staff at the Botswana Chamber of Mines to ensure consistent service delivery.

 

Summary of Key Functions:

  • Data Collection, Management and Reporting
  • Partnership management
  • Energy Sector Coordination Support

1. Data Collection, Management and Reporting (mining value chain)

Maintain BCM database management system (DMS) for

  • UNDP SDP reports output. Input of relevant, accurate, data to produce good quality reports;
  • BCM reports output. Input of relevant, accurate, data to produce good quality reports;
  • Tracking and reporting on buying patterns of SDP Buyers and other BCM members;
  • Effective information exchange between UNDP SDP and BCM, through relevant reports from the DMS;
  • SDP participants’ data tracking, monitoring and management i.e. revenue, employment growth, import substitution, procurement levels etc;
  • Collecting, inputting and maintaining up-to-date stakeholder information in the CBM database; including contact persons, subscription payments etc;
  • Maintaining information about key BCM events, including AGMs, workshops, conferences;
  • Collecting, inputting and maintaining data on BCM key projects/programmes, such as COMBDF;
  • Mining value chains communications. Support drafting of communications materials based on data collected from BCM database and engagements.

2. Partnership management

  • Ensure effective communication and engagement between key programme stakeholders i.e. UNDP, BCM, Mining Sector, Energy Sector and other partners.
  • Support identification of partnership opportunities to ensure the growth and sustainability of the Supplier Development Programme.

 

3. Energy Sector Coordination Support

Provides effective coordination support to the Business Botswana Energy Sector, chaired by the BCM;

  • Collect and manage sector relevant information for all energy sector members for improved coordination;  
  • Support preparation of sector meetings, setting agendas, preparing invitations and presentations, sharing minutes of meetings;-         
  • Ensure continuous flow of information between Business Botswana, relevant government and private sector partners and the energy sector members.

 

Undertakes relevant analysis in support of the Energy Sector

  •  Collect and analyse available data related to the energy sector;
  • Participate in joint sectoral needs assessment and analysis.

Supports monitoring, evaluation and reporting

  • Provide input to ensure adequate progress monitoring mechanisms against energy sector plans;
  • Support reporting of the sector to Business Botswana;
  •   Provide input to information material to be disseminated through the sector fora
  • Regularly exchange information and best practices with relevant stakeholders

Any other function assigned by the SDP Project Manager and the BCM Project Manager

Competencies

TECHNICAL:

  • Business Development and Operational Effectiveness

CORE:

Knowledge Management:

  • Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems;
  • Ability to turn raw information into useful knowledge, relevant for context or responsive to stated need;
  • Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share;

Communication:

  • Ability to listen, adapt and persuade through effective communication.

Delivery:

  • Ability to meet goals and timelines for team deliverables;
  • Understand responsibilities and meet expectations
  • Ability to prioritise, plan and manage time.

Required Skills and Experience

Education :

Minimum:  Commercial degree or Equivalent e.g Business Administration, Commerce, Computer Science, Information Management etc. Additional post-graduation qualifications, an advantage 

Experinece:

Business development, procurement, administrative / operations or related field is required. A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level is required.

Knowledge of, or experience with mining/energy sector an asset. 

Language Requirements - Fluency in English

 

Disclaimer

Women are strongly encouraged to apply. The selection process will be fair and transparent.

This vacancy is now closed.
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