International Consultant on business development

Background:

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) continues supporting activities aimed at women economic empowerment, including promotion of women entrepreneurship, increasing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities and supporting socially vulnerable women, as well as those in need for support and employment in Uzbekistan.

Building-up on the success of previous projects, but also interlinking with PCUz project “Women in Technology Start-up Acceleration programme” this project will support employment among women in regions of Uzbekistan through deployment of digital tools and facilitation of social entrepreneurial start-ups. The support will be provided in promotion of digital tools improving employment opportunities for socially vulnerable women, thus increasing their economic resilience to COVID-19 crisis by building micro-businesses’ during and after the crisis.

The project’s mission is to develop inclusive digital ecosystem for unemployed and underemployed women encouraging them to start a small business without high capital investments by utilising opportunities digital tools provide. Jointly with the IT-Park of Uzbekistan and the Business Women Association of Uzbekistan, the PCUz will continue supporting acceleration of the women-led start-up ‘Coozin’ in order to build digital and cooking skills of women in six regions of the country and provide them with a self-employment opportunity in the culinary area through a digital tool easy to use and applicable to the mobile phones.

In this regard, the PCUz is contracting an international expert to support the project in developing and implanting a business strategy of the ‘Coozin’ platform with the vision to improve its commercial, social and financial performance in the medium and longer terms.

Objective of Assignment: 
The consultant will be tasked to consult Coozin platform on business development, develop business strategy and oversight its implementation.

Duration of Assignment:
43 working days in the period from 22 August to 28 February 2023

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the EED Senior Project Officer and National Project Officer, the consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Audit the performance of the platform thus far;
• Analyse the operational efficiency of the managing company and its divisions;
• Assess the performance of business processes through business metrics;
• Develop the company’s business strategy, including the commercial and social components thereof;
• Guide the company management on implementation of the strategy;
• Consult on the control over the reliability of the company’s financial information, the reliability of its financial control and risk management system;
• Monitor the effectiveness of the company’s outreach policies and procedures and consult on the improvement thereof;
• Provide ad hoc advisory support for the benefit of economically feasible and sound business.

The consultant will work at the site.

Deliverables:

• Defined strategy including the plan for development and implementation of the company's commercial and social strategy
• Conducted analysis of performance and operational efficiency of the company and its divisions, monitoring of business metrics on a weekly and monthly basis
• Conducted control over the reliability of the company's financial information, the reliability of the financial control and risk management system
• Conducted monitoring of the effectiveness of the company's information provision system, its compliance with the transparency policy.

Necessary Qualifications:

• First level university degree in economics and management at enterprises or similar discipline
• At least six (6) years of practical experience in launching and managing start-ups;
• At least three (3) years of experience in executive positions in an on-line business company;
• Proven experience in business development;
• Experience in project management and financial planning;
• Knowledge of Russian, knowledge of English language is an advantage.
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability and willingness to work as a member of team, with people of different cultural, and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. 

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.