Job title: Director, Private Sector Advocacy
Line Manager title: Senior Director, Business Competitiveness
Grade: Job Group 4
Direct reports: Programme Manager, Business Competitiveness
Department: Business Competitiveness
Job location: Nairobi, Kenya
JOB SUMMARY
The Director, Private Sector Advocacy has overall responsibility for directing and monitoring TradeMark East Africa’s (TMEA’s) workstreams related to the Private Sector Advocacy portfolio at the regional and national levels in the countries in which TMEA operates, in line with TMEA project documents and the TMEA Theory of Change (TOC). The portfolio cuts across all TMEA programmes and complements Outcome I - Reduced Barriers to Trade, and Outcome II - Improving Business Competitiveness for trade, and mainstreams advocacy throughout TMEA’s project clusters, reducing risks to results in all intermediate outcomes. The programme’s core objective is to enhance private sector organisations’ (PSOs) capacity to proactively and positively influence decision-making, to accelerate dispute resolution, to sustain political buy-in, to increase commitment and to reduce overall programme risks in TMEA’s project clusters. This will increase trade and investment in the Eastern Africa and neighbouring regions.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy development
1. Lead in the design and implementation of the Private Sector Advocacy strategy for TMEA, conceptualising key issues, core themes, developing and maintaining a dynamic cross-cutting portfolio.
2. Lead in the analysis and formulation of national strategies, working closely with country and technical Directors, the Private Sector Advocacy cadre, Programme Managers, researchers and consultants.
Programme Management
1. Lead in the implementation of the Private Sector Advocacy programme. This will include, but not be limited to, matrix management responsibilities for projects, management of project teams, supervision of consultants, implementing partners and donors, and coordinating technical inputs in project implementation.
2. Oversee project design and annual business plans for the Private Sector Advocacy programme to ensure that results frameworks and indicators are appropriate, that progress is being made against agreed results and that corrective action is taken where necessary.
3. Ensure compliance with Project Cycle Management (PCM) guidelines by teams in project design, procurement & contract management, outcome/output-based planning, reporting and financial management, and results-oriented monitoring, learning and evaluation.
4. Ensure effective portfolio delivery at both regional and country programmes, and that portfolio results contribute to the core TMEA corporate results outlined below:
1) Reduce transport (road, rail, and air) cost and time along transport corridors and increase efficiency in the private sector logistics services sector;
2) Enhance Customs and other trade-related agencies efficiency (through integrated trade management systems and greater inter-agency collaboration;
3) Reduced tariffs, taxes, and levies (including sub-national), reduce exemption regimes, Common External Tariff, and increase import/export tax incentives;
4) Enhanced efficiency of Bureaus of Standards and reduce related costs and reduce counterfeit and sub-standard goods through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and improve private sector compliance;
5) Resolve all reported NTBs along TMEA project clusters; and
6) Catalysing an increase in exports annually, direct jobs and additional investment in targeted sectors in the EAC under the Compact and TLCs through increased investment incentives.
Strategic partnerships/relationships
1. Assist in the identification and maintenance of relationships with key national and regional players (organisations and individuals) - including government, the private sector, civil society, research organisations, and academics, the EAC Secretariat and regional public sector bodies.
2. Establish international linkages and networks with foundations, international private sector organisations, bilateral and multilateral aid agencies - in-country, regionally or internationally - where necessary.
3. Liaise with the Senior Director, Business Competitiveness to proactively seek opportunities to leverage new investments into TMEA and mobilise funding for the Private Sector Advocacy work streams in TMEA.
4. Develop a modus operandi for improving coordination with development partners supporting Private Sector Advocacy in East Africa with regard to work programming and project development.
Monitoring, evaluation, learning and dissemination
1. Ensure adherence to the TOC, synergy and quality in programme delivery within Private Sector Advocacy programming.
2. Develop and maintain a monitoring system for TMEA’s support to PSOs, in collaboration with the Results Team, through agreed key performance indicators.
3. Ensuring good practice monitoring, learning and evaluation throughout the programme cycle.
4. Contribute to knowledge management on select policy and regulatory issues relating to the improvement of the business environment.
5. Lead and provide guidance and expert advice to project managers and ensure that good international practices are included in the design of Private Sector Advocacy programmes.
Team management and operations
1. Provide leadership, support and mentoring to regional and national teams (including technical assistants), ensuring adequate capacity is developed for successful delivery.
2. Develop and implement efficient operating procedures including grant management and ensuring value for money strategies in grant-making and programme delivery.
3. Develop and monitor budgets and costs, in line with TMEA policies and procedures.
Reporting
1. Ensuring the preparation of regular progress reports, ad hoc briefings and updates for the CEO and senior leadership team, TMEA’s Stakeholder Forum, Board, National Oversight Committees and any other oversight bodies.
2. Contribute to the preparation and presentation of TMEA Quarterly Progress Reports and Annual Reports.
3. Actively co-operate as required with any external mid-term reviews or impact evaluations as directed by the CEO, line manager and the Board.
Corporate responsibilities
1. Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture
2. Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in the management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to my role.
3. Understand and comply with the relevant end-to-end processes including applicable risks and controls.
4. Seek to identify, understand and escalate risk events/incidents/ issues on a timely basis focusing on fixing root-causes and taking ownership of identified mitigating actions.
5. Complete all relevant mandatory training within the stipulated timelines.
6. Promote and adhere to TMEA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
7. Lead teams in regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events.
8. Quality-assure tools and procedures to document and share knowledge, incentivise staff/teams and enforce compliance and standards.
9. Participate in regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events.
10. Document lessons learned and best practices for knowledge sharing and learning.
11. Promote and adhere to TMEA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
12. Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMEA’s reputation.
13. Adhere to the safeguarding policies and procedures and immediately report any safeguarding concerns.
14. Any other related responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager from time to time.
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ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
1. An undergraduate or Master’s degree in Economics, Political Science, International Development,
2. International Trade, Finance, Business Administration or other relevant field.
WORK EXPERIENCE
1. Undergraduate degree holders will have at least 12 years’ of relevant working experience while postgraduate degree holders will require at least 10 years’ of relevant working experience (i.e.experience gained while working in private sector and civil society development, policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement preferably in regional integration, trade facilitation and business environment reform and related areas).
2. A minimum of five years of leading and managing programmes related to trade and regional integration /development co-operation in the countries in which TMEA operates (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).
3. Experience in managing complex and diverse projects, including project assessment and evaluation is required.
4. Demonstrable experience in gender and social inclusion in programming.
Technical skills and behavioural competencies
1. Thorough understanding of the critical factors/reforms that improve the enabling business environment.
2. Very strong familiarity with national and regional private sector organisations in the region.
3. Strong knowledge of private-public dialogue and policy advocacy and key business environment issues the region.
4. Good understanding of national and regional socio-political and economic contexts, and how they affect trade at national, regional and multilateral levels.
5. Good knowledge of financial management.
6. Strong leadership and management skills, including the ability to provide strategic guidance and technical oversight to teams. Demonstrate personal qualities and credibility to lead, develop and motivate staff.
7. Strong stakeholder coordination skills with the ability to establish and maintain strong collaborative partnerships/relationships with development partners, partner government agencies, civil society and private sector organisations/associations.
8. Excellent influencing, networking and relationship building skills with demonstrable experience networking at various levels with public and private sector, and international partners.
9. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrable experience in written, analytical, presentation and reporting skills.
10. Demonstrable ability to influence others to achieve objectives and gain consensus and collaboration.
11. Sound decision-making and judgement capabilities, as well as good problem solving and analytical skills.
12. A self-motivated individual who requires minimal supervision.
13. Proficiency in MS Office applications.
14. Knowledge of Kiswahili and/or French would be an advantage.
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English 
FRENCH
