Director, Business Environment and Technical Assistance Project (BETA) – Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Lesotho II
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. government corporation focused on assisting countries dedicated to good governance, economic freedom, and investing in people. In May 2022, MCC signed a five-year agreement (“compact”) with the government of Lesotho (GoL) aimed at poverty reduction through inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country.
The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA- Lesotho II), is an entity established by the Government to act as the accountable entity to implement the Compact, with the authority to bind the Government with regard to all Program activities.
Lesotho Compact
The Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact aims to benefit 2.5 million people by growing, strengthening, and organizing the private sector in Lesotho and improving the government’s coordination to deliver critical services necessary to support private sector development.
It will achieve this goal through investments in Health System Strengthening, strengthening of the business environment and Market Driven Irrigated Horticulture, providing sustainable income for smallholders and increasing climate resilience by replacing rain-fed subsistence farming with irrigated commercial horticulture in select locations.
The GoL is committed to passing several key reforms that will help make this compact successful, including reforms that address gender equality, working conditions and worker safety, as well as land and water rights. All of the compact’s projects focus on overcoming barriers to the economic inclusion of women, youth, and the rural poor.
Business Environment and Technical Assistance Project (BETA) Project
The $62 million BETA Project objective is to support increased profits and formal employment of a pipeline of businesses, including micro, small, and medium enterprises, especially those owned by women and youth, and businesses in rural areas. The project will include public-private dialogue and support policy, regulatory, and legal reforms, strengthening financial institutions that can enable greater access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises. The project includes grant opportunities for women and youth entrepreneurs. This project is strongly linked to the MDIH Project to provide technical assistance and business development support to MDIH Anchor farmers and to develop horticulture value chains. The project is organized into three activities:
- Pipeline Development Activity – This activity will identify, build, and connect existing and new high-growth potential firms to direct technical assistance and business development services (BDS) to support increased firm-level profits and business maturation. MDIH Anchor farmers and horticulture value chain firms will be prioritized. This activity will also provide grants to select women and youth-owned businesses to purchase equipment and goods to facilitate business plan implementation.
- Business Ecosystem Strengthening Activity – This activity strengthens the Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) mechanism to increase private sector participation, an inclusive approach to policy decisions, and improve the delivery of responsive critical services such as market development and value chain services to improve the business environment.
- Financial Ecosystem Strengthening Activity – This activity will increase financing options for MSMEs and large firms by structuring financing vehicles that address access to credit issues for firms across the size spectrum and building the capacity of financial sector actors to develop and deliver client-oriented and innovative financial products.
Objective of this position
The BETA Director, under the supervision and direction of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, is accountable for the successful implementation of the $62 million BETA Project, from refinement of BETA activities, initiation to execution of reforms, capacity building coordinating grant activities, managing contracts and building collaborative relationships with stakeholders and partners, and will oversee project delivery and budgets. The BETA Director ensures the alignment of project execution with the overall objectives of the Compact and the judicious management of its resources. The Director will also work closely with the MCC counterpart. The Director will have direct oversight over contractors and grantees and will have final approval authority over all BETA project contractor deliverables and financial invoicing.
Primary responsibilities
- Lead the Business Environment Technical Assistance Project in line with the Compact requirements and ensure alignment to the established strategies, frameworks, budgets, and resources defined by the Compact, and verify that cross-cutting requirements (e.g., GSI, ESP, M&E) are implemented.
- Ensure the BETA project’s alignment with the strategies, frameworks, budgets, and resources targeted at meeting the project’s objectives with respect to reaching women and youth-owned MSMEs; accountability for BETA project compliance with MCC’s Gender Policy and MCA-Lesotho II’s Social and Gender Integration Plan.
- Under the guidance of the DCEO, lead and coordinate collaboration with other Project Teams and cross-cutting positions (e.g., ESP, M&E, etc.) and frameworks, i.e., stakeholder engagement, as appropriate.
- Create, optimize approaches and build consistency in the quality of program outputs, implementation and assessments of the BETA project. In coordination with the Project Team, develop a cohesive management framework, including tools that integrate project technical and cross-cutting areas.
- Lead and coordinate MCA-Lesotho II’s efforts to execute on key Compact reforms in coordination with relevant Government Ministries, the private sector, and civil society.
- Further develop project activity designs, develop and utilize a work plan to ensure MCA-Lesotho II’s ability to implement the program, managing risks and delays against established program schedules through data-driven monitoring tools.
- Assess project components and activities as these are developed to ensure their relevance to the country context and ensure that these are adapted to address requirements in the country.
- Based upon assessments of project progress, recommend remedial approaches to better advance and sustain project quality and impact for all project contractors (especially contracts assigned for direct management).
- Oversight and management of the BETA Manager—the implementation contract for the activities under this project— lead the team in contract management, including mechanisms for communication, monitoring timelines for deliverables, and smoothing stakeholder engagement.
- Oversee recruitment of the BETA Project team as well as training, development, and performance management of staff to ensure capacity to deliver the Project’s objectives.
- Represent the BETA Project to MCC and the MCA Board of Directors to ensure a common understanding of project progress with a focus on significant changes to project design, challenges with resources, and collaborative relationships are communicated and addressed.
- Represent the BETA project to project stakeholders (e.g., with national/local government counterparts, development partners, civil society, project beneficiaries, etc.) and identify, develop, and manage partnerships that can advance MCA-Lesotho II’s work.
- Manage external implementing entities and oversee compliance with the Implementing Entity Agreement, MCC technical guidelines, local regulations, and reporting requirements to ensure compliance and transparency.
- Serve as an effective contract manager or provide oversight of contract management processes, including: tracking work plans, deliverables, expiration of contracts, financials; working effectively to resolve risks or issues, responding to contract questions, providing technical feedback where relevant, facilitating coordination with other contractors or MCA staff, and providing reports to senior management as required.
Requirements
- University degree in a relevant field e.g. Political Science, International Development, Economic Development, Finance, or Business.
- Ten (10) years of successful grant management experience, evidenced by at least two examples of how the candidate managed large donor funded grant schemes. Preferably with grants greater than 50K.
- Minimum ten (10) years of professional experience in program management encompassing cross-program oversight and development and management of significant resources, including:
- Strong knowledge and experience in most areas relevant to MSME development, business enabling environment, and financing, including an understanding of the business climate, and building networks.
- Experience promoting women in business; experience with women and youth business promotion preferred.
- Excellent leadership and supervisory skills and experience leading teams that delivered results and innovation, including demonstrating flexibility and adaptability to react to changing systems, predict issues of concern, and recommend remedial measures.
- Must have excellent interpersonal skills (communication, leadership, teamwork) and the ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of development partners and program stakeholders, including government stakeholders.
- Demonstrated contract management experience, including managing contractors/implementing partner compliance with donor/sponsor financial, administrative, and technical requirements, preferably for contracts with budgets >$250,000/year.
- Experience working with or within the public sector, preferably in areas related to investment promotion, investment policy, finance, private sector strategy, and public/private dialogue facilitation.
- Demonstrated work experience in Southern Africa (previous work experience in Lesotho is strongly preferred).
- Proficiency in English (writing and speaking) is required. Proficiency in Sesotho (writing and speaking) is strongly preferred.
- Must be able to effectively use Google and MS Office applications and potential to learn any specific applications related to work.
How to apply
Complete applications must be submitted on-line, on or before 15th September 2023.
Applications should be accompanied by the following documents:
1. Curriculum vitae containing detailed work experience;
2. Cover letter confirming interest and availability;
3. Soft copies of higher education and professional certificates (if available);
4. A completed online application form (can be accessed from https://lesotho-jobs.tenderwell.app – CV Template MCA Lesotho II)
Only applications that are submitted on or before the deadline will be considered.
We thank all applicants. However, note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Submit your application online via: https://lesotho-jobs.tenderwell.app . Hard copy applications will not be considered.