Manager – Private Sector Engagement

Manager – Private Sector Engagement

Swisscontact, established in 1959 in Switzerland, is a leading partner organisation for the implementation of international development projects. The organisation promotes inclusive economic, social, and ecological development to make an effective contribution towards sustainable and widespread prosperity in developing and emerging economies. It strengthens the competencies of people, improving their employability, increases the competitiveness of enterprises, growing their business, and fosters social and economic systems, promoting inclusive development.

Swisscontact, registered as an International Non-Governmental Organisation has been operating in Nepal since 1991. Currently, Swisscontact Nepal has six development programmes across all seven provinces.

Swisscontact is implementing the Step Up Project in Koshi Province. The primary goal of the project is to increase the income of the target groups through productive and sustained employment contributing to poverty reduction and resilient livelihoods. Swisscontact intends to achieve the desired goals by:

• Strengthening labour market information system.
• Improving the offer of viable labour market insertion services that provide jobseekers with information on placement and business opportunities, career guidance and counselling, market relevant trainings, and networking support.
• Exploring opportunities along economic sectors and clusters with potential for growth, provision of employment, and creation of jobs.
• Working with private sector companies to implement inclusive business models that allow the integration of target groups into their supply chain.
• Supporting entrepreneurship support organizations to provide existing and newly established micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with critical services to grow, sustain, and improve their performances.

As such, Swisscontact will carry out activities across three interlinked intervention areas:

• Intervention Area (IA) 1: Strengthening public and private labour market insertion services
• Intervention Area (IA) 2: Promoting demand-based vocational and entrepreneurship trainings
• Intervention Area (IA) 3: Introducing improved entrepreneurship and business development support services

Manager – Private Sector Engagement (PSE)
Location: Kathmandu (with frequent travel to project areas ).
Reports to: Project Manager
Time: 100% (8 hours a day and 5 days a week)
Duration: One year with the possibility of extension

Purpose of the Job
The PSE Manager is responsible for the planning, designing, and monitoring of interventions which aim at supporting relevant private sector stakeholders such as labour market insertion service providers, business development service providers, training providers, financial institutions, and other entrepreneurship support organisations to upgrade their products and services or to develop and implement innovative business models. The PSE Manager is also responsible for interventions aimed at facilitating the identification, promotion, and implementation of inclusive business models together with the private sector and collaboration with business networks and industry associations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence to relevant policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and guidelines of Swisscontact Nepal (Financial and Operation Manuals, Code of Conduct Against Corruption, Conflict of Interest, Local Security Management Plan, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Guideline, PSEAH guideline, Communication Guideline and other specific policies guidelines and manuals of Swisscontact).
• Lead the design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of strategies and interventions consistent with the overall objective of the project.
• Conduct analyses to understand opportunities to foster economic opportunities for the target group through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
• Identify and implement strategies that create shared value partnerships with the private sector through inclusive business models or sectoral/cluster growth.
• Conduct analyses to understand challenges and barriers in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and provision of entrepreneurship support services.
• Identify strategies and business models for the provision of sustainable support services to MSMEs.
• Support strengthening of information management systems and capacities of the public Employment Service Centers to offer improved labour market information and insertion services.
• Foster partnership with private labour market insertion service providers to offer improved labour market insertion services.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder linkages across the economic corridor to support adoption and continuation of improved labour market information and insertion services.
• Identify potential strategic private sector partners, including business networks and platforms, to support the strengthening of products and services or introduce and implement innovative or inclusive business models.
• Facilitate activities that promote provision of demand-based vocational and entrepreneurship trainings for the target groups.
• Facilitate coordination among stakeholders in the TVET sector to design and implement interventions in the areas of skills development.
• Support in developing management capacities and strengthen service delivery of private training service providers. Lead the selection and solicitation of private sector partnerships in line with Swisscontact’s procurement procedures.
• Pitch and negotiate ideas and innovative business models with the private sector as required.
• Develop, build, and maintain strong relationships with implementing and strategic partner agencies including government, private sector, and NGOs.
• Lead partnership with project partner NGO and ensure timely implementation of activities and submission of quality deliverables.
• Monitor private sector partner collaboration strategies including co-investments, activities, and deliverables.
• Provide support and guidance to the Project Officer and MRM Officer as their line manager.
• Provide relevant input to progress reports.
• Coordinate and exchange information/ideas with other Swisscontact projects.
• Support timely monitoring and streamlining of data collection and analysis in collaboration with the
• Monitoring and Results Measurement Officer.

Key Competencies

• Master’s Degree in relevant field with at least 5 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing similar initiatives (ecosystem development, entrepreneurship development, private sector partnerships).
• Demonstrated experience in leveraging private sector partnerships
• Should be familiar with the government structure, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and have excellent understanding of challenges for MSMEs growth.
• Experience in building and maintaining strong/productive relations with implementing and strategic partner agencies is required.
• Advanced communication skill in both English and Nepali (verbal and written).
• Excellent negotiation skill.
• Ability and willingness to work in a team to deliver high quality outputs within deadlines in a dynamic and fast‐paced work environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel between Swisscontact offices in Kathmandu and Biratnagar and to field locations in Koshi Province.

Conditions and Environment

• In accordance with the Swisscontact Finance and Operations Manual.

Application Procedures:

Please submit an Online Job Application Form in the link.

Deadline: Latest by 11:59 PM Nepali time on October 2, 2023.

Swisscontact Nepal shall not entertain any phone inquiries or other such solicitations for the position. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the selection process. Swisscontact Nepal reserves the right to reject any or all applications.

Swisscontact is an equal opportunity employer. Women and applicants from disadvantaged groups are encouraged to apply.