MSME Development Consultant

Result of ServiceExpected Outputs and Timelines: The expected outputs of the assignment are: 1. Reporting & Coordination a) Monthly Progress Reporting o Prepare and submit 12 monthly progress reports covering all activities undertaken and accomplished. o Measure: 12 reports submitted and approved. o Timeline: By the 30th (or 31st) of each month. b) Coordination o Coordinate the roll out of the Andandor Programme o Measure: Plane activities successfully rolled out o Timeline: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December o Facilitate the meetings of the Entrepreneurship Core Team o Measure: Core team meetings successfully organized o Timeline: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December o Provide support to Business Support Organizations (BSOs) o Measure: Trainings and advisory support provided o Timeline: 30 April, 30 September, 30 November 2. Planning, Frameworks & Technical Inputs a) Terms of Reference (TOR) o Develop and submit validated TORs to support the implementation of the Andandor programme o Measure: TOR document validated. o Timeline: By 31 March. b) Technical Inputs o Provide technical inputs for MSME business development o Measure: technical inputs validated and consolidated to business development intervetions o Timeline: 31 Jan, 30 June, 30 November 3. Training and Advisory Services a) Beneficiary Selection o Facilitate selection of beneficiary MSMEs o Measure: list of beneficiaries identified o Timeline: By 31 March, 30 June, 30 November b) Training o Provide training and advisory services to MSMEs o Measure: reports on training and advisory services submitted o Timeline: monthly, February to December 2026 Work LocationBanjul, The Gambia (Home-based) Expected durationASAP for 12 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is fully dedicated to supporting the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It has a mission to foster inclusive and sustainable growth and development through trade and international business development. ITC Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. ITC is implementing the EU Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) - Tourism and Creative Industries. The project has an overall objective of increasing the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and sustainability of the Tourism sector and Creative Industries in The Gambia. It has three main specific objectives of: a) improving business environment and institutional ecosystem; b) improving investment and market access; and c) increasing the competitiveness of MSMEs in The Gambia’s tourism and creative industries. These will be achieved by implementing a number of key actions, including: i) streamlining and supporting implementation of strategies and regulation for the creative industries; ii) strengthening the technical and operational capacities of business support institutions; iii) building the branding and marketing capacities of actors in the tourism and creative industries; iv) creating market linkages and investment opportunities; v) budling capacities of MSMEs engaged in the tourism and creative industries with a focus on sustainable and inclusive tourism; and vi) enhancing skills of target beneficiaries, mainly youth and women in areas which promote their employment in the tourism sector and creative industries. The project addresses a variety of challenges and constraints of the sectors, which include a) weak sector coordination and regulations, b) narrow product offering and sub-standard quality, c) limited market diversification and strong seasonality, d) skill gaps, e) climate vulnerability, and f) low sector integration and limited positive spillover effects of the sectors to the wider economy and society. The implementation of the project will enable the Gambia to diversify source markets and attract more visitors year-round, including tourists with higher purchasing power, and to boost its offering of green and inclusive products and services of the tourism and creative industries. The EU YEP Tourism and Creative Industries is financed by the European Union (EU) for implementation over a period of 56 months. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MoTC) are the key focal point government institutions for the project. The project focuses on youth and women as the main target beneficiaries. It also puts a special emphasis on vulnerable groups by creating quality jobs and pathways for skills development, business growth and sustainability. Micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) and public and private sector institutions, including, sector-based cooperatives and associations will be the target beneficiary groups of the project. To facilitate the planning and implementation of technical support to MSMEs, ITC is seeking an MSME development consultant to undertake the duties and responsibilities described below. Description of Duties/Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Programme Manager and working closely with the Programme Coordinator, the MSME Development Consultant will perform the following tasks: • Facilitate the development of specific work plans for the MSME component, outlining linkages and sequencing with activities in the Tourism and creative industries • Facilitate the implementation of the Andandorr Programme implementation with a specific focus on supporting the business development of MSMEs in the tourism and creative industries sectors. • Support the design and implementation of the Access to Finance scheme targeting MSMEs in the tourism and creative industries sectors. • Coordination of stakeholder engagement for to foster MSME business development in the tourism and creative industries • Facilitate the identification and selection beneficiaries for the various business development programmes for tourism and creative industries. • Provide technical and operational support to Business Support Organizations (BSOs) to improve their service deliveries to MSMEs • Facilitate and deliver entrepreneurship training and coaching for businesses in the tourism and creative industry • Support the facilitation of and participate in the Technical Entrepreneurship Core Team Meetings. • Participate in the monthly technical and progress update meetings of the project to provide updates and discuss challenges and solutions geared toward mitigating them. The consultant is required to provide monthly progress report on progress of activities accomplished on the above activities, using the standard template that will be provided by ITC. Qualifications/special skillsPostgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA, PHD or other) Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business, management, economics, development studies and/or related fields. Note: A first-level university degree in similar fields may be accepted with an additional two years of relevant professional work experience. Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. • A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in entrepreneurship and/or MSME development. • Strong track record of engaging and coordinating partnership with stakeholders, including government, private sector, civil society and development partners; and familiarity with innovative and agile approaches to private sector development. • Proven experience in planning, monitoring and reporting of development programmes. Languages• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Good knowledge of Gambian local languages is an asset. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.