Senior Private Sector Manager

Activity Background

The USAID Burma Responsible Investment and Trade Activity is a five-year (2020 – 2025) activity that will work with a broad range of international and domestic private sector firms and civil society actors to promote civilian ownership of the Myanmar economy by increasing the share held by responsible, accountable, and transparent firms. Through the Activity, USAID will increase trade and private sector investment. To attract and sustain investment and trade, the Activity is supporting firms operating in or entering the market in Myanmar to improve corporate governance, business transparency, and competitiveness.

DAI Organization and Values

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity. DAI does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, parental status, veteran status, or other non-merit factor.

Consultant Title: Senior Private Sector Manager

Project: USAID Responsible Investment and Trade Activity (the Activity)

Location: Remote work in Asia

Report to: Private Sector Director

Duration: 12-month contract that may be extended to 18 months subject to USAID approval

Overview of the Position

DAI seeks a highly organized and capable Senior Private Sector Manager with excellent communication, analytical, and managerial skills to lead and support a variety of tasks for its USAID Responsible Investment and Trade Activity (the Activity) in the areas of corporate governance, finance and control, corporate accountability, private sector advocacy, trade promotion and facilitation, and investment support. The Senior Private Sector Manager should have an interest in and willingness to work across many functional areas and sectors (e.g., renewable energy, garment, financial services, agribusiness, aquaculture, and other light manufacturing), and contribute towards building the capacity of Myanmar colleagues.

Based anywhere in Asia, the Senior Private Sector Manager will work within a team of approximately 28 professionals and will lead or assist in tasks within or across sectors. Given the nature of the Activity and its organization structure, all staff are required to work with and through one another to achieve the Activity’s objectives. The Senior Private Sector Manager will have one direct report, other staff could be assigned as required.

Roles and Responsibilities

Under the Private Sector Director, the Senior Private Sector Manager’s main responsibilities will include managing the following work streams with the assistance of a private sector manager:

• Leading the development and delivery of the Activity’s SME financial management initiatives:

  • Oversee the development of an SME financial management training course being developed in partnership with a Myanmar education institution, and marketing the course to SMEs.
  • Identify and onboard select participants of the above course into more intensive Activity support on a case-by-case basis, including assessment and recommendations on improving their financial management system and onboarding to cloud-based accounting software solutions or MS Excel-based accounting system.
  • Manage the provision of training to local accounting firms to build capacity.
  • Other training or capacity-building activities to improve the financial management of SMEs in Myanmar.

• Leading the development and delivery of SME corporate secretarial services initiatives by leveraging the Activity local and international consultants to oversee and help manage the:

  • Development of a database of local corporate secretarial service firms.
  • Development of a corporate secretarial services best practice guide with standardized forms.
  • Development of a training course to local corporate secretarial service firms.
  • Monitoring of local corporate secretarial services firms as they provide support to local SMEs

• Leading the Activity’s following trade promotion and trade fair participation initiatives with the support of the Activity’s trade promotion lead and local and international consultants to oversee and help manage the:

  • Development of a best practice trade fair participation guide and manage the provision of training of Myanmar companies.
  • Continued development of a trade fair participation database with identified, profiled, and prioritized trade fairs.
  • Identification, preparation, and organization of Activity companies’ participation in prioritized trade fairs.
  • Manage the procurement of firms to manage Myanmar SMEs participation in trade fairs in Asia and the Middle East.
  • Development and execution of other related trainings or workshops such as developing an export strategy

• The above will require the Senior Private Sector Manager to do the following:

  • Initiate and coordinate interactions with various stakeholders in Myanmar’s private sector business ecosystem (e.g., accountants, lawyers, consultants, lenders, certification firms, etc.) and international consultants as required.
  • Design and potentially lead workshops, tools, training, or other knowledge products geared towards improving the ability of business support organizations to advocate for trade and investment.
  • Promote corporate accountability though local private sector organizations and businesses.
  • Develop and deliver other private sector capacity building activities.

The Senior Private Sector Manager can also expect to contribute to, and work with other Activity staff in a variety of ways including:

• Coordinate with potential investors and work with them to facilitate investment into Myanmar companies.
• Support structuring and monitoring of transactions that bring new investment.
• Engage with business advisory service providers to provide support in identifying and developing investment strategies for local firms aligned with investors’ interests.
• Work with a wide range of private sector companies across a variety of sectors for their potential to increase their sales and/or exports.
• Coordinate a wide range of support organizations (e.g., trade and growers’ association) across a variety of sectors for their potential to contribute towards increasing their members’ sales and/or exports.
• Monitor technical assistance to target firms to improve their access to markets and build their trade competitiveness.
• Manage and monitor project activities.
• Develop detailed terms of reference, scopes of work, and budgets for consultants.
• Develop yearly work plans and quarterly/annual reports.
• Lead or conduct research.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

• BS degree and MBA or related graduate degree is highly preferred.
• Experience of at least ten years in any combination of the following technical areas: investment, finance and accounting, trade promotion and facilitation, corporate governance, corporate finance, business journalism, and project management.
• Experience in private sector capacity building, including training design and delivery, trade promotion, and events management, is preferred.
• Management experience.
• Excellent business and economics analytical, and primary and secondary research skills.
• Ability to work efficiently and deliver high-quality deliverables within the time allocated.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent personal organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
• English fluency is required.
• Legal residence in Asia, and ability and interest to travel in Asia/Middle East as needed and appropriate.

Duration and Location

The expected duration is for 12 months that may be extended to 18 months, and with a remote work station in Asia.