Business Development Services Consultant - Ray Project at Practical Action Kenya

The main approaches being used by the project include:

• A Mentorship model tincrease youth engagement in the agriculture sector. Regenerative agriculture timprove productivity, increase income and restore natural capital.
• Market Systems Development tstimulate long term sustainable change in which markets operate more effectively and critically and work better for young men and women. Over the longer term the project intends timpact 100,000 young people by demonstrating the viability of agri-business as a viable career option

Objective of assignment

• The project will hire a Business Development Services (BDS) Consultant whwill provide services that will enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of young women and men teffectively run and manage their agri-enterprises. Specifically, the consultant will build the capacity of the young agri-prenuers to:
• Access better and structured markets.
• Improve their competitive advantage by supporting youth agri-prenuers taccess information on improved and innovative technologies, broaden networks with regards toutreach and better their skills set timprove their business operational efficiency.
• Improve their business acumen in the dynamic agricultural space through mentoring and couching respectively.
• Develop/refine sustainable production and marketing models thelp their business either grow/expand or improve their operational efficiency.

The consultants will provide Business trainings, linkages, networking, mentoring, coaching tsmall and medium sized enterprises and individual businesses within their respective counties timprove their businesses on the below listed skills sets:

• Business management skills
• Business registration
• Business planning
• Public and customer relations skills
• Keeping proper business records
• Market Research Techniques
• Marketing business products/services
• Taxation issues in business
• Costing and pricing of business products and services
• Business financing
• Management of cash stock, and credit
• Management of human resources
• Risk management
• Finance proposal development
• Quality management and improvement of products and services
• Financial analysis
• Methodology

Inception phase

• The assignment will start with an inception phase. This phase will include review of training guides, project documents, market related reports and policies. A rapid review of training needs assessment and the available information of the study area will alsbe done.
• The inception phase will end with submission of the inception report with comments from Practical Action incorporated.

Training Phase

• The interim phase will include support in conducting deep-stick intervention assessments through reviews of the available project documents including the market analysis and baseline assessment reports tgain meaningful understanding of the project participants capacity strengthening needs (needs analysis).
• Disaggregate mentors’ information and capacity development needs as per the respective value chain (poultry, African leafy vegetables, tomatoes, ground nuts and soybeans) tdefine specific intervention areas.
• Support businesses texpand their business by providing tailored advice, information, training, referrals, and support. This will alsinclude value addition approach.
• Provide small group/individualized trainings and advice.
• Assist in the developmental processes of the established enterprises, including, acting as a sounding board and referral agent for income generation/enterprise development.
• Build capacity and provide guidance tmentors tundertake various business tasks which will be achieved by mentoring clients in business skills, advice, connections tlocal networks, resources, opportunities and more lucrative markets.
• Link/refer individual mentors tlocal service providers such as banks and training organisations.
• Create linkages/networks with financial institutions and/or other advisory organisations or bodies that can assist in stimulating or advancing business development in the target areas.
• Encourage commercial and industrial businesses in the area tprovide their expertise and facilities tmicrbusiness providers.
• Set up an effective monitoring, learning and evaluation plan and tool tmonitor business progress of all young business owners in the respective counties.
• Final reporting phase
• The initial draft of interim reports shared by consultant will be reviewed by Practical Action.
• The final reports will be produced by the consultant upon incorporation of all comments from reviewers.
• The consultant will present specific recommendations taddress problems/ constraints/ gaps and opportunities for improvement, and roles of different actors in creation of working opportunities for young men and women.

Deliverables

The following deliverables are envisioned under this consultancy:

• Inception report (Max 15 pages): an inception report incorporating findings of rapid review of training guidelines (including development of tailored modules for agri-prenuers), desk review, details of work plan, and time schedules, and the tentative outline of training content.
• Interim reports: a brief training reports and progress highlighting number of youths trained, lessons learnt and linkages tmarket actors.
• Final reports: Detail report meeting the objectives and scope of the TOR with used methodologies as agreed in Inception Report and revisited in Interim Report. Final report will be the end product after incorporation of all the comments from Practical Action. If the report is acceptable, final payment will be made.
• A detailed schedule will be developed and agreed with the successful candidate for these deliverables.

Skills Required

Consultant profile/eligibility criteria For the purposes of this assessment, the Consultant should have at least a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness /Agricultural economics/ Marketing/ Economics/ Commerce/Business management or related field background and extensive experience and knowledge in business mentoring and coaching in Kenya, including for youth and women initiatives. Among the desirable qualifications for lead consultant are:

• Knowledge of ILstart and improve your business (SIYB) and grow and expand your business (GEYB) and mentoring approaches.
• Practical business knowledge with emphasis on marketing and financial management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in Market Research, monitoring and evaluation and product development.
• A good command of the English, Swahili and Lulanguages.
• Demonstrated experience in small business development and management (own business or by providing business development services), experience with small business financing, market analysis and market research.
• Demonstrated experience in community economic development, community empowerment, working with community-based organisations.
• Strong experience in networking.
• Highly developed interpersonal and oral communication skills.
• Motivated and goal orientated.
• Comfortable working autonomously.
• Creative and strong problem-solving skills.
• Strategic/big picture view – goal orientated.
• Report writing experience.
• Experience directly working with young people in research.
• Good understanding and proven track record in safeguarding / dnot harm principle.
• Experience working in the lake Basin, highly recommended.