Background:
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Since establishing operations in Timor-Leste in 2007, we have earned a reputation for innovative and high-quality programming. We promote a community-led, market-based approach to addressing key challenges to improved wellbeing through greater resilience, resolved root causes of poverty, and inclusive economic growth so that Timor-Leste is able to thrive beyond oil.
The Maloa Urban Resilience Initiative is a European Union-funded program that aims to improve the urban resilience of the Maloa watershed area in Dili through landscape and ecosystem management to support environmental, economic, and social development in Dili. The program is working to ensure that the urban Maloa watershed community, local government, and private sector actors have knowledge, skills, capacities, access to resources to develop and implement climate resilience, economic development, and COVID recovery strategies and plans.
In order to build the economic resilience of vulnerable households in Dili, Mercy Corps will work to increase the incomes of those that are vulnerable to climate and disaster related shocks and stresses as well as assist private sector actors recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19. Mercy Corps will work with households to build alternative sources of income, as Mercy Corps’ global research has indicated that diversified income sources enable households to better absorb shocks and stresses that threaten one source, and thus become more financially resilient. In order to assist the private sector in recovering from COVID-19, Mercy Corps will work to ensure that businesses have the tools, skills, and resources required to manage risk and create recovery plans.
In response to the socio- economic impacts of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the April flooding disaster in Dili, this market value chain analysis and business recovery assessment is a critical component for the Maloa Urban Resilience Initiative program that will contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of urban community of six target villages and assist to ease the impacts of shocks and stresses on existing value chain systems within Maloa watershed area. This analysis will also contribute to the program by improving the productivity and income of macro and small market actors and developing a resilient, dynamic, and well- functioning, inclusive market system in six target villages through improved resilient capacity and strengthened linkage of market actors across existing value chains.
Purpose / Project Description:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide clear and well-structured direction for Mercy Corps to effectively define and prioritize its market development and business recovery interventions that will contribute to improve the livelihood of the beneficiary communities of six target villages within Maloa watershed area.
This analysis will lead to the development of Mercy Corps activities focused on providing skills training and linking based on identified sectors or value chains as well as providing risk management and business recovery support to private sector actors.
The primary objective of this consultancy includes the provision of technical assistance in the process of conducting a value chain analysis (off farm and nonfarm) and business recovery assessment that will lead to the identification, mapping and performance appraisal of high value, promising value chains, small and medium size enterprises and their existing financial status, and result in actionable recommendations for improvement. The value chain analysis and business recovery assessment shall be conducted using both primary and secondary research data (interviews with municipality and community stakeholders, small and medium size enterprises, larger business actors, statistics on number of value chain actors, employment, market trends and sustainability standards) that should be collected through an assessment conducted within Maloa watershed area.
This business recovery assessment and value chain analysis to be conducted in the flood affected Maloa watershed area will pay special attention to the specific needs of ongoing recovery efforts to the existing livelihoods and rehabilitation of priority value chains to ensure effective recovery of economic activities of local community of six target villages in Maloa watershed area in Dili.
Consultant Objectives and roles:
Mercy Corps seeks a consultant to analyze potential value chains and provide a high level strategy brief with recommendations for a clear path forward to guide our engagement in the identified value chain(s). The strategy brief will focus on Mercy Corps’ role in facilitating strategic investments in identified value-chain(s) and partnership development within the broader sector and market system. The consultant will additionally design and provide analysis for a business recovery assessment to assist Mercy Corps in designing business recovery program activities.
Consultant Activities:
The Consultant will:
Part 1:
1) Develop action plan with clear timetables, benchmarks, deliverables to ensure the successful completion of this analysis within allocated timeframe.
2) Conduct a literature review of existing policies, data, and assessments in potential value chains
3) Conduct interviews (remote) with value chain actors to assess growing and market strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats.
4) Identify value chains actors with sufficient skills, resources, and incentives to invest in and drive change, upgrades, and improvements in the target value chain
5) Map and assess the effectiveness of key support services along the chains.
6) Prepare a report documenting the result of this analysis, with a ranking of several potential value chains/commodities that meet its criteria. Discuss with Mercy Corps pros/cons so that Mercy Corps may choose the value chain for the development of a more detailed strategy (below)
7) For the recommended value chain, develop a strategy report for Mercy Corps’ engagement in the value chain with a heavy emphasis on identifying Mercy Corps’ value-add as well as recommending potential critical partnerships. This report should include:
a. Outline current state of production, key demand characteristics, and the enabling environment
b. Investment opportunities: Estimate potential for future value chain growth and specific characteristics for that growth. What specific investment(s) would likely result in these growth opportunities? What potential associated risks, disincentives, incentives, and key enabling pre-requisites does strategy Mercy Corps investment plan need to account for?
c. Mercy Corps’ Roles & Investments Recommendations: Identify Mercy Corps’ strategic areas for investment and partnership across the market system (support functions, enabling environment, and demand-supply), clearly outlining layered and sequenced steps and recommendations
d. Any recommendations for participant and partner selections.
Part 2:
1) Develop action plan with clear timetables, benchmarks, deliverables to ensure the successful completion of this analysis within allocated timeframe.
2) Working with the program team, design a market resilience assessment survey to determine the economic impact of COVID-19 on target businesses in Dili
3) Conduct a literature review of any relevant studies
4) Design interview guide for the program team to conduct interviews to identify the current situation for businesses in Dili, with particular emphasis on SMEs
5) Based on interview results, compile and analyze the findings in a brief report documenting results. This should include any recommendations for improving planning and business continuity skills and resources for addresses future shocks and stresses. This should furthermore include any recommendations based on findings for a grants program for business recovery.
Consultant Deliverables
This consultant is expected to submit a final report that include the following information.
No
Deliverable
Description
Evidence
1a
Work Plan
Workplan for the consultancy
Draft Work plan
1b
Draft MC Timor Leste Market Analysis and ranking
Summary findings for value chains reviewed by the consultant including a ranking of several value chains/commodities that meet its program criteria.
MC branded. For review and feedback from MC TL.
Market Assessment Report
1c
Final MC Timor Leste Market Analysis and ranking
Final report, incorporating feedback from MC TL and information from stakeholder consultations (remote)
Final Market Analysis Report
1d
Draft MC TL Strategy Report
Strategy Report for recommended value chain, as described above
MC branded. For review and feedback from MC TL.
Strategy Brief (10-15 pages maximum)
1e
Final Strategy Report
Final Strategy Report, incorporating feedback from MC TL and information from stakeholder consultations (remote).
Strategy Brief (10-15 pages maximum)
2a
Draft Interview Guide and methodology
Interview guide for qualitative data collection and strategy for data collection.
Tetun preferred
Qualitative in-depth interview questionnaire and guidelines
2b
Final Interview Guide and methodology
Final interview guide, incorporating feedback from MCTL.
Qualitative in-depth interview questionnaire and guidelines
2c
Draft Assessment Findings Report
Assessment Findings for recommended value chain, as described above
MC branded. For review and feedback from MC TL.
Assessment Report (8-12 pages maximum)
2d
Final Assessment Findings Report
Final Strategy Report, incorporating feedback from MCTL.
Strategy Brief (8-12 pages maximum)
Timeframe / Schedule:
Part 1: 25 working days
Part 2: 20 working days
The consultancy will take place over 45 working days from Nov 15 – January 31, 2022.**
The Consultant will report to:
Kirsten Mandala, DRR & Climate Change Program Manager of Mercy Corps Timor Leste
The Consultant will work closely with:
Osia Salu, Deputy Program Manager for the Maloa Urban Resilience Initiative, Mercy Corps Timor-Leste
Lourença Ferreira, Market Development Technical Officer for the Maloa Urban Resilience Initiative, Mercy Corps Timor-Leste
Sameer Karki, Director of Programs, Mercy Corps Timor-Leste
Required Experience & Skills:
· 8+ years of experience working in International Development
· 3+ years prior experience with value chains
· Bachelors or advanced degree in Business Administration/Economics, Agriculture, or other related field
· Prior experience evaluating business models
· Required ability to speak and write in fluent English
· Familiarity with Timor Leste and ability to speak and write in Tetun a plus
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.**
Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.**
How to apply
Closing Date: 11:59pm (UK Time) on Thursday 11 November 2021