Crown Agents (CA) works with leaders to accelerate self-sufficiency and prosperity by delivering practical innovations in government systems strengthening, project and fund management, and supply chain delivery. Our Climate & Energy practice builds upon our core services supporting Net Zero goals in climate resilience, mitigation, adaptation, and nature-based solutions. We operate in over 100 countries, including across the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region, with 22 international offices reaching over 108 million people annually.
Crown Agents seeks a Private Sector Engagement Specialist for the anticipated Caribbean Resilience Economies and Sectors (Caribbean RESET) Activity released through the USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) Mission. It is expected to be a four-year award valued between $10 – $25 million. The purpose of the activity is to reduce systemic constraints to climate and disaster finance and increase investments in resilience across priority sectors such as agriculture. Initial objectives of the project broadly cover: 1) public sector disaster and climate finance systems strengthening, 2) increased private sector investment, and 3) established community partnerships.
The ESC region covers: Bahamas, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, and Suriname.
The position is contingent upon project award and funding. ESC country candidates and diaspora candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The position is anticipated to be based in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Position Description
The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will be responsible for the technical leadership of all activities related to private sector investment in disaster and climate resilience. The successful candidate should possess requisite experience with international development programs as a technical component lead in private sector strengthening. The ideal candidate will be an inclusive leader who can foster and facilitate a culture of continuous learning, build relationships among thought-leaders and practitioners in the region across priority sectors, and be able to navigate change with flexibility.
The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that disaster and climate finance services defined within the donor-approved scope are delivered. Other responsibilities include:
Lead private sector strengthening component work planning, relevant indicator development, team and stakeholder coordination, activity implementation, monitoring support, component reporting, and component adaptive management and learning.
As a member of the senior leadership team, support key stakeholder engagement and coordination as it relates to project private sector investment activities and provide thought leadership in the private sector strengthening space.
Manage relevant project staff and supporting coordination and oversight of relevant consortium partnerships.
Ensure that the private sector strengthening, and investment activities meet stated goals and reporting requirements, as well as ensure the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of all relevant products and activities generated under the project.
Ensure relevant activities are done in line compliance with USAID, Crown Agents, and host country policies, rules, and regulations.
Qualification and Experience Required
- Advanced university degree in business, finance, economics, or another field closely related to Caribbean RESET objectives. Additional years of experience may be substituted for a master’s degree.
- Minimum of 8 years of progressive technical specialization with a minimum of 3 years’ experience managing tasks or subcomponents of similar projects.
- Demonstrated experience in supporting private sector access to finance – access to climate finance experience desired – for large enterprises and/or small enterprises, including the underserved.
- Demonstrated understanding of and network with private sector leaders, financial institutions, and/or private insurance providers.
- Preferred experience with integrating disaster/climate risks and impacts into commercially viable roadmaps for climate resilience investment. Prior experience in identifying productive opportunities in the green and blue economy desired.1
- Experience and specialization working within the agriculture/agri-business sector strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated understanding of program design and monitoring and evaluation to increase private sector investments.
- Demonstrated experience in providing private sector technical assistant, including design and implementation of trainings, workshops, conferences, etc.
- Prior experience working in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean with demonstrated success and understanding in working across the cultural landscape of the region.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
- Demonstrated ability to lead negotiations, presentations and relationship building efforts with private sector stakeholders.
- Demonstrated interpersonal skills, strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills are required.
- English language fluency (oral and written) is required.