UNDP Jobs - 87517- National Consultants for MSME Training & Capacity

National Consultants for MSME Training & Capacity Development Officer

Location :

Yangon, with travel to Shan State, Rakhine State, Dry Zone Region, MYANMAR

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

27-Sep-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

45 working days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Myanmar is undergoing an unprecedented and complex transition process from conflict to peace, from military rule to a democratic civilian Government and from a largely closed economy to an open market economy. Currently, it is categorized as a Least developed Country with imperatives of creating an enabling environment for foreign investments and economic reforms to foster inclusive and employment rich economic growth. The transformation of Myanmar is driven by a fast-paced growth in the private sector. As a rapidly growing regional economy in a dynamic neighbourhood surrounded by ASEAN, China and India, Myanmar needs to undertake structural and economic diversification by nurturing transformative and competitive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and building up economy wide productive capacities.

Dynamic MSMEs are widely acknowledged as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive economic growth leading to reduction of poverty and inequality. MSMEs account for bulk of job creation and national economic output in most developing countries. Their contribution becomes even more significant if the informal businesses are included in the calculations. MSMEs have a significant role to play in poverty reduction and bringing about rural transformation including participation in value and supply chains. The Myanmar Private Sector Development Framework and Action Plan produced by the Ministry of Industry refers to MSME’s as enabling ‘poor and disadvantaged populations, and especially women and ethnic groups, to work their way out of poverty and for the economy to experience inclusive growth’. However, the presence of dynamic future aligned MSMEs particularly women owned and led, is neither automatic nor assured and requires an enabling business environment, conducive policies and systematic capacity building efforts.

UNDP under its Country Programme (2018-2022) has a mandate to promote more inclusive economic growth and economic empowerment with a focus on women and vulnerable groups. UNDP under its newly launched Project Initiation Plan on Promoting the Economic Empowerment of Women and youth is seeking to strengthen the capacities MSMEs on SDGs in general and on setting up inclusive businesses, setting up sustainable and responsible business practices as also to support a more enabling environment for micro and small businesses to benefit from national, regional and global economic opportunities.

This initiative is aligned to the SDGs 2030 agenda and resonates with a number of SDGs including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Employment), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the SDGs) as well as to Pillar 2 and Goal 3 of the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) 2018-2030 on Job Creation and Private Sector Led Growth. The MSDP notes that SMEs are vital for private sector-led economic growth and essential for sustained, broad-based job creation. Development of SMEs, including small-to-medium industries (SMIs) is considered as policy priority in this MSDP.

Together with a MSME capacity building service provider, UNDP will be organizing a series of training sessions targeting a wide range of MSMEs in 4 States/Regions in Myanmar (Rakhine State, Shan State, Yangon and Dry Zone Region). The service provider will undertake a training needs assessment based on which the training methodology and curriculum will developed. The training programme shall encompass, but not be limited to the following specific areas:

Concept and basic principles of entrepreneurship including entrepreneurs’ characteristics, importance of entrepreneurships in the market economy;
Personal skills and business planning tools – introduction and development of entrepreneurial competencies, identification of personal entrepreneurial characteristics, SWOT analysis, development of own business idea, etc;
Marketing plan – concept, techniques for development; and
Business operations – basic knowledge for the operational costs and profitability, initial investments for business start-ups, financial planning, sales techniques and forecast of the company income, etc.

Each training session is expected to include not more than 25 participants, and each session to provide at least 48 hours of class. At least 200 participants are anticipated to be provided with capacity building support over a three-month period.

Duties and Responsibilities

Please see following link to obtain more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59219

Competencies

Please see following link to obtain more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59219

Required Skills and Experience

Please see following link to obtain more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59219