Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Officer - West Africa Trade Hub

Job Description

Project Summary

The USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Hub (hereinafter referred to as the Trade Hub) is a five-year, $140 million trade and investment facilitation activity that seeks to improve private sector competitiveness in West Africa through a market-based approach.

By working in partnership with the private sector and fostering co-investments, the project will generate new private-sector capital investment into key sectors to create jobs and increase trade between the U.S. and West Africa, including through increased utilization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The project comprises of three main components: 

• Design and administration of a Co-Investment Fund for private sector partnerships, including a portion for partnerships in Research and Development (R&D) towards innovating and modernizing practices in Nigeria across five targeted value chains; 

• Technical assistance (TA) that directly supports, coordinates, and engages with qualifying recipients (i.e., partners and grantees) to achieve USAID’s trade and food security objectives; 
• Urgently respond to the secondary economic impacts of COVID-19, notably to 1) increase  access of working capital with financial actors, 2) prevent and mitigate job losses, and 3) help respond to local and regional supply chain disruptions and shortages of critical medical supplies and services as well as for agricultural inputs and food staples.

Through this Co-Investment Fund and technical assistance, the Trade Hub will improve companies’ abilities to expand business operations, increase productivity, and create jobs that build on the talents and aspirations of West Africa’s growing population.

The Trade Hub will collaborate on specific commercial opportunities with firms, service providers, research organizations, as well as other business network actors to access private capital that will contribute to large-scale jobs, exports and investment, particularly with strong demonstrated or potential links to the U.S. companies and investors.

Position Summary

The PPP Officer will support Public-Private Partnership (PPP) efforts in establishing co-investment projects in West Africa. The PPP Officer’s responsibilities will include: 

• Building partnerships with private sector organizations and firms operating in Trade Hub’s strategic business networks in West Africa including, but not limited to, agriculture and agricultural processing, services to enable greater exports, garment and apparel production, light manufacturing, affordable energy services (including renewable energy), logistics, and financial services to stimulate exports; 
• Building partnerships with financial institutions, both with banks and non-traditional institutions, such as private equity, venture capital, and impact investors; 
• Leveraging existing network and contacts to engage with private companies and achieve proven results; 
• Completing preliminary analysis and evaluations of potential projects; 
• Conducting and supporting technical screening efforts of potential partners to the Trade Hub;
• Supporting grantees during the implementation of activities as the technical point of contact.

Reporting and Supervision

The PPP Officer will report to the PPP Manager with additional support being provided by the PPP Director based in Senegal.

Primary Responsibilities

• Build relationships with the private sector in West African countries, pro-actively identify new potential partners and co-investment opportunities, and develop innovative ways to grow the pipeline; 
• Maintain strong relationships with private sector firms and financial institutions operating in the Trade Hub’s strategic sectors of investment with the goal to develop co-investment opportunities;
• Facilitate relationships between financial institutions, investors, and value chain businesses in agriculture, apparel, energy, and water & sanitation to enhance Trade Hub partners’ capacity to meet and exceed the grant’s co-investment 1:1 matching requirement;
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive pipeline of potential companies and financial institutions to show the future impact of these activities on project indicators;
• Complete preliminary analysis, investment memos for projects and partners, and provide recommendations for shortlisting;
• Present the project and/or the pipeline to USAID, business associations, government officials, and other stakeholders when requested;
• Provide guidance to prospect co-investment partners during the concept note and full application submissions;
• Evaluate concept notes and full applications to ensure the activity adheres to project objectives;
• Ensure efficient and effective coordination between applicants and Trade Hub’s Grants, M&E, Communication, and Procurement teams;
• Update Trade Hub’s portfolio and pipeline tracker tools and systems;
• When required, assist the PPP team in other regions to help facilitate the implementation of the Co-Investment Fund.

Required Skills or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to private sector development is mandatory. A graduate degree is preferred. However, in circumstances where a candidate possesses exceptional relevant experience but lacks a graduate degree (defined as a minimum of 8 years of experience), the exceptional relevant post-education experience will be considered.
• Must have 5+ years more of relevant market-driven private sector experience in the role of managing, developing, and deploying innovations and efficiencies in businesses with demonstrated results in helping firms expand, with at least three years in an international developing country context.
• Strong preference in past experience working in other export-oriented business networks, such as agriculture and agricultural processing, services to enable greater exports, garment and apparel production, light manufacturing, affordable energy services (including renewable energy), logistics, and financial services to stimulate exports.
• Ability to prospect for potential new project partner enterprises to jointly improve their operations, improve their competitiveness, and enhance their business growth.
• Ability to build relationships with management of project partner enterprises, leading to developing a strong shared vision about enterprises' needs and recommendations to enhance their competitiveness, grow their business, and generate employment.
• Integrity and honesty in the management of a portfolio of private sector partner enterprises.
• Experience engaging private sector partners and forging public-private partnerships.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative analytical abilities. 
• Strong execution skills yet displaying the potential/ability to adopt a strategic approach.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills are required, including the ability to produce high-quality project reports and deliver high-level presentations to clients and partners. 
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout West Africa
• Problem-solving, stress management, and time management skills are required
• Proficient at using Microsoft office software: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders, including the national government.