Business Development Specialist, Lusaka, Zambia

Closing date: Friday, 18 September 2015

Position Name: Business Development Specialist

Project: Solid Waste Management Enterprise Project (SMEP)

Sector/Program: Water, Sanitation and HygienePosition

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Reports to: Project Manager, SMEP

Responsible for: Business development support to local waster collectors

Length of contract: 2 years.

The anticipated start date is 1st October 2015.

1. Background and Objectives

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) is a not-for-profit international development organization headquartered in the Netherlands. SNV has been involved in the development sector since 1965. Its core business involves working with local partners to provide technical expertise in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Agriculture, and Renewable Energy sectors. SNV Zambia intends to implement a solid waste management initiative in peri-urban settlements. SNV plans to do this in collaboration with Lusaka City Council (LCC) and local waste collectors called Community Based Enterprises (CBEs). SNV has thus formulated a Solid Waste Management Enterprise Project (SMEP). SMEP is to be implemented under the Lusaka Water Supply Sanitation and Drainage Project that is supported by Millennium Challenge Account Zambia (MCA Zambia).

In peri-urban areas the Council (LCC) has contracted local waste collectors (CBEs) to collect waste and dispose of it at transfer stations from where the Council collects it and takes it to the landfill in Chunga. Reports show that the landfill only receives about 50% of the waste generated. Uncollected waste often causes health hazards and regularly blocks the drainage network in the city. This impacts the lives and health of the poor and vulnerable through sickness, and damage to property and businesses caused by flooding during the rainy season. SMEP recognises that increase in population in Lusaka has far outstripped infrastructure development, leaving large sections of the community - notably in peri-urban areas - without access to adequate waste management services.

The main objectives of the SMEP are

1. To generate demand for effective and efficient waste collection;
2. To increase the supply of waste management enterprises that meet the needs of the poor in urban areas
3. To support the development of an enabling environment for pro-poor, gender-responsive waste collection.

SMEP is intended to provide economic incentives through adding value to the collected waste which is sorted, processed and sold. Paper and plastics are recycled, while the organic matter is processed through the biodigesters to make compost for sale. Energy is generated from the biodigesters and converted to electricity to sell back to the grid. By piloting the model in poor urban areas the project intends to directly reduce health hazards for the targeted population, increase income for the CBEs and provide a sustainable and replicable model to urban solid waste collection problems.

SNV requires the services of a Business Development Specialist to support CBEs that will participate in the project increase the supply of waste management services to meet the needs of the poor in urban areas and contribute to the aspirations of the project; i.e. making waste collection profitable.

Please note that the vacancy will be available subject to award of funding contract for the project by MCA Zambia.

2. Job Profile

2.1. Purpose of the job

The Business Development Specialist will operate under the direction of the Project Manager and work with other staff and local waste collectors (CBEs) in collaboration with the City Council to support the Solid Waste Management Enterprise Project. The Business Development Specialist will help identify CBEs to participate in the project to supply waste management services and will be responsible for building capacity of the CBEs to perform this function effectively and efficiently to meet the needs of people living in selected peri-urban settlements. He/she will be responsible for providing appropriate business development support to CBEs and designing, developing and implementing strategies for facilitating access to financial products for the CBEs.

2.2. Main Tasks and Responsibilities

1. Develop tenders with Lusaka City Council for selection of CBEs to participate in the project, and award contracts to successful CBEs
2. Develop training modules for CBEs focusing on: operation and management plans for waste collection and sorting; basic bookkeeping; and business development strategy development.
3. Facilitate selection of CBEs for training in waste management enterprise
4. Train CBE staff and support development of operational plans for collecting, sorting and transporting the waste.
5. Support CBEs to develop operational plans
6. Facilitate market linkage brokerage meetings with buyers waste management by-products, i.e. compost/fertilisers, plastics, paper, etc.
7. Facilitate market and sales agreements for plastics, composts, etc. with central waste management plant.
8. Support CBEs to access credit from banks and financial institutions
9. Engage with ZESCO on sale of electricity and facilitate power sale agreement.

3. Qualifications and Job Specifications

1. Degree in a business or development related field
2. Demonstrated knowledge of the WASH sector
3. At least 5 years of experience working in business and/or enterprise development
4. Experience in resource mobilisation, and/or finance brokerage for small enterprises
5. Background in business development of micro-enterprises and/or micro-finance
6. Skills in project planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
7. Experience in waste management and renewable energy will be an added advantage
8. Experience working with local and national government agencies and stakeholders
9. Excellent facilitation, communication and listening skills
10. Excellent command of the English language, as well as local languages.

The successful candidate will be a self-motivated achiever with demonstrated ability to work independently as well as in multi-disciplinary team contexts to deliver quality products that meet deadlines. He/she must be a good relationship builder with proven ability to work with a wide range of actors from different backgrounds.

4. Working environment

The Business Development Specialist will be based at the Lusaka office of SNV Zambia.

5. Submission of Applications

All applications should be sent via

a) Email zambia@snvworld.org and copy to jbwalindau@snvworld.org. The subject line should read 'Business Development Specialist - SMEP.'

b) Postal: SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, 7 Nkanchibaya Road, Rhodes Park, P. O. Box 31771, Lusaka, Zambia

Submissions are to be made to SNV no later than 17:30 hours on 18th September 2015.

Closing date: Friday, September 18, 2015

Type of contract: Local