Private Sector Development Associate/Advisor (Cashew)

Focus of the Role

Côte d’Ivoire is one of the largest economies of West Africa and a top global exporter of cocoa, cashew nuts, kola and cotton.  The country is projected to keep growing at around 7 percent over the next several years, but unemployment is high, and Côte d’Ivoire remains vulnerable to external shocks due to its reliance on commodity exports.  As a result, President Ouattara’s government is placing a special emphasis on value addition and accelerating the development of the country’s manufacturing sector. 

Job Introduction

TBI’s work in Côte d’Ivoire started in January 2019. Under the leadership of His Excellency the Prime Minister, our focus is to support Côte d’Ivoire become a leading global exporter of processed cashew nuts and develop its cotton, textile and garment manufacturing potential. It is expected that this industrialization push will result in creating jobs and sustainable livelihoods, support structural transformation and ensure inclusive growth. To achieve those goals, our team works collaboratively with relevant Government Ministries, Agencies and Commissions as well as private sector entities and other critical stakeholders.

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join us. Our team values diversity as well as independent and innovative thinking. We are looking for ambitious individuals who are keen to develop their own skills and careers within a cross functional high performing team, in a fast pace, multi-cultural environment.

Key Responsibilities

The Advisor will work within the TBI country team as well as alongside key counterparts from the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and other stakeholders to implement economic priority initiatives, focusing on cashew processing. Reporting to the Country Head, the Advisor will:

• Play a key role in supporting development of an enabling environment and ecosystem for cashew processing and export of cashew kernels;
• Support counterparts in mapping, engaging and effectively coordinating key stakeholders, including foreign and domestic investors, buyers, development partners and various government institutions;
• Support cashew processors accessing finance and improving their operational efficiency;
• Contribute to industry and market research, investor briefs, marketing presentations, country and sector branding;
• Undertake relevant policy and economic analysis and provide customized strategic and operational advice in support of achieving cashew processing goals;
• Support Country Head and other team members on various strategic and management issues, including contributing to skills development within the team.

Person Specification

You will ideally have the following skills and experience:

• A master’s degree in finance, business administration, economics, engineering, law or other relevant fields;
• At least 5-10 years of experience, with prior experience in cashew sector being a strong advantage;
• Field experience working with agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises;
• Experience working with Government and Corporate senior executives;
• Experience in building and managing effective relationships, including the agility to navigate complex political environment;
• Experiential knowledge of institutional development and organisational management, project coordination and capacity development;
• Strong analytical and management skills, including sound knowledge of strategic planning and project management tools;
• Strong communications skills, including delivering effective presentation, cross-cultural and interpersonal communication
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment with an emphasis on high- performance, results and accountability;
• Ability to work with limited supervision on multiple tasks simultaneously while meeting deadlines;
• Ability to work collaboratively with people at all levels, with willingness to learn and evolve as a strong team player;
• Fluent French and English speaking and written skills.

We place high value on relevant personal qualities such as resourcefulness, tenacity, independence, self-confident, and integrity. Above all, we are looking for individuals with high levels of enthusiasm, resilience, and a can-do attitude. Experience of living and working in Africa is desirable but not essential.

About The Institute

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) aims to equip political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies in an interconnected world. We do this through our Policy Futures ideas and our Government Advisory Practice.  What we believe in as an organisation:

• Open and Progressive – you’ll believe in the value of teamwork
• Bold and Pragmatic – you’ll approach everything you do with integrity and authenticity
• Optimistic Changemakers – you’ll be focused on results

TBI believes embracing diversity and inclusion make us a better place to work.  It’s our goal to reflect everyone in society and we actively welcome applications from individuals and groups who are under-represented in the workplace. We celebrate difference be it ethnicity, religion, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.We’ll only ever asses you on your abilities and fit for a role. We’re happy to discuss any adjustments you need to ensure a level playing field during recruitment and, if you're successful, discuss any adjustments you might need to thrive in your role.