Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.   

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

EDC is preparing a proposal for the anticipated, USAID-funded Workforce Egypt Activity.  The Activity will focus on interventions aimed at achieving the following results:

1. Modernizing and improving the quality of Egypt’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system in order to develop the technical skills and capabilities demanded by a globally competitive private sector;
2. Improving human resource management at the firm level and ensuring strong private sector engagement with the TVET system to maximize employment opportunities for graduates; and
3. Improving the enabling environment through employment and labor market policy reform to address inefficiencies at local and national levels.

Position Description

The Private Sector Strengthening Technical Lead reports to the Deputy Chief of Party and serves as the primary link between communities, the local (governorates) governments, the private sector partners at national level and other value chain actors/small medium enterprises at the governorate level. S/he will lead initiatives to catalyze investment in high demand sectors, identify innovative opportunities and business models, employ market driven strategies for both product and service upgrading, facilitate relevant linkages, align incentives of the key partners and facilitate innovation across the WFD project and priority sectors in the target governorates.

Responsibilities for the Private Sector Strengthening Technical Lead include, but are not limited to: 

• Oversee, coordinate and align the contribution of private sector partners and assessing their deliverables;
• Oversee and coordinate activities of consultants/staff hired to support business development in the governorates;
• Work with local governments to ensure strong incentives such as appropriate laws, financial incentives and reduce barriers for entrepreneurs that enter the market or public private partnerships;
• Support the development of value chain analyses in the priority governorates through effective research and designing interventions; determine the key demand and supply side constraints in the value chain and opportunities that the project can leverage;
• Work with the private sector partners to develop sustainable and effective information collection and dissemination mechanisms;
• Design and implement a market driven strategy that creates incentives for investment in priority sectors/governorates;
• Develop appropriate strategies for rural areas in Egypt to mobilize private sector investment and training;
• Work with key stakeholders in government, civil society and private sector to develop new Public Private Partnership models in high demand sectors;
• Facilitate, document and share lessons learned and best practices within the consortium; and
• Promote learning and innovation among stakeholders.

The candidate for the position of Private Sector Strengthening Technical Lead shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Development Economics, Business management / Entrepreneurship Development, or other relevant field is required.

Skills and Experience:

• At least 5 years demonstrated experience and skills in project management, planning, and implementation in cross sectorial development programs;
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in private sector or providing technical assistance to improve private sector performance, value chain development, business development of MSMEs and/or micro-finance;
• Entrepreneurial attitude and innovative and creative in solving problems;
• Good understanding of and experience in working with local communities and government agencies at national, regional (governorate), and local levels; and
• Experience in the MENA region (preferably Egypt) required. 

Language:

Fluency in Arabic required. Proficiency in English desired.

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

Applications submitted without a resume will not be considered.

All proposal positions are contingent upon donor funding and approval

**************************************************************

EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.