Trainer: Training on Inclusive Market Systems Development and the Creation of Decent Work

Trainer: Training on Inclusive Market Systems Developemnt & the Creation of Decent Work

MEDA’s vision is that all people may unleash their God-given potential to earn a livelihood, provide for their families and enrich their communities. MEDA creates business solutions to poverty. Our goal for 2030 is to create or sustain decent work for a half million people in emerging economies. To achieve our goal, we focus on supporting inclusive, sustainable, and just agri-food market systems that demonstrate economic, social, and environmental impact. MEDA pursues systems level change by broadening our scope beyond immediate project-bound work to sustainable alliances that achieve impact at scale. We develop long-term partnerships within countries, regions, and systems within which we work. We also embrace a shared voice committed to an empowered Global South that is reflected throughout governance, operations, and implementation. At the heart of MEDA’s strategy is to see people and communities transcend poverty through respected work opportunities or by improving existing jobs.

Workshop Background

MEDA’s strategic objective of creating 500,000 decent jobs requires that our technical frameworks and approaches are well understood by staff and partners. To this end, a first-ever in-person technical Community of Practice (CoP) workshop is being organized for April 2023 to train global market systems-related staff on inclusive market systems development (MSD). The training is organized by and will be co-led by the Market System Technical Unit (MSTU) which convenes and facilitates MEDA’s global market systems CoP. This CoP has been active since late 2021 and meets virtually on a monthly basis. CoP members have never met all together in person.

Location: Kenya (TBD Nairobi or Mombassa)
Dates: April 17-20 (training services required for April 17-18)
Audience: 20-25 persons, including: market systems-related staff from global projects (up to 12); HQ-based project managers holding market systems technical assistance engagements (up to 3); HQ-based MSTU staff (2); Country Directors (up to 8)
Hybrid: The MSTU is investigating opportunities to involve 1-2 staff in a portion of the training due to an inability to travel
Language: English (French translation will be provided)

Workshop Goals
The training workshop is expected to:
1. Accelerate learning of lead MS staff in order to improve their contribution to project outcomes and MEDA strategic goals, especially decent work creation.
2. Strengthen capacity of CoP members to support and train their country-based colleagues and partners in MSD.
3. Develop important CoP/South-South peer relationship.

Scope of Work

MEDA wishes to engage an experienced market systems development trainer to co-deliver customized training that aligns with MEDA’s goals and market systems development approaches.

The trainer will work closely with MSTU staff, under the leadership of the Technical Director, Market Systems, to design a participatory, memorable, and comprehensive training program and materials. The trainer will deliver two days of training; MEDA staff will deliver an additional two days of training focused on specific intervention approaches and discussions on diverse approaches used in MEDA’s project portfolio.

In addition, to proposed topics that may be suggested by the trainer, the following are training topics that MEDA wishes to address in training. A breakdown of topics to be addressed by the trainer versus MSTU staff is suggested.

Trainer

• Understanding inclusive MSD and how it supports decent work creation and MEDA’s ‘triple impact’ approach
  • Core principles of MSD, including facilitation and adaptation, emphasizing a partnership approach
  • Value chain development compared to MSD, including the differences between the two approaches and why it matters to MEDA’s work
  • Understanding root causes of market systems barriers
  • Private sector development as an element of MSD (but not equated to MSD)
  • Business service providers and ecosystem strengthening
• Potentially the introduction of other concepts: Market System Resilience (MSR), enabling environment influencing

MSTU

• Elaboration on decent work and ‘triple impact’ as necessary
• CoP member sharing of MSD impact across the project portfolio.
• Typical MEDA intervention approaches and supporting tools:
  • Inclusive Market Systems Analysis process
  • Approach to Agriculture Production Guide
  • Lead Firm methodology.
  • Smart Incentive Guidelines.
  • Gender Equality Mainstreaming Framework (GEM)
  • Impact investment

Key Responsibilities of the Trainer

1. Participate in pre-workshop preparation meetings with the MSTU to discuss the pre-workshop case studies design, the curriculum, and the overall planning processes for the training workshop program
2. With the MSTU, co-develop a training outline and the two-day training curriculum and materials
3. Collaborate with the MSTU on any pre-workshop case study preparation
4. Conduct two days of in-person training in Kenya
5. Contribute to the writing of a training summary that captures training highlights and learning

Expected Deliverables:
1. A recommended two-day training outline with topic descriptions, identified following consultations with the MSTU
2. A detailed training curriculum and materials per day (materials in PPT and Word)
3. A short description of the training methodology to be developed
4. Deliver two-day in person training
5. A short final summary on training outcomes and recommendations for future in-house capacity strengthening

Estimated Level of Effort
The estimated level of effort (LOE) for this training is 7 days.
Key Tasks Schedule Number of man/days

• Participate in preworkshop preparation discussions virtually: 1 days
• Preparation of training outline including the development of the training curriculum and materials: By March 30, 3-4 days
• Conduct 2 days training to the participants: April 17-21, 3 days (inclusive of travel)
• Contribute to the preparation of a workshop report: April 30, 1 day
• Total days: 8

Qualifications
This opportunity is open to one individual trainer. They should have the following qualifications and experience:

Required
• Several years of strong experience designing and delivering MSD training with an emphasis on decent work, gender equality and social inclusion, and environmental sustainability
• Minimum ten years practical, hands-on experience in MSD, agricultural, or economic development including experience working in inclusive agribusiness, market systems or private sector development
• University degree, ideally at a master’s level in a field related to inclusive MSD
• Strong understanding and experience in participatory training approaches, based on adult learning principles
• Ability to enter Kenya with no restrictions (trainer is required to make their own travel and visa arrangements)

MEDA’s strong preference is to work with a trainer based in Africa (preferably East Africa). An ability to communicate in French is a distinct advantage.

To be considered for this training opportunity, applicants should submit through the BambooHR application portal a short technical proposal (1-2 pages) including a budget in USD, specifying the trainer’s daily rate and inclusive of all fees and transportation costs, as well as three professional references from recent training clients. A current CV should accompany the 1–2-page proposal.

Application Deadline: February 22, 2023 at 4:00 pm EST

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodations make their needs known in advance. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.