Zanzibar, Tanzania Planning Commission and Business Planning Volunteer

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Objectives of the Assignment:

The main objective of this assignment is to assist the Zanzibar Planning Commission to develop an action plan that will directly implement MKUZA III with measurable and achievable results. In the process, Local Government Authorities (LGAs) can and should be empowered and encouraged to create a more business enabling environment .

Background:

The Tanzania Enabling Growth through Investment and Enterprise Program (ENGINE) is a four-year, USAID-funded Feed the Future activity awarded through the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), that aims to streamline and enhance many of the regulatory, informational and financial channels that encourage domestic and foreign investment in the southern mainland agricultural regions of Mbeya, Morogoro, and Iringa, and in Zanzibar.

ENGINE works at the district level, using a broad-based approach to engage with district Local Government Authorities (LGAs), private sector associations, business development service providers, financial institutions and small and medium enterprises. The program’s activities are divided into three main components:

1. Implement policies for growth. Build the capacity of the private sector to effectively dialogue with the government to set the policy agenda and improve the capacity of the public sector to implement policies.

1. Equip businesses for growth. Strengthen SME capacity and foster the growth and capacity of a sustainable market for business development services (BDS) in Tanzania.

1. Access to finance for growth. Broaden access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially women and youth entrepreneurs and those working within agricultural value chains, to facilitate increased investment and growth.

Problem Statement:

The Zanzibar Planning Commission (ZPC) is a key agency tasked with implementing the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP aka MKUZA III). Among the specific results envisioned in this Strategy, several relate to the lack of a strong private sector and accountability and transparency in governance.

Tasks

The Expert Volunteer will complete the following tasks:

1. Attend an orientation meeting with ENGINE Program staff in Dar es Salaam;
2. Accompanied by relevant ENGINE staff, attend an introductory meeting with ZPC’s leadership to discuss the Expert Volunteer assignment and to review its objectives;
3. Facilitate a consultation workshop with the ZPC technical working group members to elicit their input/feedback on prioritization of tasks to achieve rapid results in creating a strengthened business-enabling environment;
4. Assist the assigned ZPC technical working group with the following:
   1. Prepare an Action Plan derived from MKUZA III that implements the specific goals of strengthening the business enabling environment and improving local governance;
   2. Draft an Annual Budget to quantify funding needed to implement the Action Plan, for submission to the responsible Ministry;
   3. Design a Communication Plan for ZPC to assist other agencies in promoting a strengthened business enabling environment as a component of the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty;
5. Write a Final Report summarizing findings, conclusions and recommendations related to the assignment, as well as a discussion of ZPC’s organizational development challenges and proposed solutions;
6. Provide exit debriefings to ZPC leadership (including the MKUZA III implementation team), ENGINE, USAID and relevant anchor institutions/key stakeholders (e.g., PO-RALGSD) that provide an overview of the assignment and ZPC’s organizational development challenges and proposed solutions.

Deliverables: The Expert Volunteer will submit the following deliverables:

1. Minutes/notes of meetings (Tasks B, C, and F above, and other project meetings)
2. Documents developed with the ZPC technical working group (Task D above)
   1. Action Plan
   2. Draft Annual Budget
   3. Communication Plan

The Expert V olunteer will submit a Final Trip Report to the ENGINE Program that includes the following sections: A. Introduction; B. Methodology; C. Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations related to ZPC’s Action Plan for implementing MKUZA III;

1. Discussion of assignment objectives and how they were met or why they were not met.

Additionally, the Expert Volunteer will provide exit debriefings (Task F above).

Expert Volunteer Qualifications:

The ideal ZPC MKUZA III Implementation Expert Volunteer will have the following skills and qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience working within Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in an organizational development role (and, preferably with a role in long-term planning and project management);
• A proven track record of organizational development;
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, consultation, and facilitation;
• Well-developed writing skills in English and the ability to express one’s self clearly and concisely;

• University degree in public administration, public policy, or another relevant field;
• Training skills, including participatory training in group settings. Training and consultation experience utilizing a translator or interpreter is an added plus;
• Self-motivated, proactive, detail-oriented, mature, professional team player, who is a strong people person and communicator, with good inter-personal skills;
• Ability to address issues, challenges, questions, and concerns in a professional, respectful, logical, and timely manner;

• Works well in a multi-cultural setting;
• Good computer skills in MS Office.