Value Chain & MSME Advisor (Retainer)

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

Since 1995, UNOPS has maintained an active presence in Afghanistan, delivering efficient, agile services in support of both humanitarian response and development efforts. Prior to August 2021, the Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) implemented projects across a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, procurement, capacity building, and environmental protection. In response to evolving humanitarian needs, AFCO has shifted its focus to supporting life-saving initiatives and basic human needs. Current priorities include managing large-scale cash-for-work programmes, procuring emergency supplies, and providing inter-agency coordination, communication, and accountability support.

UNOPS is the Principal Implementing Agency (PIA) for the Private Sector Resilience Project (PSRP), financed by the World Bank (IDA and ARTF), a project designed to support access to finance and the capabilities of MSMEs in selected value chains. This is a home-based retainer position with missions to Kabul, Afghanistan, open to both national and international applicants

The Agribusiness, Value Chain & Acceleration Advisor will serve on an on-call, milestone-driven retainer basis. The Advisor provides senior technical leadership and policy guidance to the project team and implementing partners. The specialist provides key technical support to design, manage, and monitor the value chain matching grant structures and early-stage business acceleration funnels. The specialist will ensure that supported interventions are commercially viable, lead quality assurance of value-chain mappings, and work with implementing partners for implementation of capacity building and technical assistance activities.

1. Technical Advisory

• Serve as the principal technical expert on value chain support and MSME development for the PSRP project.

• Provide expert advice and guidance to the Senior Programme Manager (SPM) and project team on relevant areas of the project.

• Provide technical support and quality assurance reviews of value chain mapping exercises, diagnostic reports, and sourcing studies developed by implementing partners.

2. Implementation Support

• Work with implementing partners to formulate the detailed eligibility, evaluation, and selection grids for Value Chain Groups (VCGs) composed of lead firms and partner micro-producers.

• Work with implementing partners to design and audit the pro-rata matching fund structures for VCG projects, ensuring that grants match private co-investments to prevent market distortions.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of robust technical verification and on-site monitoring protocols to track the progress of supported interventions.

• Work with implementing partners to design and implement startup acceleration support programs, including a performance-based matching grant mechanism.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Liaise and advise PSRP’s implementing partners on technical matters related to value chain support and MSME development, including entrepreneurship starts ups.

• Under the guidance of the SPM, liaise closely with technical stakeholders in the World Bank and IFC (particularly the Task Team Leads or their delegated technical representatives) on technical matters. 

• Ensure the PSRP is adequately represented and contributes to wider discussions and working groups; engage in technical meetings and workshops with stakeholders and the donor.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration and project success.

• Coordinate and, as applicable, closely collaborate with other project implementing agencies to ensure complementarity and cross-component learning of activities.

4. Technical Review

• Review and provide technical input on terms of reference (ToRs), tender documents, and proposals for the procurement of specialized technical services.

• Review and provide technical input on terms of reference, evaluations and other technical documents related to the contract management of PSRP grantees.

5. Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building

• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives within UNOPS and with project partners.

• Develop and deliver training programs and workshops on private sector development topics.

• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices from the project, facilitate knowledge exchange and learning events among project stakeholders.

• Conduct field visits to project and partner sites to assess the effectiveness of interventions and provide on-site technical assistance.

• Support the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track project outcomes and impact.

• Contribute to the preparation of project reports, briefs, and presentations for internal and external audiences.

• Support the identification and assessment of potential private sector partners for project implementation.

• Provide technical input into the design of new private sector development projects and initiatives.

• Ensure gender and social inclusion considerations, and the adoption of sustainable and environmentally responsible practices, are integrated into all aspects of project design and implementation.

Required

• Master's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Private Sector Development, or related field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience; OR

• Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Private Sector Development, or related field with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience.

Desired

• Relevant certifications in financial services, including regulatory compliance.

Required

• Minimum 7 years of experience in progressive professional experience in value chain and MSME development is required

• Broad-based technical expertise, with track record in at least two sectors of relevance (e.g. agribusiness, light manufacturing, health sectors).

Desired

• Experience in private sector and MSME development in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

• Experience working on projects financed by the World Bank or similar international finance institutions.

• Direct experience in designing, administering, or monitoring matching grant schemes, challenge funds, or micro-enterprise performance-based funding is desired.

• Prior experience working in partnership with business incubators, accelerator programs, or venture capital platforms in developing or fragile countries is desired.

• Understanding of the economic, political, and social context of Afghanistan, with specific knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for MSME access to finance.

• Experience in Afghanistan or other conflict-affected countries.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.