Local Facilitator - Ethiopia

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Local Facilitator - Ethiopia for a private sector consultancy assignment financed by UNDP in Ethiopia.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Local Facilitator for an upcoming UNDP-supported initiative focused on strengthening private-sector trade linkages and supply-chain integration across Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Ethiopia. The assignment aims to bridge sector-level diagnostics with firm-specific evidence, facilitating cross-border trade under the continental free trade framework by connecting SEZ tenant firms, prospective MSME suppliers, and regional anchor buyers in priority industrial sectors.

The successful candidate will play a critical catalytic role on the ground, driving local stakeholder engagement, coordinating site visits to selected SEZs, and facilitating primary data collection among enterprises in Ethiopia. This short-term engagement requires deep familiarity with the local industrial ecosystem and a strong capacity to liaise effectively with SEZ operators, tenant firms, and national counterparts to ensure robust, high-quality data collection.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Facilitate local stakeholder engagement and coordination with SEZ operators, tenant firms, and prospective MSME suppliers in Ethiopia.
• Support primary firm-level data collection to capture inputs, outputs, production capacities, and logistics requirements.
• Identify buyer-supplier matches and production gaps to strengthen the regional trade opportunity pipeline.
• Assist in organizing site visits and interviews with key informants and anchor buyers in the country.

Scope of work

• Design and execute local engagement plans aligned with the four priority industrial sectors: automotive and precision engineering, agro-processing and packaging, textiles and apparel, and light pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Support the collection of structured, firm-level supply-chain data through direct enterprise engagements and interviews.
• Coordinate closely with SEZ authorities, tenant companies, and off-site MSME suppliers to ensure high response rates and data quality.
• Map firm-level operational constraints, certification statuses, and logistics bottlenecks to established barrier solution frameworks.
• Contribute local insights to refine the product-supplier matching process and support the overall country-level supply-chain deep-dive.

Your role as Local Facilitator - Ethiopia

• Serve as the primary in-country liaison for stakeholder coordination, scheduling, and logistics related to enterprise engagements in Ethiopia.
• Facilitate and participate in site visits to selected SEZs and relevant industrial facilities.
• Administer structured data-collection instruments to gather accurate operational, production, and supply-chain metrics from tenant firms and MSMEs.
• Ensure the integration of inclusion commitments, identifying and engaging women- and youth-led MSME suppliers where relevant.
• Support data triangulation, quality assurance, and the contextualization of findings in coordination with the core technical team and national counterparts.
• Assist in presenting preliminary and final findings to local stakeholders and UNDP country offices.

Requirements

• Demonstrated professional experience in private-sector development, industrial policy, supply-chain operations, or trade facilitation in Ethiopia.
• Established network and strong familiarity with SEZ operations, industrial parks, and MSME networks within the country.
• Proven track record in facilitating stakeholder consultations, arranging site visits, and conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders ranging from government officials to factory managers.
• Fluency in English and local languages spoken in Ethiopia, with excellent writing and reporting capabilities.
• National of, or based in, the project country

Desirable

• Prior experience working with international development organizations or United Nations agencies on private-sector initiatives.
• Familiarity with continental trade agreements, export-oriented manufacturing, or regional value chains.

An experienced local development professional with a deep understanding of Ethiopia's industrial ecosystem, SEZ operations, and MSME networks, possessing exceptional stakeholder-engagement and data-collection capabilities.

Assignment details

• Location: Ethiopia
• Financed by: UNDP
• Sector: Private sector
• Estimated duration: 4 months
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a UNDP-financed project in Ethiopia.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? This position requires a national of, or a professional based in, the project country.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.