Director, Business Value Creation

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Director, Business Value Creation to join our dedicated and talented Strategy & Impact team in our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

Technical Unit Summary

The Business Value Creation Advisory Unit will develop and/or maintain a technical strategy which outlines core approaches to design using a system lens to create decent work opportunities for businesses in agri-food systems. This will include planned innovation, learning and measurement mechanisms, training plans, networking and thought leadership goals, working closely with other technical advisors, country, and regional directors (RD) for alignment.

The Business Value Creation unit will focus on developing best practice for effective and additional business support, value creation, innovative finance and impact investing. The technical advisory unit will integrate functions from Inclusive Market Systems (IMS) and Impact Investment and Innovative Finance (II&IF) prioritizing tools to strengthen market facilitation and innovative finance for systems change. Taking a market systems approach will remain central to our work and how we approach creating business solutions to poverty. This approach coupled with the catalytic funding from impact investing and innovative financial tools and a robust business development approach will have outsized impact for the clients we work with. Together, these tools will help our clients to grow, scale, create decent work and reduce poverty.

Position Summary

The Technical Director plays an advisory role and will have organization-wide responsibility within a specified technical unit to strengthen capacity, develop strategic approaches, document best practices, mentor staff and oversee the provision of technical support to all of MEDA’s programming. A priority will include sharing learnings and impact from MEDA’s technical areas internally and externally, and representing MEDA at key external events. In addition to leading a technical unit, the Technical Director will be expected to provide support for the execution of specific contract deliverables in projects or consultancies related to their area of expertise.

• Job Status:  Full Time
• Start Date: October/November 2023
• Location: Remote/Hybrid Work Arrangement - Within proximity to a MEDA office in Canada or a Region where MEDA works
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Strategy Implementation (60%)

• Develop and/or maintain a technical strategy which outlines core approaches, planned innovation, learning and measurement mechanisms, training plans, networking and thought leadership goals, working closely with other technical advisors, country, and regional directors for alignment.
• Contribute technical expertise to program design, annual work plans, annual budgets, other critical project documents, and ensure execution of the specific technical component in contract deliverables
• per agreement with country directors. Coordinate with country directors the design and implementation of technical approaches in collaboration with corporate technical advisors and technical specialists
• Explore new and innovative approaches and stay abreast of new advancements in the industry through various activities such as: reading, teaching and research engagements, and consulting assignments.
• Identify local and regional organizations with the technical expertise to partner with for program design and implementation in collaboration with corporate technical advisors and technical specialists
• Collaborate closely with other technical advisors to ensure a unified and strategic approach to technical excellence across the organization.

Business Development (20%)

• Contribute to the building of MEDA’ professional global network and opportunities through ongoing engagement in the sector at conferences and events.
• Support the development of innovative funding concepts relevant to the area of expertise.
• Review and evaluate new proposal opportunities and provide technical leadership to the development of projects, programs and proposals, in close collaboration with RDs and other stakeholders to ensure full integration of MEDA’s core approaches, innovations and lessons learned as applicable.
• Lead the formulation of innovative approaches for scale up of MEDA’s interventions.

Thought Leadership (10%)

• Through thoughtful and engaging content production, position MEDA (internally and externally) as a constant source of guidance, innovation, and compelling, reliable content to attain the status of thought leadership in specified technical unit.
• Write and/or review technical and project management components of materials and publications.
• Author/co-author presentations, articles, and other publications for journals, notable external blogs, and conferences.
• Advance MEDA’s international agenda related to specific technical unit by participating in technical working groups and meetings hosted by donors, funders, key networks related to the technical unit.
• Identify and secure relevant and, where possible, high-profile speaking engagements (e.g. conference panels; working groups; keynote opportunities).
• Seek out opportunities to contribute to thought leadership broadly in terms of this technical unit, e.g. advisory panels.
• Work closely with Marketing and Communications to ensure external messaging about this technical unit is clear, streamlined and aligned across the organization.

Staff Capacity Building and Management (10%)

• Develop and/or maintain a detailed training curriculum to be used for onboarding all new MEDA staff and providing regular refresher training.
• Ensure engagement with country directors and regional directors on technical unit to strengthen their capacity on MEDA’s technical interventions
• Provide leadership to colleagues who provide technical support under the technical unit, meeting regularly with them to learn about progress on technical initiatives and to support them on implementing them (including direct and non-direct report).
• Cultivate and coordinate communities of practice within MEDA regarding the technical unit, and ensure effective knowledge sharing across MEDA (webinars, lunch and learns, blogs, trainings etc.) according to MEDA’s Knowledge Management Strategy.

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

Education: University degree, ideally a Masters, in Business Administration, International Economic Development or related field.

Experience:  Proven track record of at least ten (10) years’ experience in project management and/or delivering consulting services.

Technical:  Proficiency in the specified Technical Area as demonstrated through active project management, teaching, participation in the industry, writing, leadership etc.

Additional Qualifications

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s mission, vision and values
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty
• Private sector experience and/or demonstrated entrepreneurial drive to apply business principles in new and innovative ways.
• Familiarity with bi- and multi- lateral government agencies, donors, non-governmental organizations and other development agencies.
• Excellent skills in building relationships, networking and interpersonal communication.
• Proficiency in a foreign language is an asset.
• Willingness to undertake extensive international travel.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 10, 2023 by 4:00 pm Eastern Time

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