Terms of Reference: Rules & Enabling Environment (REE) Adviser

Programme background

Malawi Value Chains (MVC), implemented by Adam Smith International (ASI), is one of three components of the Malawi Trade and Investment Programme (MTIP), a five-year FCDO-funded initiative which aims to break Malawi’s cycle of low growth through driving exports. The overall objective for MVC is to design and implement the value chain component of MTIP with the goal to increase the productivity, quality and production performance of macadamia and mango as well as support increased mining exports. Other complementary MTIP components are focused on increasing access to patient capital and cutting the time and costs of trade and logistics (the latter implemented by TradeMark Africa).

MVC’s Approach to REE

Government policies, strategies/plans and legislation (Acts of Parliament) are difficult and time consuming to change and, arguably, may have limited effect on the ground due to weak implementation. As a result, there are often gaps between the ‘rules’ on paper and what happens in practice and rules may be set in ways that inadvertently constrain production, quality and exports.

MVC focuses on the next tier of ‘rules’ that govern how value chains function in practice, such as regulations, procedures/processes, access to information and informal norms/behaviours, as there is more scope for change and implementation of change at this level. As well as gaps in the rules, and rules that constrain production and exports, it may be that rules are not being implemented due to capacity constraints, lack of information or rent seeking behaviours. MVC, through the REE team, seeks to fill gaps, change rules to be more helpful and support implementation of appropriate rules.

The remit of the REE team is to identify what rules need to change and how to bring about that change. Rule change is a complex and often very long process. Perspectives and incentives of individual stakeholders within organisations may result in support for rule change, enabling the building of a coalition for change. Conversely, there can be individuals and organisations that wish to maintain rules in the way they are set or function, because they benefit from the rules. These individuals and organisations may work against any change and may be in a position to block it. There is often considerable inertia in rule systems, where there has not been sufficient interest or priority to commit the resources (time, money, political capital) to make the change, despite the potential benefits to Malawi. Finding a path through the different sets of interest and inertia to bring about changes to rules is complex, sensitive, difficult and time consuming.

The REE team has identified several constraints to improved export performance in mango and macadamia, including the absence of a protocol with China to list Malawi as an origin and the widespread (and likely organised) theft of macadamia nuts from estates/farms. The team has also identified gaps in information on export markets from government sources and constraints on testing/certification in Malawi. The REE team is working to improve these.

For any trade related rules, MVC works very closely with TMA, with both organisations based at the same offices.

MVC Team Structure

The REE team within MVC focuses on improving the ‘rules’ that underpin how value-chains function, from policies, strategies and legislation through to regulations, processes and procedures, with a particular focus on those rules that constrain and could promote exports. This is delivered through dialogue processes involving relevant stakeholders to determine what rules need to change, what the rules need to change to and how to bring about that change.

The REE team comprises the REE Lead and REE Adviser. REE works closely with the AC team in the design and delivery of initiatives in the focal value chains (macadamia and mango). The REE Adviser supports the REE Lead in the preparation and delivery of the REE strategy, workplans and activities to ensure that REE targets and deliverables are met or exceeded. The REE Adviser reports to the Team Leader and works very closely with the REE Lead, as well as working with the other MVC teams detailed below.

Alongside the REE team is the Agribusiness & Competitiveness (AC) Team that works on improving productivity, quality and production. The AC team focuses on the private sector from estates through to mid-sized farms (MSFs) and smallholder farmers (SHFs). Initiatives include agronomic and financial management training, research into managing pests, improving contracting arrangements within the value chain and facilitating investment/ access to finance.

The Research, Learning & Communication (RLC) team works across MTIP to share relevant learning with external stakeholders beyond the immediate value chains.

These teams are supported by a Results Management (RM) team that gathers results and supports the other teams to improve their initiatives based on the results. There is also a Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) function which ensures that GESI is mainstreamed across all MVC initiatives. Lastly, the Finance & Operations Team supports the operation of the project.

Scope of work

The key tasks for this role are:

1. Analysis of the rules and enabling environment

The REE team analyses the rules and enabling environment issues that promote or constrain increased production, improved quality, increased exports and increased investment in the target value chains. The analysis is based on discussions with private, public and development value chain players to determine what rules needs to change, what it should change to and how best to bring that about.

2. Organising problem resolving dialogues

A key methodology for the REE team is to engage with value chain participants (businesses of different types e.g. estates, MSFs and SHFs), public sector bodies (Malawi Bureau of Standards, Malawi Revenue Authority, etc.) and development partners (donors, other projects, NGOs). The aim of the dialogues is to bring together the relevant parties for a particular issue to discuss what needs to change and how to bring about that change. These dialogues might be between different businesses (private-private), private-public, public-development partner-private, and so on. The combinations are based on what is necessary and may change over time.

Dialogues need good preparations, pre-briefing of participants, appropriate information made available, such as reports and technical inputs from experts where necessary, sensitively facilitating, be problem-solving, action-oriented and with appropriate follow-up on actions and reconvening the dialogues to resolve challenges.

The REE team facilitates the overall process and within that may either facilitate actual meetings or support value chain players to facilitate the meetings.

3. Understanding the political economy of each issue and developing plans around it

The REE team needs to develop a deep and nuanced understand the political economy (PE) around each issue, so as to work out how best to bring about change, including appreciating the positions and reasons for those that oppose change and those that seek change. The team has to work out how to navigate the PE issues in a manner likely to bring about the change that is sought.

MVC, primarily through the REE team, has a good relationship with the FCDO-funded TRACTION project to share information and with some joint activities.

4. Commissioning and managing expert inputs

At times, the REE team will need to commission expert inputs to analyse and inform the discussions so that dialogue participants are well informed on the issue, its negative effects, the benefits of a changed situation and the options for reaching that change. This requires the ability to prepare appropriate Terms of Reference, assess proposals fairly and accurately, brief and manage the selected experts and ensure the experts deliver what is required of them in a timely and effective manner. This includes ensuring written results and presentations are of a high standard.

5. Developing strong relationships with stakeholders

The REE team need to build strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders from private, public and development organisations to be effective. This requires gaining their respect and trust as a valued facilitator and supporter of appropriate change.

This may require building coalitions for change and persuading those that may be holding up change of the benefits of change.

6. Developing strong relationships with the other MVC teams

As well as external stakeholders, the REE team works closely with other teams and needs to forge collaborative relationships that deliver results. This includes contributing to the overall strategy, plans, activities and reporting for the MVC team.

7. Developing strong relationships with TMA and working closely

Several of the key issues that REE team works on require close working with TMA either in a lead or a supporting role, as appropriate. This requires the REE Team to build strong working relationships with the TMA team, with appropriate and regular communication to make progress and deliver results.

8. Mainstream GESI within REE

In the absence of GESI considerations, rules and regulatory structures risk systematically excluding women and other excluded groups, either intentionally or unintentionally. The REE team, with the support of the GESI team, is responsible for ensuring that GESI is mainstreamed across all activities and initiatives.

9. Identify and mitigate risks to delivery

The REE team needs to identify and mitigate risks that could undermine delivery of change and of its results. Due to the range of interests that might be involved in any issue, there can be considerable PE risks that need to be assessed and mitigated.

10. Monitoring and evaluation

The REE team monitors its progress against its workplans, deliverables and objectives, making appropriate adjustments that are required to achieve the results. It also works closely with the RM team on tracking its results.

11. Meeting team and project deliverables

As with all MVC teams, there are deliverables and results that each team must deliver and that need to be achieved at project level. Deliverables are set and updated each quarter and are part of the MVC contract with its funder, FCDO.

MVC is a result-oriented project and the REE Team must contribute to overall project success through its results and helping other teams to achieve their complementary results.

12. Work-planning and budgeting

A key part of the work is the preparation of workplans and supporting budgets. These need to be comprehensive, accurate and realistic. Regular updating is essential.

13. Reporting

The REE Team prepare and submit quarterly and annual reports, as well as financial forecasts on spending. These need to be of a high standard in terms of content and presentation.

There are also presentations to key stakeholders to report on progress.

14. Communications

Communications and learning are important to programme delivery. The REE Team need to communicate well with other teams and with the external stakeholders to enable progress. There is also a requirement to communicate with TMA and FCDO.

15. Knowledge management and learning

There is a requirement to ensure that copies of all working documents, drafts, data sets, models, reports, etc. are placed on the MVC Teams folder in an editable format. The REE Team will also consider learning from their work to inform and improve their initiatives and that needs to be communicated to internal and external audience.

This is a challenging role requiring a strong understanding of complex rule change processes and considerable political and dialogue management skills. The successful candidate must possess the following:

1. Demonstrable, substantial experience in successfully initiating and managing dialogue process at senior levels involving multiple stakeholders with complex and competing interests.

2. Demonstrate the ability to analyse rules and assess the potential and means to bring about rule changes, including bringing a strong understanding of how Malawi’s public sector operates and makes decisions/changes.

3. Deep experience working with both private and public sectors at a senior level.

4. A strong track record of delivering results and meeting deliverables on a consistent basis.

5. Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communication skills.

6. A high standard of spoken and written English with strong report writing skills.

Additionally, the successful candidate should ideally:

1. Have experience working in tree or other plantation crops.

2. Be able to demonstrate considerable experience in project work planning and budgeting.

3. Have at least a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agri-business, natural resources/natural resource management, public policy, economics or other relevant subject.

4. Have experience working on adaptive development programming with private sector partners strongly preferred.

5. ASI operates an inclusive approach to employment, with all candidates fairly considered. Malawi-based candidates are strongly preferred and women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Timing and Duration

The REE Adviser role will involve approximately 10 days per month, with LOE fluctuating slightly based on workload. The Adviser is expected to start as soon as possible and run for the lifetime of the programme, until April 2028. The successful candidate will be engaged for an initial term of one year, with the possibility of extension dependent on performance.

Ready to Apply?

Submit a CV and brief cover letter detailing your fit for the REE Adviser position Friday, 20^th September 2024. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the right candidate is identified.