RFP500337) - Consultant – Value Chain Expert (Citrus and Potato

Overview

Analyze and assess the citrus and potato value chains' needs.

You have:

• Advanced degree in Agriculture Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural development and Agribusiness or related fields
• Minimum 10 years of experience in value chain development, market systems, risk financing, or related fields
• Proven expertise in conducting value chain analyses and implementing development strategies in Punjab, Pakistan
• Experience or strong understanding of agricultural financing and lending, particularly within the citrus and potato value chains
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report writing skills
• Fluency in Urdu and English

Job Description

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

About the position

The CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF) is a key technical partner for sustainable finance actors, integrating science-based impact indicators in all areas of the investment lifecycle. Building off CGIAR evidence, ImpactSF offers an array of data-driven solutions empowering financial institutions and investors to de-risk investments by quantifying climate and environmental risks and impacts. Our goal is clear: drive investments toward climate-smart and nature-positive Food, Land, and Water systems.

ImpactSF, hosted by the Alliance, is developing climate-smart risk financing solutions for the agriculture sector in Punjab, Pakistan. This project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project aims to partner with financial intermediaries (FIs) to improve their climate awareness and develop new financing solutions to support the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ecosystem in agriculture, specifically for citrus and potato value chains in Punjab.

Based in Lahore or Islamabad, and reporting to the Project Lead, the Value Chain Expert is responsible for analyzing and assessing needs of selected value chains, networking and managing relationships with value chain actors and recommending solutions to enhance resilience, profitability and sustainability of selected value chains.

Requirements

Key responsibilities

Scope of Work

Value Chain Analysis: Map and analyze the citrus and potato value chains to identify key actors, linkages, adaptation financing needs, market demand, and performance bottlenecks.

Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate the ImpactSF team in stakeholder engagement, through leading and supporting interviews, focus group discussions, and workshops with producers, processors, aggregators, exporters, financial actors, and policymakers to understand climate and non-climate risks. Identify and establish partnerships with buyers, investors, and other market actors.

Policy and Institutional Assessment: Identify regulatory, policy, and institutional barriers impacting the efficiency, inclusiveness, and sustainability of value chains.

Finance and Investment Solutions: Support the ImpactSF team to identify and recommend bankable interventions; co-develop financing solutions with financial institutions, integrating measurable outcomes. Support to improve efficiency, inclusiveness and sustainability of the value chain with financial actors, co-develop a financing solution for the value chains integrating measurable outcomes and milestones.

Market Linkages and Partnerships: In collaboration with ImpactSF team, support the development of networks of Agri-MSMEs, buyers, investors, and other actors to strengthen value chain integration and competitiveness across local to international markets.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1 (1 – 4 Months)

Scoping study report for two value chains (Citrus and Potato) due by the end of Oct (Month 4), including intermediary deliverables, the stakeholder workshop (preparation, facilitation and documentation of findings) in August (Month 2).

Deliverable 2 (4 – 6 Months)

Adaptation Finance needs assessment report due by the end of December (Month 6), including intermediary deliverables (preparation, facilitation and documentation of findings) FI workshop in November (Month 5).

Required qualifications and skills

• Advanced degree in Agriculture Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural development and Agribusiness or related fields;
• Minimum 10 years of experience in value chain development, market systems, risk financing, or related fields;
• Proven expertise in conducting value chain analyses and implementing development strategies in Punjab, Pakistan;
• Experience or strong understanding of agricultural financing and lending, particularly within the citrus and potato value chains. Strong understanding of market trends, business models, and private sector engagement;
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report writing skills;
• Fluency in Urdu and English.

Benefits

Terms of contract

6 months (July 2025 – December 2025) - International consultancy position.

Note: The consultant is expected to cover his/her costs for attending consultative meetings. All costs associated with the workshops (venue hire, refreshments, per diem for participation etc.) will be covered by the project. Any additional travel costs over and above the aforementioned will be reviewed on a case by case basis and will require pre-approval by the supervisor/coordinator.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications

Please send applications to [email protected] with the subject line: Consultant – Value Chain Expert as position being applied for. In your email, please include:

• A cover letter illustrating your motivation to apply and suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications and work responsibilities, and
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae including the names and email addresses of three professional referees who are knowledgeable about your skills and professional abilities.

• ​Financial Proposal.

  The Alliance collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

  Applications closing date: June 20, 2025

  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

  We invite you to learn more about us at:

  http://alliancebioversityciat.org

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: alliancebioversityciat.org