Company Profile

Company Information:
SSG Advisors is an award-winning frontier market solutions firm based in Burlington, Vermont that helps a variety of donor, commercial and investor clients around the world to catalyze lasting impact. We envision a prosperous and just world of thriving markets, healthy ecosystems, and vibrant communities where business, governments and citizens work together creating a better world for all. SSG seeks to catalyze large-scale social, environmental, and economic change by fostering new and dynamic forms of collaboration. We do this by fostering public-private partnerships, facilitating sustainable investment, and providing deep analytical insights in frontier markets. We strive to merge strategic insight with practical on-the-ground knowledge into an integrated approach that emphasizes results. We seek candidates who are ready to apply their analytical and problem-solving skills to some of our planet’s greatest challenges in an entrepreneurial, fun, and fast-paced environment. We are looking for passionate and committed people who can work in a highly collaborative environment to deliver results for our clients and stakeholders around the world.

Job Description

Brief Description:
SSG is recruiting for a Market Development Specialist for an approximate one (1)-year position on a USAID-funded activity in Ghana for the ongoing USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP), led by the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center (CRC) (www.crc.uri.edu). The position is primarily focused on developing and implementing interventions for business planning, market development, and financing for improved cook stoves and women-owned fish processing businesses.

SFMP is a five (5)-year project (October 2014-October 2019) to rebuild marine fisheries stocks and catches through adoption of responsible fishing practices. Working closely with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission, SFMP aims to end overfishing of key stocks that are important to local food security through:

• Improved legal enabling conditions for co-management, use rights and effort-reduction strategies
• Strengthened information systems and science-informed decision-making
• Increased constituencies that provide the political and public support needed to rebuild fish stocks
• Implementation of applied management initiatives for several targeted fisheries ecosystems.

The Market Development Specialist position could potentially be full-time or on a consulting basis, pending negotiations with preferred candidates. The position will be based in Accra, Ghana.

Responsibilities:

The Market Development Specialist will be responsible for the following:

• Report to SSG Advisors and work in collaboration with SFMP project partner SNV, SFMP partners, and the SSG teams to design an Action Plan across partners to advance a Market Development Strategy and Business Plan for the improved cook stoves and women-owned fish-processing businesses.
• In close coordination with SNV, finalize a comprehensive Market Development Strategy and Business Plan for the improved cook stoves and associated women-owned fish processing businesses.  
• Support implementation of the Market Development Strategy and Business Plan, overseeing the coordination of the work of relevant partners.
• Work with SNV to finalize a Financing Strategy for the improved cook stoves and the women-owned fish processing businesses. This should include exploration and development of concrete financing partnerships and solutions, engaging with financing institutions and other relevant actors.
• Support implementation of the Financing Strategy.
• Coordinate with SFMP partners on Capacity Development activities for the women-owned fish processing businesses, to ensure the success of the Market Development Strategy, Business Plan and Financing Strategy.
• Supporting the project in other related activities and as needed. 

Required Skills or Experience

• Bachelor’s or Graduate degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience, ideally in the fields of business development services, investment, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development, and/or market-based development solutions in Ghana;
• Experience with improved SMEs or microenterprises in Ghana;
• Experience facilitating investment and providing business development support to microenterprises or SMEs preferred;
• Knowledge of dynamics related to the introduction of new technologies, especially cook stoves, preferred;
• Understanding of capacity, barriers, challenges and opportunities that project beneficiaries and women-owned fish processing businesses may have;
• Ability to work independently and effectively within tight deadlines, and minimal guidance;
• Ability to coordinate with numerous partners and stakeholders;
• Experience designing capacity-building events and facilitating training sessions for a variety of audiences;
• Willingness to travel up to 30% time within Ghana, primarily to Central and Western Regions and Lake Volta;
• Eligibility to work in Ghana.