Consultancy to Support Daily Market Management Under the SFSProject Tempo Inteiro

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, by 2027, we aim to improve the access of 1.5 billion people to nutritionally enhanced staple foods, improve the access of 25 million people to healthier diets, and support positive food system change in 11 countries. This is a bold and complex objective and the only way to achieve it requires working together with partners at national and global level. In Mozambique GAIN has been implementing projects since 2011 and has its local representation (including offices) since 2013 in the provinces of Sofala, Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Maputo city.

Background

Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Due to the ongoing conflict, thousands of people have been displaced from the north and a few from the south districts of Cabo Delgado Province and have taken refuge mostly in the districts of Pemba, Montepuez, Chiúre, Namuno, and Metuge, as well as in the in some districts of Nampula, Niassa and Zambezia. Additionally, Cabo Delgado province has experienced Cyclone Kenneth. These situations severely impacted the food system in the region, and the COVID-19 impacts worsened the market system vulnerability. These shocks, combined with other factors, increased malnutrition in that Province. GAIN’s Strengthening Food Systems (SFS) Programme was designed to mitigate the current situation by reconstructing fresh food markets in the province of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and potentially in Zambezia and using these improved markets to spark entrepreneurship and gender-transformative behaviour change; helping Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and local entrepreneurs set up and grow businesses that specialize in nutritious food; link producers, processors and buyers across and beyond the province to ensure the distribution or movement of food to consumers who need it; and support the city government of Pemba, as well as the provincial government of Cabo Delgado, strengthening its planning, policy-making, and coordination capacities.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

General Objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to support GAIN and Pemba municipality on overseeing the strategic, operational, and compliance aspects of the market infrastructure to ensure its efficient functioning, adherence to regulatory standards, legal frameworks and continuous improvement based on the market management models provided by GAIN.

Methodology

The consultants should be based in Pemba city, Cabo Delgado province, and will be working in Muxara retail food market and Eduardo Mondlane hybrid food market, alongside with municipality. The consultants will respond to GAIN and municipality daily, weekly and monthly.

Scope of Works

Strategic Planning and Development:

• Implement a strategic vision aligned with short, medium and long-term goals of the market infrastructure.
• Identify trends and recommend strategic initiatives for growth.
•  Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies to enhance operational efficiency.

Operational Management:

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and scalability of the infrastructure.
• Identify inefficiencies, streamline workflows, and implement process improvements.
• Assess and mitigate risks related to operational disruptions, and compliance.
• Daily management of market committee.
• Ensure smooth communication and collaboration between the vendors, municipality, and stakeholders.

Marketing:

• Plan, develop and implement marketing actions to attract and retain vendors and other markets users.
• Develop and implement specific marketing activation initiatives to attract consumers/clients to the market.
• Mobilise partnerships with companies aiming selling advertisement spots services on the market infrastructure.

Compliance and Governance:

• Ensure compliance with regulations, laws, and legal frameworks.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures to maintain compliance and governance.
• Prepare for audits and regulatory inspections, ensuring readiness and cooperation.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders including financial institutions, regulators, and vendors.
• Facilitate effective communication between stakeholders, address concerns, and promote collaboration with all stakeholders, mainly vendors.

Innovation and Adaptation:

• Stay updated on technological advancements and assess their applicability to improve market operations.
• Introduce innovative solutions to optimize processes, enhance security, and improve efficiency.

Crisis Management and Business Continuity:

• Develop and implement strategies for handling disruptions and ensuring rapid recovery.
• Create and maintain plans for business continuity in unforeseen circumstances.

Reporting and Analysis:

• Generate regular reports for municipality, highlighting key findings, progress, and areas for improvement.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead and motivate market committee, providing guidance, mentorship, and fostering a positive work culture.
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors providing critical services.

Deliverables

• Weekly report on market operation progress and functionality.
• Weekly meeting to update the market operation and functionality.
• Detailed monthly report: Narrative and financial – tax/income generated by the market.

Consultants Qualifications

We intend to hire 2 consultants, two in Nampula and two in Cabo Delgado, to support these operations. Must have:

• A Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in business management or administration, economics, project management, accounting or a related field, along with any additional certifications.
• Basic knowledge in Agriculture and/or Poultry production an added advantage.

Consultantes Experience

• Practical experience in business administration and management.
• Experience of working with market operations.
• Extensive economic analysis experience.
• Practical experience in agricultural extension.
• Strong understanding of Mozambique’s business environment and food system required.
• Relevant experience in the production of either poultry, fish or horticulture.
• Leadership Experience of working with government and stakeholders.
• In-depth understanding of the complex public health nutrition and food systems context in Mozambique, including the politics, economic and social issues.
• Proven experience working with food industry, government authorities, civil society organizations, and academic institutions.
• Sales, business development and marketing and supply chain management experience.
• Conflict management experience.
• Experience in financial management.
• Fluency in Portuguese, English and local languages is plus.

Duration of the Consultancy

The contract for this consultancy will be 6 months with a possibility of renewal.

Instructions for Responding

Proposals should be sent with “CD FSS Market Individual Consultant” as the subject line.

Note: Only selected candidates will be contacted.

Strategic Planning and Development:

• Develop and implement a strategic vision aligned with long-term goals of the market infrastructure.
• Conduct market analysis, identify trends, and recommend strategic initiatives for growth.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies to enhance operational efficiency.

Operational Management:

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and scalability of the infrastructure.
• Identify inefficiencies, streamline workflows, and implement process improvements.
• Assess and mitigate risks related to cybersecurity, operational disruptions, and compliance.

Compliance and Governance:

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, laws, and industry standards.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures to maintain compliance and governance.
• Prepare for audits and regulatory inspections, ensuring readiness and cooperation.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders including financial institutions, regulators, and technology vendors.
• Facilitate effective communication between stakeholders, address concerns, and promote collaboration.

Innovation and Adaptation:

• Stay updated on technological advancements and assess their applicability to improve market infrastructure.
• Introduce innovative solutions to optimize processes, enhance security, and improve efficiency.

Crisis Management and Business Continuity:

• Develop and implement strategies for handling disruptions and ensuring rapid recovery.
• Create and maintain plans for business continuity in unforeseen circumstances.

Reporting and Analysis:

• Analyze market data, performance metrics, and trends to derive actionable insights.
•  Generate regular reports for stakeholders, highlighting key findings, progress, and areas for improvement.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead and motivate a team, providing guidance, mentorship, and fostering a positive work culture.
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors providing critical services.