Innovation Support Specialist

Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TRAVEL

Travel in selected districts of province of Sindh and other cities of Pakistan may be required

BACKGROUND

Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP), an European Union (EU) funded project for poverty reduction and sustainable inclusive economic growth in rural Pakistan. Focused on selected districts of Balochistan & Sindh, ITC and its implementing partners are providing technical assistance in horticulture, livestock and dairy sectors for improving commercial viability of MSMEs and for a conducive policy regime. The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN). It is fully dedicated to supporting the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

This assignment is part of Output 1.3 of the GRASP project: Enhanced capacities of commercially operating SMEs, particularly women owned and farmer organizations in agribusiness management and marketing. Under this Output, the project is providing capacity building and handholding support to startups and existing businesses through incubation and acceleration services and mentorship – this specific work will directly contribute to sub-output 1.3.4 i.e. Number of stakeholders benefitted from agro-entrepreneurship trainings and incubation and accelerator support for businesses (disaggregated by sex, stakeholder, type of support and province).  

This project is a second phase of a specialized training program aimed at strengthening both established agricultural businesses and startups through enhanced market access and export capabilities, fostering a comprehensive agricultural business ecosystem. The program aims to equip MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and startups with the skills, tools, and strategies they need to thrive in a competitive, innovation-driven economy. Through a hybrid model combining in-person and digital learning and training, the initiative ensures accessibility and engagement while addressing the diverse needs of participants

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The project aims to enhance export readiness and market access capabilities for 35 agricultural enterprises, encompassing both MSMEs and startups. Additionally, the program is aimed to build the capacity of 5 trainers, equipping them to become future domain leaders in the agricultural innovation sector. The project mainly focuses on, but not limited to the following;

1. Develop and adapt training materials with a localised focus.
2. Provide structured and impactful training to 22 MSMEs to prepare them for e-commerce readiness
3. Enhance value addition of 10 startups for incubation stream, 3 startups for the acceleration stream employing a hybrid model of training delivery and 5 trainers
4. Develop export market readiness and compliance understanding to provide information for establishing new marketing channels and distribution networks
5. Bridge the gap between traditional agricultural businesses and innovative startup approaches by creating awareness and integration into  the agriculture innovation ecosystem
6. Enhance E-commerce preparedness to enable MSMEs to build a strong digital presence, navigate e-commerce platforms effectively, and capitalize on online market opportunities.
7. Support startups for Incubation or Acceleration with tailored resources and guidance to refine business models, develop minimum viable products (MVPs), and prepare for scaling and fundraising.
8. Ensure the sustainability of all training materials by developing reusable, accessible training content that participants can leverage beyond the program to ensure long-term learning and application.

METHODOLOGY AND OVERALL DESIGN

The program is aimed to be delivered by the team of 3 consultants (national and international), who will work together to complement each others activities based on their different required expertise and experience. The consultants will ensure to deliver following deliverables jointly while contributing to their specific deliverables which will be published separately with the respective ToRs.

1.       Deliverable 1: Submit an Integrated Program Blueprint including training delivery and project plan. Onboard 35 participants and 5 trainers.

2.       Deliverable 2: 8 training sessions, 3 masterclasses and 20 coaching are delivered across 3 Streams. Submit the training materials  for the remaining 2 months along with the assessment criteria and learning pathways

3.       Deliverable 3: 15 additional Training sessions , 3 more masterclasses and 20 additional coachings are delivered to participants across 3 streams

4.       Deliverable 4: Provide complete project completion report for all 3 Streams along with list of participants for ToT program, including photos, attendance sheets and pre and post-assessments

Details of the activities required to contribute to the mentioned deliverables include but not limited to the following;

Develop modular training materials for 3 streams: E-commerce, Incubation program and accelerator program: Create comprehensive and adaptable training materials for the e-commerce stream (covering digital marketing, online storefronts, content creation), the incubation stream (focusing on product-market fit, MVP development, business model validation), and the acceleration stream (addressing investment readiness, operational scaling, and strategic partnerships), with each module including presentation slides, practical worksheets, case studies, and assessment tools.

Delivery of Training for 35 trainees across 3 streams:

E-commerce Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of digital marketing fundamentals, establishing online storefronts, digital content creation, product photography and product presentation

Incubation Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of product-market fit, developing minimal viable products that address real agricultural challenges, problem validation and business model refinement

Acceleration Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of investment readiness, strengthen operational systems, and develop strategic partnerships and processes for scaling and global market entry align with setting up performance metrics

Delivery of Training of Trainers for 5 trainers across 3 streams: Conduct specialized Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions for 5 selected trainers, equipping them with the methodologies, facilitation techniques and content knowledge  required to effectively deliver the e-commerce, incubation, and acceleration programs. This engagement would include hands-on practice sessions, observation opportunities, feedback mechanisms, and certification of their readiness to independently facilitate future cohorts.

Live Interpretation and Translation of core training sessions and materials: All group training and coaching sessions will be transcribed live in Urdu to support participants' understanding of core concepts. Training materials from consultants will also include Urdu translations to ensure comprehension. ITC will separately engage service providers to facilitate this translation process, however the consultants will be required to support these efforts for their respective Streams.

Ecosystem Integration activities: This component will facilitate exploratory visits/sessions with agri-tech innovation hubs and key stakeholders providing participants with practical insights into operational models,  technology applications and fundraising opportunities.

Terms of Reference for Consultant: Innovation Support Specialist

The consultant will design and deliver a tailored training program for agricultural businesses and startups, ensuring milestones are met through collaboration with trainers and trainees. The consultant will oversee the creation of core training material, adapt content to the local context, and onboard trainers effectively. Incorporate a strategic approach to identifying and implementing innovations across business operations, products development and market approaches. This involves analysing market trends, adopting relevant technologies, and developing customer-centric solutions while optimizing the value chain. Development of digital commerce capabilities, focusing on establishing online presence. This includes strategic platform selection, digital content creation and brand development.

To ensure sustainability, the consultant will host materials on a dedicated platform for ongoing access and register participants on online platforms to extend their services beyond the program. The consultant will be responsible for:

1. Aligning program scope of work, timelines, key deliverables and ensure delivery of project milestones by working with other consultant(s) and service providers, once on-board
2. Engagement and coordination with Incubation Centres for looping in their expertise, leveraging the existing work and enrolment of the startups.
3. Engagement of previously trained pool of startups by ITC to be considered for acceleration support.
4. Oversee the development of core training materials (being developed by other consultants) are tailored to the needs of local agricultural businesses and startups
5. Plan and execute awareness campaigns about the program to get applications and finalize the onboarding of the 35 participants based on a selection criteria for each Stream.
6. Adapt content to the local context, ensuring relevance and practicality for the target audience
7. Ensure the sustainability of the training program beyond its initial scope by hosting training materials on a dedicated platform, allowing participants to access resources, tools, and updates for continued learning and application
8. Provide training on building digital commerce capabilities and establishing online presence. This can include strategic platform selection, digital content creation and brand development.
9. Ensure proper exposure to the training streams including physical and digital exposure where required to enhance and practice the body of knowledge imparted during the capacity building
10. Design ToT materials for Stream 1
11. Onboarding trainers and coaches for all streams.
12. Compile and submit a comprehensive project completion report integrating a comprehensive analysis of agricultural ecosystem mapping  all training activities conducted across the three streams, including progress metrics, program outcomes, key learnings, sustainability measures implemented, and strategic recommendations for future iterations of the agricultural innovation training program in Sindh and Balochistan.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND TIMELINES

Deliverable-1: Submit integrated project plan outlining the training modules and a comprehensive workplan for all Streams. Mobilize potential participants and onboard 35 training participants (across 3 Streams) and 5 trainers for ToTs from Sind and Balochistan. Provide training modules for first 2 months for Stream 1

Deliverable-2: Facilitate 4 training sessions and 1 hands on lab for Stream 1

Deliverable-3: Facilitate 8 training sessions and 2 hands on labs for Stream 1. Host all training materials delivered in the first 2 months of the program on the online LMS and ensure its availability for everyone. Facilitate ToT of 3 trainers in Stream 1 (E-commerce) and 1 exposure of all the streams.

Deliverable 4: Facilitate 4 training sessions and 1 hands-on labs for Stream 1. Provide complete training completion report for Stream 1 and consolidate reports from Streams 2 and 3 including photos, attendance sheets and pre and post-assessments.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

SKILLS

• MS office
• E-commerce platforms

EDUCATION

• Minimum master’s degree in business, Economics or related discipline

EXPERIENCE

Proven experience of 7 years with business, entrepreneurship trainings and capacity building, program management, agritech, incubation and acceleration support. Other expertise including following will be preferred;

a)       Existing integration into the entrepreneurial ecosystem

b)      Prior experience in working with ecommerce ventures

c)       Experience in managing entrepreneurial programs and activities

d)      Knowledge of agricultural business models and challenges

e)      Understanding of digital learning environments

LANGUAGE

• Advance level of Urdu language (native preferred) (speaking, writing and listening)
• Advance level of English (speaking, writing and listening)