Chemonics seeks a Private Sector Partnership Specialist for the USAID Heshimu Bahari (Respect the Ocean) Project. The USAID/Tanzania Heshimu Bahari (Respect the Ocean) Activity is a five-year project that aims to improve the ecological resilience and productivity of Tanzania’s high marine biodiversity areas. Tanzania’s coral reefs are among the world’s fifty most climate-resilient reefs based on biological and oceanographic characteristics, and Tanzania’s marine and coastal ecosystems support a diverse range of coral reefs, seagrasses, open-ocean pelagic habitats, and mangroves. Not only do the ecosystems support species such as dugongs, sea turtles, and sharks and rays, but they also support a variety of livelihoods such as artisan fishing, aquaculture, and marine/coastal-related tourism activities. Overfishing, poorly planned infrastructure projects, and climate change all threaten not only these ecosystems and their fauna and flora, but also livelihoods and food security. These obstacles, together with the lack of a functional marine management area (MMA) framework, underdeveloped governance systems, insufficient funding, and an unincentivized private sector, severely limit effective management and measurable impact in marine biodiversity conservation.

To help address these challenges, Heshimu Bahari aims to establish an enabling environment and science-driven framework for sustainable MMA and wild-caught fishery co-management by government, communities, and the private sector. The Activity has four integrated objectives:

1. Strengthening the enabling framework for a network of Marine Management Areas (MMAs) and Fishery Replenishment Zones (FRZs) to support biodiversity conservation, climate resilient communities, and sustainable wild-caught fisheries.
2. Community co-management of MMAs/wild-caught fisheries and climate resilience strengthened.
3. Private sector investment in MMAs and wild-caught fisheries expanded.
4. Integration of relevant science to MMA and fisheries policy and management improved.

The Private Sector Partnership Specialist will facilitate interventions that increase private sector investment and engagement in marine protected areas and fisheries management. He/she will work to incentivize private sector investment and assess and share investment opportunities that support communities and ecosystems. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

The position will be based in Dar Es Salaam, reporting to the USAID Heshimu Bahari Deputy Chief of Party.

Responsibilities:

Working under the guidance of the Heshimu Bahari Deputy Chief of Party, Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Lead, Senior Technical Advisor and in collaboration with selected private sector partners:

• Support identification and cultivation of high value partnerships with private sector actors that support implementation of USAID Heshimu Bahari objectives within its target seascapes, and broker partnership arrangements between the Private Sector (PS) and Heshimu Bahari, including:
• review and refine the initial developed and prioritized partnership concepts, and use the refined concepts as a basis for partnership negotiations with individual PS actors.
• facilitating detailed due diligence of potential PS partners and prepare due diligence reports.
• facilitating partnerships design or co-creation meetings with the private sector, including the development and refinement of partnership concepts, and draft Memoranda of Understanding for signature.
• developing and implementing partnership plans that outline the actions, resources, and timeline expected from both the project and private sector tourism investors throughout the grant agreement.
• Support the development of co-management agreements between private sector tourism investors and MMA authorities, for establishing benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure equitable distribution of revenues generated by private sector-led MMA/FRZ amongst all stakeholders.
• Support development and execution of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and yearly partnership implementation plans with private sector value chain anchor firms aimed at expanding livelihood opportunities for coastal communities in USAID Heshimu Bahari target seascapes. This will include outlining quality and quantity requirements for products to be delivered by producer groups to the anchor firms.
• Facilitate and coordinate the implementation of Business Development Services (BDS) provided by subcontractors to strengthen livelihoods within target communities in seascapes where private sector anchor firms source products from local producers.
• Work closely with the project MEL team to conduct monitoring, follow-up, and manage the account database for private sector partnerships. This includes tracking the number of firms that received technical assistance to improve business performance as a result of project support, as well as monitoring the amount of investment mobilized through partnerships with the private sector.
• Prepare private sector partnership engagement intervention reports per established project reporting schedule.
• Coordinate with other USAID partners, local organizations, and government agencies to ensure harmonization planning/implementation of public-private partnership activities.
• Support implementation of the PS intervention strategy in all seascapes in collaboration with the Deputy Chief of Party, PSE Lead, Policy lead, Community Engagement Lead, and Seascapes Program Coordinators.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in business administration, economics, communications, and/or another relevant field required; advanced degree preferred.
• At least six years of private sector engagement experience in Tanzania required; experience working with private sector actors in fisheries, tourism, agriculture and/or related sectors preferred.
• Familiarity with the marine and coastal tourism environment in Tanzania or East Africa.
• Experience engaging private sector on corporate social responsibility, their role as anchor firms, or social development initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with private sector, government, civil society, and donor stakeholders.
• Experience with USAID and/or other donor project preferred;
• Experience of working directly for private sector employers preferred;
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity;
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required; working proficiency in written and spoken Kiswahili is required.

Period of Performance: On/about October 2024 through September 2025 with possibility to extend based on Heshimu Bahari’s need and individual’s performance.