Consultancy - Finance and Investment Advisor

**Consultancy - Finance and Investment Advisor**

***Primary Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Background**

USAID TRADE has identified several NEEREs that need finance and investment advice as part of their Action Plans. Some of these NEEREs are family-owned businesses and leading medium-sized companies in different manufacturing sectors, including engineering, printing and packaging, and food. These NEEREs receive export orders that require additional financial resources to fulfill. Others require investment to expand and purchase additional equipment to take advantage of higher demand in specific product lines. Therefore, NEEREs have asked USAID TRADE for assistance in recruiting financial/investment consultants to help them meet their increasing export demands and secure finance/investment from financial institutions.

**Tasks**

The advisors are expected to undertake the following tasks with individual NEEREs, each in accordance with their specific financial/investment needs:

- Identify SME financial/investment needs
- Arrange credit and investments through banks. Consultant support may include but is not limited.

To:
- Identifying financial institutions interested in financing targeted NEERE

- Supporting submission of NEERE proposals to financial institutions, lenders, or investors.

- Arranging meetings with NEERE officials and the Credit Officers/Credit Committees of FIs or

investors and negotiating financing terms (debt/equity).

- Following through to obtain financing Term Sheet, supporting the due diligence, and closing

the funding process to the client enterprise.

- Following up with the NEERE utilization of the received financing and monitoring for debt

repayments and any other needed advice.
- Arrange debt or equity investments, as needed, through private equity, social, or impact investors

Consultant support may include but is not limited to:
- Supporting the due diligence process.

- Advising on valuation services.

- Facilitating the negotiation of equity investments.

- Others
- Advise the NEERE on any other aspect of this scope and within LOE.

**Deliverables**
- Initial assessment of actions to be taken by consultant and SME, following initial meetings and a Mini-work plan, with timeline, deliverables, and roles of parties’ responsibilities.
- Any business plans, loan proposals, or pitches to investors developed with the consultant’s help by/for NEERE during the assignment.
- Copies of loans/investment agreements secured for SMEs.
- Brief consultancy report describing the purpose of the consultancy, progress achieved, observations, issues and problems encountered, and details of expected follow-on activities by USAID TRADE or its stakeholders.

The Access to Finance/Investment Advisor will report to R1 team lead

LOE : 100 days

**Required Qualifications**:

- College education with the equivalent of a B.A. or B.S. in a related field with 10+ years of related experience OR Advanced degree with 7+ years of related experience.
- Prior Access to Finance/Investment experiences related to SMEs
- Demonstrated capabilities in analyzing NEERE financial/investment needs, identifying constraints, and designing interventions to address root causes.
- Robust understanding of the Egyptian Financial Institutions and SMEs’ role in Egypt.
- Deep understanding of the Credit/Debit mechanisms in Egypt, particularly those targeting SME
- Understanding of the issues facing SMEs’ credit/debit in Egypt, mainly owned by women, youth, and communities outside of Cairo and Alexandria.
- Broad network of leading Financial Institutions In Egypt
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff and partners in a cross-cultural environment.
- Proficiency in both oral and written communication in both English and Arabic.

**Project Overview and Role**:
USAID’s Trade Reform and Development in Egypt (TRADE) project builds on decades of U.S. investments in Egyptian businesses and economic policy with the aim of substantially increasing Egyptian exports from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The TRADE project focuses on six selected sectors: engineering products, food processing, home têxtiles, ready-made garments, chemicals, and building materials. Through the project, USAID works with the Government of Egypt to improve the trade and investment policy environment and reduce barriers to trade. USAID also partners with business associations and export councils to strengthen the trade services ecosystem for small
- and medium-sized exporters, as well as with private companies to help them access new international markets to increase export sales. TRADE tackles many trade and investment-related issues to sustainably increase Egyptian exports and drive economic growth.

**Company Overview**:
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