Website GIZ – Sri Lanka
Job description
Business Development Specialist (Digital) – CIRCULAR Project
About GIZ: The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in Sri Lanka for over 40 years, promoting positive change and assisting sustainable development in economic development, employment, energy and the environment.
About the Project: This position is part of the new “CIRCULAR – Circular Economy in the Food Sector” project starting in Q3 2024. The project focuses on reducing food waste and the usage of single-use plastics in Sri Lanka. It is funded by the European Commission Delegation in Sri Lanka and co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GIZ, Expertise France and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations are jointly implementing the project. GIZ will assume a supporting role for CIRCULAR and run a Management Support Unit (MSU).
Job Description: The Business Development Specialist (Digital) will be responsible for supporting the day-to-day work of CIRCULAR and its linkages to the main program. This role involves:
• Supporting the Programme Manager of CIRCULAR
• Supporting the selection and assessment of start-ups and other businesses to be supported by CIRCULAR
• Advising start-ups and other businesses on incubation, acceleration, and SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) support
• Advising start-ups and other businesses to become investment-ready
• Advising start-ups and other businesses about digital product design, digital marketing and the potential of digital
• Collecting data on progress, outcomes and impacts of start-ups and businesses supported by CIRCULAR
• Supporting CIRCULAR to design and implement work structures with key partners and contracts
• Managing partner relationships
• Managing end-to-end contract management in the highlighted work areas
• Organizing events and workshops
• Liaising with stakeholders, donors and agencies
• Facilitating regular networking
Required Qualifications, Competencies and Experience:
• University degree in business or innovation management, marketing or social sciences.
• 5+ years of professional and documented experience in business development, digital marketing, start-up support, or innovation management.
• Documented experience in client management, business development and business analysis.
• Excellent computer literacy and updated knowledge of trending technological advancements.
• A clear track record of working with digital technologies and products and understanding ongoing digital trends.
• Experience in investments for innovative businesses such as start-ups and prior business development work with start-ups and SMEs is preferred.
• Prior experience working with EU-financed projects is preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills, goal setting and the ability to think divergently and creatively.
• Flexibility to travel when required.
• Excellent communication skills in English and one local language (Sinhala or Tamil).
• Be an enthusiastic team player.
Additional Competencies:
• Drive to learn and willingness to learn.
• Passion about start-up development and business innovation.
• Undeniable entrepreneurial behaviour and attitude and a passion for innovation.
• Ability to carry out tasks with minimal direction while contributing as a good team player.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, keeping the focus on execution and delivering results consistently.