Market Systems Development Advisor

Quick Facts

• Contract length: 1 year
• Work style: Remote / HQ (Prague, Czech Republic)
• Starting date: Upon agreement
• Line manager: Climate Resilience Strategy Lead

Description

The Market Systems Development Advisor provides technical leadership, strategic direction, and practical application of market systems development and private sector engagement across programme interventions. The role supports country teams in designing and implementing market-based interventions that improve incomes, employment, resilience, access to essential services, and inclusive economic opportunities for poor and crisis-affected populations—moving beyond conventional livelihoods toward commercially viable, climate-resilient, and investment-ready market systems.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen the quality and scale of market systems development programmes, including design, implementation, evaluation, donor engagement, and knowledge management
• Support country teams to identify, assess, and structure partnerships with private companies, financial institutions, investors, cooperatives, service providers, and other market actors to ensure sustainability and develop innovative financing models
• Provide technical leadership for financial inclusion strategies for farmers, MSMEs, informal businesses, women-led enterprises, and other underserved groups
• Design large-scale market systems development programmes with investment finance components and engagement of national and international private sector and financial institutions for donors
• Support donor engagement and represent the organization in relevant fora with best practices and lessons learned
• Build internal capacities through mentoring, training, webinars, and develop guidance and tools for knowledge management
• Contribute to annual plans and priorities of the Program, Strategy and Impact department and coordinate with other advisors

Requirements

• Significant experience designing and implementing market systems development, private sector development, or inclusive economic growth programmes in LMIC countries
• Strong understanding of private sector engagement in fragile, conflict-affected, or low-income contexts
• Proven ability to identify market constraints and design practical interventions for poor and excluded groups
• Experience working with private companies, financial institutions, investors, cooperatives, service providers, government actors, and development partners
• Strong understanding of investment mobilisation, blended finance, co-investment models, smart subsidies, and risk-sharing mechanisms
• Experience designing financial inclusion strategies for farmers, MSMEs, women, youth, or informal businesses
• Good understanding of climate resilience, green growth, climate finance, and emerging carbon credit opportunities
• Experience leading large programme design processes for donor-funded programmes with private sector engagement and investment models
• Ability to assess commercial viability, partner incentives, business models, and risks
• Strong facilitation, mentoring, training, and advisory skills
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills

Benefits

• Salary according to the organization’s salary scale and local cost of living
• 25 days of holiday annually, plus 3 sick days and 3 study leave days
• Relatively flexible working hours and remote work options based on role and agreement
• Laptop provided for professional and personal use; flexible office arrangements and a collaborative workspace in central Prague (for those based there)
• When traveling abroad: reimbursement of flights, visas, and vaccinations; visa application assistance; travel health insurance including repatriation; 24/7 online medical support; free online psychological consultations; per diems per internal ordinance for trips to country programmes or HQ
• Professional development: free access to e-learning platforms and the Learning Hub, global induction training, tailored capacity-building opportunities (including HEAT Humentum and PuntoSud trainings), and internal webinars
• Additional cultural and social opportunities; extra benefits for Prague-based colleagues such as a multisport card and in-house kindergarten