SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan Senior Technical Advisor STA

The European Union – Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF) is a five-year initiative designed to support the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Somalia’s engagement in, and cooperation with, the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to expedite progress towards achievement of the 2030 global Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The project is being implemented through a service contract, signed between the EUD and DAI Global Belgium, and operates from DAIs offices in Mogadishu and Nairobi.

The project duration was initially scheduled to run for 36 months, from 1st January 2024 through to 31st December 2026, but this was subsequently extended to 31st December 2028.

The general objective of the assignment may be summarised as:

• To develop a comprehensive, evidence-based, and results-oriented SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan (2027–2031).

The specific objectives of the assignment are:

• To assess SOMINVEST’s current institutional performance, mandate, capacities, opportunities and challenges.
• To define SOMINVEST’s vision, mission, values and strategic positioning, for the period 2027–2031.
• To establish strategic goals, outcomes, objectives and key performance indicators.
• To develop a sector prioritisation framework to guide investment promotion efforts.
• To formulate an investment attraction, facilitation, retention and aftercare strategy.
• To develop a resource mobilisation and partnership framework to support institutional sustainability.
• To establish a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEAL) and complementary reporting framework.
• To prepare a detailed and costed implementation plan and institution strengthening roadmap.
• To align SOMINVEST’s strategy with current national development priorities and global best practice.

To meet these requirements, SOMINVEST is seeking support from the EU Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility, in the form of technical experts specialised in development planning and formulating institutional and strategic blueprints (inclusive their wider architecture, including management structures, monitoring frameworks, etc.) and subsequent Strategic Plan institutionalisation and implementation, across the SOMINVEST operational structure. 

Working closely with appropriate authorities at SOMINVEST and MoPIED (and possibly with selected FMS-level State Ministries of Planning), and with TAPF Key Experts (KE1 and KE2) and Non-key Experts (the MoPIED Senior Technical Advisor and State Level Coordinators), the STA will lead and direct the preparation (through document review and data analysis), design, draft formulation and subsequent validation, of a first SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan (2027 – 2031), thus helping to translate the overarching economic vision outlined in National Transformation Plan (NTP) Pillar 2, into a precise, actionable programme.

Specifically, for SOMINVEST to effectively translate NTP planning into tangible results (and to establish a credible, standardised, investment promotion and coordination system) it is essential that the SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan provides a clear roadmap for transforming SOMINVEST into a / the leading Somali investment promotion institution, capable of mobilising domestic and foreign investment, supporting private sector development, fostering strategic partnerships, and contributing to Somalia’s economic transformation and sustainable development objectives. 

The Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will work with, and be based at SOMINVEST, in the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development in Mogadishu, but will liaise and coordinate with other relevant FGS and FMS institutions. 

The NKE will also interact with non-state actors, such as civil society organisations, the private sector, and with international partners, facilitating their participation in stakeholder dialogue activities, e.g. in consultations and validation events. Partners will include:

• Federal Government Ministries and Agencies
• Federal Member State institutions
• Private sector organisations
• Chambers of Commerce
• Domestic and foreign investors
• Development partners
• International financial institutions
• Diaspora investment networks
• Academia and research institutions
• Civil society organisations

Under the direct supervision of the SOMINVEST Director, with support from the TAPF / MoPIED STA, and in conjunction with the TAPF Team Leader and Key Expert 2, the SOMINVEST “Strategic Plan” STA will pro-actively contribute to, and where required “drive”, preparation and formulation of the SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan (2027-2031), through direct engagement (and in coordination) with government counterpart MDAs and other stakeholders. Specifically, the Expert is expected to undertake and complete the following tasks (encompassing the following operational components):

• Week 1 (5 days each) Conduct a review of SOMINVEST’s
• Week 2 (5 days each)  Conduct consultations with key stakeholders
• Week 3 (5 days each)   Continuation of consultations with key stakeholders, and Prepare a Stakeholder Consultation Report
• Week 4 (5 days - STA, 2 days - JNKE) Commence drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan (2027–2031), including Strategic Framework development, inclusive strategic objectives and key performance indicators Framework
• Week 4 (4 days - STA, 3 days - JNKE) Continuation of drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, including Development of a Strategic Framework, inclusive KPIs 
• Week 6 (4 days - STA, 2 days - JNKE) Continuation of drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, including Compiling a Sector Prioritisation Framework
• Week 7 (4 days - STA, 2 days - JNKE) Continuation of drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, including Compiling an Investment Attraction and Facilitation Strategy, inclusive a guide to Digital Investment Promotion
• Week 8 (4 days - STA, 2 days - JNKE) Continuation of drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, including Compiling a Resource Mobilisation and Partnership Framework 
• Week 9 (4 days - STA, 3 days - JNKE) Continuation of drafting the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, including Compiling a Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting Framework
• Week 10 (3 days each) Organise and conduct a plan validation workshop with a Validation Workshop Report
• Week 11 (4 days - STA, 3 days - JNKE)  Prepare a costed Implementation Roadmap and a Monitoring & Evaluation Framework
• Week 12 (3 days for the STA only) Prepare a Final draft of the SOMINVEST Five-Year Strategic Plan, suitable for presentation to government, investors and development partners

The SOMINVEST Five-year Strategic Plan Senior Technical Advisor (STA) should possess:

• A university degree, preferably a Master’s, in one of the following fields: Public Administration, Business Administration, International Development, Economics, Public Policy Development, Development Planning, International Trade Finance, or a related field.
• 8 or more years of practical work experience in a senior executive or advisory capacity with an international development organisation, private sector company, non-governmental organisation or government institution, including at least three (3) previous assignments as either a development planner or policy development officer, preparing regional, organisational or company-level strategic plans, or development policies. 
• Previous work experience as a TA or CTA (technical assistant / chief technical advisor), embedded within a host government department, inclusive mentoring and capacity development experience, leading development programmes and / or formulation of operational plans and / or strategies and policies. 
• Previous experience (in at least two (2) work assignments) of workshop organisation and facilitation, inclusive in-depth knowledge of and familiarity with focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and other interactive data collection methodologies, preparation of PowerPoint presentations and handouts, and moderating workshop plenaries. 
• Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and spoken / verbal communication skills in both English and Somali.
• Extensive knowledge of the local (Somali) economic and development context.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities effectively.

The role will be answerable to the Director of the Somali Investment Promotion Agency (SOMINVEST) and will be supervised by the TAPF Team Leader, in close collaboration with the TAPF KE2 / Partnership Advisor and TAPF Senior Technical Advisor (STA), permanently deployed to MoPIED. 

Time sheets will be approved by the TAPF Team Leader and the EU Delegation (EUD).

The working language of the assignment and contract will be English, and all communication and reports will be submitted in English.

The role is, indicatively, expected to commence ASAP and to be implemented as a single, continuous assignment, counting from the date of first deployment of the expert. 

The assignment will be implemented from the SOMINVEST / MoPIED office in Mogadishu. 

Travel to selected districts within Somalia may be required, to conduct consultations and other data collection activities, subject to relevant project, contractor, and EU rules and regulations, including security protocols and the outcome of contemporary DAI security assessments.