EQUATION is recruiting for the French Development Agency (AFD) a:
Duty station : Antananarivo-Madagascar
RECRUITMENT CONTEXT
Despite growth of 3.8% in 2023 and a positive outlook, the Malagasy economy is struggling to generate job- and wealth-creating investment. Extreme poverty (affecting over 80% of the population) persists, public spending remains low (19% of GDP in 2022), and inequalities are marked, both in terms of income and poverty intensity between rural (82%) and urban (27%) areas.
The private sector, the foundation of inclusive development, is hampered by the predominance of the informal sector (94% of jobs), made up of low-productivity micro-businesses, often rural and agricultural. These subsistence self-entrepreneurs are among the most excluded from development dynamics. Formal MSMEs, though capable of creating decent jobs, face severe systemic constraints. The business environment remains unfavorable, with heavy taxation, complex regulations, limited access to financing, and support systems that are still inadequate, poorly distributed across the country and lacking in professionalism.
Access to foreign markets is crucial for small and medium-sized businesses, but exports remain undiversified and dominated by a small number of companies. Without support for compliance with European sustainability standards (CS3D, RDUE, LMR), Madagascar risks seeing its business opportunities shrink. This calls for a strengthening of the skills and tools of business support services.
Gender is a major factor of economic and social vulnerability in entrepreneurship and access to economic opportunities in Madagascar. Despite an equal representation of women at the head of MSMEs, structural inequalities – limited access to resources, financing, technical support – remain little taken into account by ecosystem players. Women face increased precariousness: they are over-represented in self-employment (58.1%), often underpaid, and more vulnerable to economic shocks. Laws theoretically guarantee equality, but in practice, legal and social obstacles hinder female entrepreneurship: unequal land rights, legal constraints on access to credit, unfavorable social norms and a high domestic workload (over 4h/day on average). Their lower social capital and poor integration into economic networks keep them in less lucrative sectors, with limited bargaining power, thus restricting their access to markets and their growth potential.
- Issues identified:
The EDBM (Economic Development Board of Madagascar) plays a key role in improving the business climate, both as a driving force behind the reform agenda, as a secretariat for public-private dialogue, and as a service provider to investors via the one-stop shop for formalization
In 2023, EDBM embarked on a strategic transformation through a new intervention paradigm, aimed at strengthening its services to public and private players. Thanks to its unique positioning in the ecosystem, EDBM is in a position to drive systemic change in the service of Madagascan MSMEs, creating decent jobs.
These systemic evolutions concern both the strengthening of collaboration between public and private players (e.g. in the design and implementation of entrepreneurial support programs), and the consideration of structural issues in the modes and processes of intervention of these players.
Two of these structural challenges have been identified as key to Madagascar’s economic development:
sustainability standards (climate, environment, human rights, gender equality), a prerequisite for competitiveness on regional and international markets, and the reduction of gender inequalities, the driving force behind accelerated economic growth.
- Purpose and specific objective(s) of the project :
The Itovia project aims to strengthen the private sector’s capacity to generate inclusive economic growth, creating decent and sustainable jobs, with a view to reducing gender inequalities and integrating sustainability standards into businesses. The specific objectives (S.O.) of the project are:
S.O. 1: Support the transformation of EDBM in its missions to support national investors and improve the business climate. This component is implemented by EDBM.
S.O. 2: Support high-impact Malagasy MSMEs and cooperatives at the creation, formalization and development stages. This component will be operated by a consortium of NGOs.
- Project content and strategy
In order to promote the systemic changes identified as determining inclusive growth (sustainability standards and gender equality), the project will be deployed :
– at central level with EDBM, to improve the efficiency of public business support services, and to support public institutions and players providing technical and financial support to MSMEs in improving their gender-sensitive services;
– at local level, with MSME support operators who, in partnership with EDBM, will be able to deploy support programs targeting female entrepreneurship. These activities will be localized and will provide technical and financial support to eligible MSMEs. These initiatives will ensure the participation and strengthening of particularly disadvantaged segments of self-employed women.
Actions at all levels aim to create a favorable environment for the creation, growth and resilience of MSMEs, by supporting them throughout their life cycle (from ideation to internationalization).
The reduction of gender inequalities is integrated into this ecosystem approach, through a logic of “gender-sensitive investments”, aimed at strengthening women’s economic participation and promoting equality.
- Governance structures
The EDBM oversees the entire project. Several governance structures will be set up and defined in the project procedures manual. The following structures are envisaged: Project Monitoring Committee, EDBM/Donor Coordination Group, Project Monitoring Technical Group, Steering Committee.
MISSIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the supervision of the Private Sector Portfolio Manager at the Tana Agency and in close collaboration with the Project Team Manager in Paris, his/her main mission will be to ensure the day-to-day management and monitoring of the Itovia project and to ensure the project’s accountability to AFD. He/she will have the following missions (non-exhaustive):
1/ Ensure the project’s successful technical implementation:
- Act as AFD’s day-to-day point of contact for all project partners;
- Monitor and contribute to the execution of activities in accordance with its programming;
- Perform first-level checks on all documents submitted for AFD’s ANO;
- Manage activities financed directly by AFD (communication, audit, evaluation), including preparation of ToRs and contracts, supervision and implementation of activities, quality control;
- Participate in the quality rating of the project in accordance with AFD procedures, and in the annual reporting of aggregable indicators;
- Review and contribute to annual execution reports;
- Contribute to the updating of due diligence files;
- Monitor the environmental and social commitment plan;
- Participate in project governance and prepare AFD contributions.
2/ Ensure proper financial implementation of the project:
- Oversee the preparation and execution of the annual budgeted work plan (PTBA);
- Schedule annual audit and expenditure verification missions and review reports;
- Prepare, in conjunction with the agency’s disbursement officer, disbursement request files in accordance with AFD procedures and submit them to agency management for signature, and keep the SIOP up to date;
- Ensure the filing and archiving of all project monitoring documents in accordance with AFD standards.
3/ Provide technical support to EDBM:
- Support the EDBM in setting up new services for entrepreneurs and market access, review and contribute to the development of terms of reference and monitor activities implemented with and by the EDBM;
- Contribute to the production of notes and reports on developments in the Malagasy private sector, regulations, gender issues in the workplace and entrepreneurship
4/ Ensure the project’s internal and external communication:
- Design the communication plan for activities directly financed by AFD and organize events;
- Design an activity to support an artistic project promoting women’s entrepreneurship;
- Ensure regular exchanges with players in the project ecosystem, including TFPs.
PROFILE
- At least a BAC + 3, ideally BAC + 5 in economics, development economics or similar fields. Experience in supporting entrepreneurship, particularly women’s entrepreneurship, is an asset;
- At least 4 years’ professional experience, ideally 7 years or more, in the development, management and monitoring of externally-funded development projects;
- Expertise in reducing gender inequalities.
- Proven experience in project monitoring and evaluation.
- Organizational skills, excellent communication, dialogue and moderation skills at a high level;
- Knowledge of procedures relating to the reporting and control system for funding;
- Knowledge of international donor procurement and payment procedures is considered an asset.
Please send your application, comprising a detailed CV, covering letter, salary expectations and at least 3 professional references with scan of highest diploma,
by July 14, 2025 at the latest, to itovia@fthmconsulting.com.
Please note that the provision of references is compulsory and constitutes authorization to contact them.