The purpose of this contract is to improve the quality and availability of business support services to SMEs by building capacity of:

(a) business service professionals (consultants); and

(b) business support institutions at national and local level in the beneficiary country

The activities shall encompass:

(a) development of the professional expertise of the business service professionals (consultants) in order to support and encourage SMEs to benefit from such services; and

(b) strengthening of the network of business support institutions (BSO) at national and local level in order that they have the skills and competence necessary for business advice and guidance to SMEs, especially start-ups, as well as to prepare business support institutions for future Structural Funds.

The Team Leader will be responsible for the coordination of activities between all experts, mobilised under this contract, formal and informal reporting, and efficient use of the Project budget, administrative and logistic support to the Project activities.

He/she will be responsible for identifying the needs for mobilisation of non-key expertise and for the coordination of activities between all experts, mobilised under this contract, and for the timely and proper reporting to the Contracting Authority and the Steering Committee.

The key experts will be responsible for implementation and management of the components

• a) Capacity building/training to consultants
• b) Capacity building/training/mentoring for Business Support Organisations

Qualification and skills

• University Degree
• Fluency in English

General professional experience

• Working experience of business management in the private sector
• Experience of working with EU funded projects

Specific professional experience

• 8 years of professional working experience in the area of SME development
• Working experience of implementing institutional development programmes in SME support institutions
• Experience in promotion of advisory services for SMEs
• Working experience as Team Leader in at least one SME development related project