National Private Sector and Business Association Liaison

The National Private Sector and Business Association Liaison will support the SiCalidad Paraguay project by engaging with business associations, chambers, and other private-sector stakeholders to strengthen the Quality Infrastructure System in Paraguay's agro-industrial sector. The role involves stakeholder mapping, facilitating dialogue, supporting strategic meetings, and reporting on project activities to promote sustainable practices and MSME competitiveness.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a rapid assessment of the current status of engagement with business associations, chambers, sectoral gremios, and other relevant private-sector stakeholders under the SiCalidad Paraguay project, identifying coordination gaps, expectations, risks, and opportunities for improved collaboration.
• Update and refine the project stakeholder map and engagement plan, emphasizing business intermediary organizations, sectoral chambers, SME-related institutions, quality infrastructure actors, and public-private platforms relevant to SiCalidad implementation.
• Liaise with senior representatives of business associations, chambers, sectoral gremios, MIC, UIP, FECOPROD, INTN, DINAVISA, donor entities, and other national counterparts to facilitate constructive dialogue, alignment of expectations, and timely participation in project activities.
• Support the Project Coordinator and field team in preparing and facilitating strategic meetings, bilateral discussions, working sessions, and consultation processes with gremios and other key actors, ensuring institutional protocols and sensitivities are considered.
• Support follow-up of agreements and commitments from meetings with business associations, sectoral gremios, public institutions, and other partners, ensuring actions are tracked and escalated when needed.
• Prepare a final activity report summarizing tasks performed, outputs delivered, stakeholder engagement status, lessons learned, key risks, and recommendations for the next phase of implementation.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Production Systems, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, or related field is required.
• Specialized training in productivity, quality, continuous improvement, strategic management, business development or related areas is desirable.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree or diploma from a higher technical institution may be accepted with at least seven additional years of relevant professional experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in private-sector leadership, institutional governance, business association coordination, public-private articulation, strategic management or related fields is required.
• Proven experience working with or within business intermediary organizations, industrial associations, chambers of commerce, sectoral gremios, boards, executive committees or similar governance bodies is required.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with public institutions, ministries, business associations, SME support organizations, donors, and/or international cooperation partners is required.
• Experience in the design, supervision or strategic follow-up of programmes related to SME competitiveness, productivity, quality, sustainability, formalization, innovation, or industrial development is required.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate high-level meetings, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, manage institutional sensitivities, and translate strategic discussions into concrete follow-up actions is required.
• Experience in strategic planning, organizational strengthening, change management, due diligence, internal control, financial oversight, or institutional transition processes is desirable.
• Experience with projects financed by international development partners or donors, particularly the European Union, UNIDO or other United Nations entities, is desirable.
• Knowledge of Paraguay's industrial ecosystem, SME development agenda, quality/productivity institutions, and public-private coordination mechanisms is desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and internet-based communication and collaboration tools is required.
• Strong analytical, writing, reporting, negotiation and interpersonal skills are required.
• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is required.
• Working knowledge of English is required.
• Fluency in Guarani and/or working knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

Skills

• Private-sector leadership
• Institutional Governance
• Business association coordination
• Public-private articulation
• Strategic Management
• SME competitiveness programs
• Productivity Improvement
• Quality Management
• Continual Improvement
• Business Development
• Stakeholder Engagement
• High-Level Meeting Facilitation
• Consensus Building
• Strategic Planning
• Organizational Strengthening
• Change Management
• Due Diligence
• Internal Controls
• Financial Oversight
• Project Supervision
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Internet communication tools
• Report Writing
• Negotiation

Languages

Spanish, English