Pacific Value-Added Enterprise Mentors

Position: Pacific Value-Added Enterprise Mentors

Program: Strongim Bisnis

Location: Hybrid-Remote and/or Honiara, Solomon Islands with provincial travel

Duration: The nature and duration of each engagement will depend on the mentor's experience and the needs of participating businesses.

Line manager and directly report to: Team Leader, Strongim Bisnis

Works with: Technical Teams and Program Leadership

Strongim Bisnis (SB) is supporting the development of a more resilient, diversified and inclusive private sector in Solomon Islands. While Solomon Islands has significant opportunities to increase the value generated from its natural resources and agricultural products, there remains a limited number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) successfully processing and marketing value-added products.

This is particularly evident in sectors such as coconut, seaweed and horticulture, where Solomon Islands has a strong resource base but relatively limited processing and product value addition, reducing access to higher-value markets. Building a stronger pipeline of value-added enterprises will require not only access to finance and equipment, but also practical knowledge of how to develop, operate and grow a commercially viable processing business.

Strongim Bisnis therefore seeks to identify experienced entrepreneurs from across the Pacific, as well as Solomon Islander entrepreneurs living in Australia and New Zealand, who have successfully developed their own small or medium-sized value-added businesses. The assignment will draw on entrepreneurs who have practical, first-hand experience of taking products from raw materials through processing, packaging, marketing and sale to customers

The selected entrepreneurs will be engaged as mentors and trainers to share their experience with Solomon Islands businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. The objective is not to provide conventional consultancy advice, but to bring practical business experience into Solomon Islands and enable local entrepreneurs to learn directly from people who have built and operated similar businesses.

The mentors will share their experience across the different aspects of establishing and growing a value-added enterprise, including production methods and quality control, product development, packaging and branding, marketing and sales, financial management, business planning, supply chains and access to markets.

The assignment also aims to demonstrate to Solomon Islands entrepreneurs that value can be created from locally available resources and that commercially successful processing businesses can be developed at an appropriate scale. An important part of the assignment will therefore be to expose emerging entrepreneurs to successful Pacific and Solomon Islander business people who can provide practical examples, challenge existing thinking and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs will provide mentoring, training, business coaching or participate in entrepreneur-focused events and activities.

Potential mentors may be based anywhere in the Pacific Islands or may be Solomon Island nationals who have established businesses in Australia, New Zealand or other countries. Strongim Bisnis is particularly interested in entrepreneurs who understand the realities of operating a small or medium-sized business in a Pacific context, including challenges relating to access to inputs, labour, finance, transport, markets and production at relatively small scale.

The precise areas of support will be determined according to the experience of each entrepreneur and the needs of participating Solomon Islands businesses. Mentoring and training may include, but will not be limited to:

• developing and improving production and processing methods

• product development and identifying commercially viable products;

• understanding customers and developing appropriate markets;

• pricing, costing and managing margins;

• managing production at small and medium scale;

• sales and distribution in domestic, regional and international markets;

• business planning and investment decisions; and

• the practical challenges of starting, managing and growing a processing business including managing supply of inputs.

Mentors will be expected to focus on practical experience and lessons learned from their own businesses, including what worked, what did not work, mistakes made and how these were addressed.

Selected entrepreneurs will be engaged by Strongim Bisnis for specific mentoring, training or entrepreneur development activities. The nature and duration of each engagement will depend on the mentor's experience and the needs of participating businesses.

Engagements may include individual or group mentoring, practical training sessions, business visits, product development sessions, market and business strategy discussions, or participation in events designed to expose Solomon Islands entrepreneurs to successful Pacific business models.

Strongim Bisnis will agree the specific scope, outputs, timing and remuneration for each engagement with the selected entrepreneur prior to commencement.

This may consultancy involves engagement with program participants and community members, including provincial travel and filmed interviews. The consultant is expected to undertake all activities in a manner that is safe, respectful and inclusive, and consistent with Strongim Bisnis’ safeguarding approach and DFAT’s Safeguarding Framework.

Particular care must be taken when engaging with women, youth, and other potentially vulnerable participants. Any safeguarding concerns identified during the assignment must be promptly raised with Strongim Bisnis management.

Pacific entrepreneurs who can provide practical mentoring and training to Solomon Islands SMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to develop value-added and processing businesses. Priority will be given to entrepreneurs who have established and operated their own businesses, rather than individuals whose experience is primarily as consultants, technical advisers or employees of larger companies. Entrepreneurs with experience in developing value-added products from coconut, seaweed and horticultural products will be prioritised. However, relevant experience in other value-addition and processing businesses may also be considered where the business model, production processes or market experience are relevant to opportunities in Solomon Islands.

Strongim Bisnis is seeking entrepreneurs who demonstrate a combination of the following characteristics:

• Business experience: The entrepreneur has established, owned and operated their own small or medium-sized business in value-addition and processing.

• Commercial success: The entrepreneur can demonstrate that their products have been sold commercially and provide evidence of the markets they have reached, the customers they serve and the development or success of their business.

• Practical experience: The entrepreneur has direct knowledge of the operational challenges of running a processing business, rather than only theoretical or technical knowledge.

• Relevant sector experience: Priority will be given to entrepreneurs with experience in coconut products, seaweed products and horticultural processing, although experience in other relevant value-added industries will also be considered.

• Market experience: The entrepreneur should have experience selling products beyond their immediate local market where possible, including to supermarkets, wholesalers, tourism businesses, exporters, online customers or regional and international markets.

• Pacific relevance: Preference will be given to entrepreneurs who understand Pacific markets and operating environments, including Pacific Islanders who have successfully developed businesses in their home countries or Solomon Islanders who have built businesses in Australia or New Zealand

Applications should be submitted via the Recruitee link. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.

Interested entrepreneurs should provide a short submission of no more than two pages describing their business experience and suitability for the assignment, and a CV of no more than four pages and the contact details of three professional referees.

The submission should describe:

1. The business they have developed, including the products produced and the entrepreneur's role in establishing and growing the business.

2. Where the products are sold, including the types of customers and markets reached.

3. The success and development of the business, including relevant evidence of growth, sales, employment, market penetration or other indicators of commercial success.

4. Their experience in value addition and processing, including the key production and business challenges they have overcome.

5. Their view of the opportunities for Solomon Islands entrepreneurs, including products and markets they believe have potential.

6. The main challenges facing Solomon Islands entrepreneurs seeking to develop value-added businesses.

7. The areas in which they could provide mentoring or training, based on their own experience.

Strongim Bisnis will assess submissions against the relevance and strength of the entrepreneur's business experience, demonstrated success in value addition, relevance to Solomon Islands opportunities, understanding of Pacific markets and their ability to share practical experience with other entrepreneurs.

Any questions should be sent to [email protected]

Please use the following subject line in your email: Adviser role enquiry

This position will be recruited through Adam Smith International (ASI). ASI is committed to continually improving the diversity of our workforce through the attraction, retention, and development of a diverse range of talented people. Women, people with disabilities, Indigenous and ethnic minority groups, and nationals of Pacific countries are encouraged to apply. We want people to be comfortable bringing their whole self to work and recognise that inclusion brings further opportunities for innovation and creativity.