Objective of the Assignment

Facilitate an institutional/organizational needs assessment of the TCCIA district chapters performances through identifying strengths and gaps. Provide recommendations for improvement in order to enhance organization/operational capacity and sustainability.

The Program

The Tanzania Enabling Growth through Investment and Enterprise Program (ENGINE) is a four-year (2017 – 2020) USAID-funded Feed the Future Tanzania activity awarded through contractual mechanism that aims to streamline and enhance many of the regulatory, informational and financial channels that encourage domestic and foreign investment in the southern mainland agricultural regions of Mbeya, Morogoro, and Iringa, and in Zanzibar.

ENGINE works at the district Local Government Authority (LGA) level, using a broad-based approach to engage with district councils, private sector associations, business development service providers, financial institutions and small and medium enterprises. The program’s activities are divided into three main components.

Implement policies for growth. Build the capacity of the private sector to effectively dialogue with the government to set the policy agenda and improve the capacity of the public sector to implement policies.

Equip businesses for growth. Strengthen SME capacity and foster the growth and capacity of a sustainable market for business development services (BDS) in Tanzania.

Access to finance for growth. Broaden access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in all sectors, especially women and youth entrepreneurs and those working within agricultural value chains (excluding primary producers), to facilitate increased business viability, growth, and investment.

Background

Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) is a member-based organization for the private sector which has offices in all regions of Tanzania Mainland. All Regional chambers are semi-autonomous and their overall objectives are:

1. To unite all members of the business community in the respective region,
2. To act as an instrument of the members in dialogue with the government and parastatals on broad issues of macro and micro social economic policy.
3. To formulate and uphold the highest standards of business ethics.
4. To promote, coordinate and protect commercial, industry and agriculture interest in Tanzania mainland for TCCIA members.
5. To foster social unity within and to promote the welfare of the commercial, industrial and agricultural community.
6. To promote and support legislation that eliminates bureaucratic impediments or regulations that adversely affects the interests of commerce, industry and agriculture.

TCCIA district chapters, for instance in Mufindi, Kyela and Kilosa, have many inactive members. Normally, a member who failed to pay his/her subscription fee for more than three years is counted as an inactive member. Due to this, TCCIA chapters have failed to attain their objectives mentioned above. For example, in the Mufindi TCCIA, only 14% of its members are active (pay their fees on time) whereas in Kilosa, TCCIA has no formal membership organization so far. In addition, the Kyela TCCIA has an active membership though there is a challenge of leadership performance.

TCCIA aims to have an enabling business environment for its members and non-members through several activities which are:

1. Lobbying and Advocacy to the Public sector through Public Private Dialogue (PPD) regarding the change of policies which are hurdles to its members and business community.
2. Capacity building to its members by providing trainings in collaboration with other stakeholders like the higher learning institutions
3. To link its members with financial institutions for increasing TCCIA members’ capital.
4. To link members with domestic and international markets for TCCIA members’ products.
5. Run a Business Information Centre (BIC) where some services are provided such as Internet services, printed materials for information and education, business registration, provision of Certificates of Origin for exporting products and secretarial services.

Problem Statement

District TCCIA Chapters experience challenges concerning organization/operational management due to the lack of sustainable source of funds and lack of marketing strategy skills which lead to poor organizational performance.  Most TCCIA revenue depends on membership fees.  There has been a decline in number for recruited members, and several members have dropped their membership. This affects the financial stability of the organizations, which leads to poor performance of the Organizations.

Therefore, the emerging situation facing TCCIA district chapters calls for technical support from ENGINE which would improve the organizational performance and sustainability

Tasks

The Expert Volunteer will be required to accomplish the following tasks;

a. Organizational Assessment

b. Conduct SWOT analysis

c. Institutional performance appraisal

d. With the objective of becoming financially stable with a large member base, develop an efficient membership recruitment system

, member retention strategy and membership fee structure.  

e. Design and test a tool that will be used to maximize subscription collections and reduce cost of operations.

f.  Develop marketing strategies which enhance TCCIA to be competitive in promoting the business environment;

g.Provide capacity building to address the operational management gaps that have been identified and document those that require additional time and/or resources to be addressed;

h. Establish an information and communication strategy that will ensure membership satisfaction and reduce cost, increase revenue and promote an enabling business environment;

i. Build organizational capacity on policy agenda identification, analysis, consultation and advocacy for reform through dialogue.

j.Develop a tool which will be used to promote networking with other business chapters and used as an advertising method for members’ business and information-sharing (markets/ opportunities) with other chambers in other countries.

Deliverables

1. Inception Report and Work Plan
2. Capacity Building Report
3. Draft report with strategic recommendations for promoting membership recruitment, information/communication, maximize subscription collection and revenue sources. This must be submitted to TCCIA district chapters for discussion and concurrence.
4. Final Report with recommendations to be submitted to respective TCCIA management teams for acceptance and approval. Then submitted to ENGINE
5. T he Expert Volunteer will conduct debriefing meetings to TCCIA chapters and ENGINE-Dar Office/USAID.

Qualification of the Expert Volunteer

• 5+ years of experience working within a Chamber of Commerce in operational management, marketing and economic management, information and communication for networking and advocacy;
• A minimum of University Degree in Business Administration, Project/Development Planning and Management, Economics, Agri-Business and/or Industrial Development. Master’s degree and above is an added advantage.
• An innovative and creative professional with experience in membership recruitment and retention
• Stakeholder engagement skills, especially networking and linkages.
• Lobbying and Advocacy skills
• Well equipped with computer skills especially Excel, Word and Publisher.
• Report writing skills
• Knowledge on how TCCIA operates in Tanzania and proven experience in similar assignments in Tanzania will be an added advantage.
• Works well in a multi-cultural setting
• Experience in stakeholders’ engagement, consultation and facilitation
• Capacity building needs assessments, and the preparation of management/administrative documents, systems and tools.
• Fluent in the English language, with knowledge of Swahili will be an added advantage.