Cover Letter

To: ACHRO

CBP-****-****

From: Mohammad Arif “Marifat”

Vacancy No:

Subject:Application for the post of Business Development Service Provider

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my keen interest to apply for the position of Service Provider. I have More than 14 years’ experience working in different positions at various organizations including BRAC – Afghanistan as Project Manager – GEPII, ACBAR, IOM, IRD and DAI/USAID. Currently I am working as Value Chain Specialist at DAI-RADP-E and I have worked with different international and USAID funded projects in Afghanistan). I believe that my educational background and my work experience with International organizations, and USAID funded projects in different positions and fields where I have gained enough experience enable me to play an active role. I have over 14 years’ progressive experience managing a range of programs in Grants, Education, Agribusiness, private sector development, skills and business development, agribusinesses, Coordination and Value Chain programs in Afghanistan. All jobs what I have done previously is about program development and it is therefore, I am confident and guaranteed you for hitting all the indicators and achieving your targeted goals and objectives. As a project manager - education at BRAC – Afghanistan I was managing and controlling the Girls Education Project II (GEPII) activities, supervising both local and Expatriate staff working for GEPII projects and providing inputs, suggestions and recommendations to field staff to run the project properly in order to achieve project objectives set out for the project. I am currently working for DAI as value chain specialist. I also worked as a agribusiness development officer with $ 160 million project developing private sector, SMEs and improving the business enabling environment for 4 years.

This experience has enabled me to closely observe the progress that has been made with business environment in Afghanistan, the constraints to private sector development and investment, and the challenges that remain to be addressed.

Because of my management and leadership skill, all of the programme that I have worked with have delivered all its performance indicators in a transparent and accountable manner, to the satisfaction of both the Government and donors including GAC that was funding the education sector programme in BRAC - Afghanistan.I have been closely engaged with private sector companies/ Agribusinesses over the course of my work with DAI – RADP-E, encompassing the poultry, dairy, Tomato and Apricot value chains in Afghanistan and have a detailed understanding of each step of the enterprise development process, together with the business environment constraints that require further reform based on their constraints they face. I have great experience of grants documentations and grants process from grants issues till grant close –out.

Mohammad Arif “Marifat” CV

Mohammad Arif Marifat

E-mail: ad2ave@r.postjobfree.com, ad2ave@r.postjobfree.com

Cell: 078*******/070*******

Professional Experience:

Value Chain Specialist Date: Oct 23, 2016 to July 20, 2021

USAID/DAI/RADP-E Kabul

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Support export businesses in terms of international market to export their commodities

Identified market development opportunities for targeted value chains.

Developed concept note for Gulfood – Dubai 2019 exhibition.

Identified constraints, market-based solutions and to integrate traders and value chain actors.

Conducted B2Bs, B2Fs and other training activities and prepared reports of the said activities.

Market research and identifying market opportunities for the new business/grantees.

Other market related activities in coordination with market development department.

Conducted focus group discussion for value chain analysis and for FY 1, FY2 and FY 3 work plan design and implementation.

Organized workshops to incorporate the idea of production and processing companies in the value selection reports.

Prepared analyzing reports for the selected value chains in targeted provinces of RADP-E.

Identified potential agribusiness, developed Neg-Memos, presented and successfully supported 10 agribusinesses through in – kind grants in apricot value chains and supported other value chains in developing Neg-memos.

Prepared survey questionnaire for 4 selected value chains (Apricot, Tomato, Poultry and Dairy)

Contributed to the design of facilitative activities with the Business Development Manager, draft and refine annual work plans

Supported crosscutting technical advisors to address gender integration, environment concerns, access to finance, and market linkages

Coordinated activities with other Business Development Specialist in the provinces and other value chains and implementing partners.

BRAC – Afghanistan - Education Program

Project Manager - GEPII Date: March 16, 2016 to Oct 22, 2016

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Ensure that the program is managed and implemented according to the agreement, proposal, budget and timeline, within BRAC Afghanistan’s Strategic Framework and all of BRAC policies and procedures.

Provide direct and ongoing supervision and managerial support to all programmatic activities and to ensure all education programs are implemented according to the plan.

Ensure targets, indicators and deadlines are met by the regional and provincial team.

Develop and maintain a Work Plan to track activities, targets and milestones weekly, monthly and quarterly.

Develop and maintain a Procurement Plan to track activities, targets and milestones weekly, monthly and quarterly.

Closely work with finance department, procurement and other department to ensure the education program activities and plan is going smoothly as per the given timeline.

Contributed to the development and implementation of M&E tools and systems to improve ability to collect, interpret and aggregate data that demonstrate impact and program accountability and progress.

In collaboration with the M&E Manager, developed and supported the design and implementation of end of project evaluations, surveys and other components of the program M&E system.

Developed high quality quantitative and qualitative methods and participatory methodologies to monitor program quality for performance and results.

Managed the preparation and presentation of work plans, M&E plans, and all reports with the education director.

Plan, Execute and finalized project according to strict deadlines and within budget

Acquire resources and coordinate efforts of team members in order to deliver project according to plan given.

Supervised and managed a huge staff of (568 employees) in 12 provinces including 15 Bangladeshi regional managers and quality assurance specialists.

Define the project’s objectives and oversee quality control throughout its life cycle

Participate in the development of Project Management policies, processes and procedures and manage the implementation to ensure all relevant procedural/ legislative requirements are fulfilled.

Managed day-to-day operations of Project Management by facilitating relevant professional work processes.

Supervised and monitored project progress and provide clear direction and ensure that staff know what is expected from them.

Motivate the team to ensure that the team members work effectively to meet project objectives and ensure standard communication framework with the clients

Prepared informative, timely and accurate technical activity reports from the field that will be incorporated into the overall project reports

Provided continuous guidance and technical assistance to the technical staff

Ensure appropriate skills and knowledge transfer as planned

Achieved project indicators and targets.

Liaison with donor agencies, different stakeholders and the ministries

USAID/DAI/IDEA-NEW - Kabul Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West Program

Agribusiness Development Officer Date: April 07, 2014 to Aug 23, 2015

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Supported 12 agribusinesses in different provinces with provision of in – kind-grants.

Pre – Assessments of business to know about their past activities, financial system and completing ERF (Environmental Review Form for the business willing to receive assistance.

Developed ERR and ERF for 16 agribusinesses.

Follow up and Monitored grants activities provided to the enterprises and agribusinesses.

Coordinated the working relationship between IDEA-NEW, MAIL, programme beneficiaries, service provider and other stakeholders.

Developed HACCP policies and procedures to the production companies in order to ensure getting HACCP certificates the companies.

Handle day-to-day management of the project and oversees the delivery of all goods and services.

Supervise technical specialist in Kabul and provinces

Identified specific value chain business opportunities to pursue and prepare business plans, concept note and technical papers needed for the agribusinesses.

Develop proposals with specific needs of the target business along with specifications of technical assistance to be provided to grantee by IDEA-NEW

Documented and verified all the achievements and successes due to the technical interventions of IDEA-NEW in all the targeted business, and report it on monthly and quarterly basis to M&E.

Follow through with targeted businesses to enable them to succeed in increasing sales, market reach, or improve their services.

Clarification of RFAs submitting by the grantees.

Worked on dairy value chain and supported dairy value chain team in clarification development and other activities.

USAID/ IRD International Relief and Development/ACAPII - Nangarhar

Activity Manager Nov 25 2012 to Nov 05 2013

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Assisted with 120 ACAP II beneficiaries with provision of small grants.

Maintain relationships with key stakeholders and counterparts, government authorities and potential public or private referral programs operating in the area.

Undertake internal coordination with MoLSAMD Liaisons, M&E staff and Incident Record Coordinator.

Ensured timely and efficient delivery of assistance to beneficiaries through grants, contracts, procurement, and logistics.

Supervised and Managed community mobilizers for successful implementation of program activities.

Verify identities of beneficiary’s registries and documentation, in coordination with other ACAP II staff.

Processing grants applications and grants agreements.

USAID/ DA-ACE – Agriculture Credit Enhancement - Kabul

Grants Coordinator Date: Dec 04 2011 to Nov 25 2012

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Lead the grants implementation in close coordination with the Program Director and deputy director.

Supported 05 companies with receiving grants to support ADF loans provided by ADF.

In close consultation with the program director, oversee the whole grant process (start up and close out) and the procedures should be in line with the grants requirements, policies and procedures.

Review grantees’ reports to ensure that the reports is in line with the grant agreement.

Ensure that both ALP-E and USAID rules and regulations are adequately understood and adhered to by all grantees and businesses.

Ensure training and technical assistance is provided to business and enterprises in reporting, marketing and accounting as well as business management.

Worked in close co-operation with ACE technical lending staff in grants implementation.

Maintained the grants financial tracker for grants disbursements and definition of milestones

Keep track of all the deliverables and report on the grants status on regular basis.

Processed all grants payments according to milestones provided to the companies.

USAID/ ACAPI/IOM - International Organization for Migration (IOM)/Afghan Civilian Assistance Program (ACAP) – Nangarhar

Reporting Assistant Date: Oct 09 2009 – November 30 2011

Duties and Responsibilities:

Selecting of beneficiaries for different businesses such as tailoring, Embroidery, grocery shops, livestock and other for the people who were suffering losses.

Follow – up of the awarded businesses

Processing, monitoring and implementation of the Grants including follow up and coordination with main office.

Support the Regional Office Field Assistants in undertaking the daily operational and administrative duties of ACAP

Develop a sound understanding of IOM administrative program reporting methods,

Support the Field Assistant (Nominations) in conducting internet-based research on nominations.

Review, computerize and keep track of all nominations, family assessments, business plans, and Grants applications and grants agreements.

Support field staff in the development of assistance packages: prepare vouchers and supporting documents.

Preparing grants agreements for the selected beneficiaries.

ACBAR (Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief) - Nangarhar

Regional Coordination Officer Date: Dec 01 2008 to Oct 09 2009

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Supervised successfully the day-to-day operations of ACBAR regional office.

Organized capacity building programs for the supportive and technical staff who needs to build their capacity in different areas.

Supervised HR department to ensure all HR matters and recruitment needs are managed in close consultation with HR Director properly.

Participated in all sectorial coordination meetings, seminars and workshops to facilitate inter - agency coordination and information sharing.

Liaise between the representatives of the various agencies, groups and bodies collecting, analyzing and disseminating information relevant to the facilitation of coordination, project planning and implementation.

Provide advice and support to those agencies requiring establishing themselves within the aid community.

Provide regular monthly summarized reports to the director

Prepared monthly, quarterly and annual reports of the eastern region on time.

DYN CORP International Duty station: Nangarhar

Language assistant Date: Mar 01, 2008 to Dec 01 2008

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Translation of training and Squad materials.

Arranged meetings and verbal translation in meetings and seminars.

Translation of MOI’s sending documents for police of Afghanistan (MOI).

Working closely with the advisors of police in the missions.

Purchasing materials and food items for ABP/ANP and ANAP Police of Afghanistan

USAID/ ACAPI/IOM DAI/ALP/E - Alternative Livelihoods Program/East Duty Station: Nangarhar

PSD Coordinator Jan 01, 2007 to Feb 30, 2008

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Work on Grant projects provided by the PSD section to the factories owners and business enterprises and women owned businesses.

Developed loan documents for ARFC (Afghanistan rural finance company).

Developed business plans for securing of loan from ARFC through ALP/E PSD Section.

Meet with the Afghan marble sector on a regular basis to determine trends in business.

Assist in assessments to determine constraints and opportunities facing private sector value chains, mainly at the Small/Medium Enterprise (SME) level

As part of PSD team, designed SME focused programs to address identified weaknesses in targeted value chains.

Liaise with other components of the ALP/E such as Agribusinesses, Finance and infrastructure in developing integrated programs (that have a private sector element).

Saqib English Language and Computer Institute (My own) Duty Station: Nangarhar

Director (Part-time)

Date: Jan 01 2005 to Oct 30 2011

Responsibilities and Achievements:

Researching and selecting textbooks, as well as other educational materials

Ordering or authorizing the purchase of supplies

Involving with the research and design of educational materials and instructional methods

Mentoring new teachers, teaching workshops or seminars

Observing teachers in the classroom

Providing constructive feedback based on teacher evaluations.

Graduated 2200 (220 English and 1980 computers) students from the institute

Managed a huge number of teachers and supportive staff.

Provided capacity building programs to both English and computer students.

Provided guidance to the management of the institute.

Saqib English Language and Computer Institute–Duty station: Nangarhar

Admin/Finance Manager Date: Jan 10 2003 to Dec 30 2004

Duties and Responsibilities:

Managing administrative/Finance and operation activities of the institute.

Providing logistical support (transportation, distribution, reporting, stocking & arranging weekly monthly and annual meetings).

Perform regular check-up from maintenance inspections of facilities to identify maintenance problems or damaged in order to ensure repair or replacement

Crosscheck of all bills provided by the cooks, cleaners and guards to ensure transparency of the payments.

Ensure that all rooms, kitchen, and other areas are cleaned and the need items are available.

Managing Workshops and seminars for teachers.

Preparing financial reports, financial statement and statement analysis.

Attending meetings arranged by directorate of education.

Need assessments for the institute.

ACBAR (Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief) - Nangarhar

English Instructor Date: Jul 01 2006 to Nov 30 2006

Duties and Responsibilities:

Teaching intercom levels and advanced classes to ACBAR supporting Staff.

Preparing Tests Quizzes and New material for the students

Preparing of Vocabulary and Supplementary for the students

Translation of some Persian and Pashto documents, Memos and letters

Education:

2021 (MBA– Project Management) at ISBM (Indian Schools of Business Management) – Distance (last semester exams remaining)

2008 (BA Economic) Graduated from Economic faculty

Nangarhar University, Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

2000 High School Certificate

Shahid Mohammad Arif High School

Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

1995 English Language Certificate

Afghan Murad English language and computer institute

Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

Official travels:

Monitored and Participated in Gulfood – Dubai 2019

Training received:

Value Chain analysis and management training by RADP-E

Grants Proposal writing skills in DAI/ALP/E

Agriculture proposal writing skills.

Project management, Communication and Leadership Trainings in DAI/ALP/E

Accounting three months course at Mashriq Educational Center

General Management Course at AGEF

QuickBooks training in DAI/ALP/E

75 days practical training at Nangarhar Customs, Mili Bank, court, The Afghanistan Bank, Chamber of commerce

Grants processing training in DAI/ACE

Ten days training in HACCP Certification program

TAMIS training, Ethics and other related trainings conducted by RADP-E

Languages:

Understanding

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Languages

fluent

fluent

fluent

fluent

Pashto

fluent

fluent

fluent

fluent

Dari

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

English

References are as bellow;

1.Mohammad Akbar

Value Chain Manager

RADP-E

USAID Contractor

Cell Phone: +93-790******

Email: ad2ave@r.postjobfree.com

http://www.dai.com

2.Dr. Eamal Arman

CEO

Agricultural Development Fund (ADF)

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Kabul, Afghanistan

Mobile: +93-799******

E-mail: ad2ave@r.postjobfree.com

www.adf-af.org www.facebook.com/ADF.Afghanistan

3.Muhammad Hashim

CWSA – Asia

Program deputy director (DRR)

(93-731-***-*** - 079*-***-***

www.communityworldservice.asia Kabul - (Afghanistan)

ad2ave@r.postjobfree.com

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