The Marketing Specialist is broadly responsible for organizing marketing and communications actions and will develop and execute marketing strategies to achieve Goldozi Project objectives. He/she will conceptualize and develop a Goldozi Marketing Strategy that consolidates marketing efforts across the HEP value chain and will liaise with buyers, Sales Agents (SAs), Women Embroiderers (WEs) and the Goldozi Partnership Network (GPN) to implement marketing activities. The Marketing Specialist will work with SAs, WEs, and the GPN to identify and resolve critical marketing gaps to create and/or enhance jobs among the Project beneficiaries. A cross-cutting strategy will support an enabling environment that provides SAs and WEs with greater access to new opportunities to market and expand their businesses. Both domestic and international market opportunities will be explored and embraced for the benefit of the SAs’ and WEs’ growth and development. The Marketing Specialist will work alongside private and public‑sector counterparts to create a seamless approach that showcases the Goldozi brand and Goldozi-supported embroidery products.
- Work in tandem with the Communications Specialist and the GPN (Goldozi Partnership Network), with direct support from the Senior Management Team in the development of marketing strategies that will achieve the Project’s marketing objectives for the HEP value chain, including:
- Conducting field visits and needed work to understand the challenges in production, marketing, and sales, with emphasis on women’s hand embroidery, and buyer-seller relationship dynamics.
- Performing analyses to identify market opportunities, considering the rural, urban, regional, and national context.
- Supporting the GPN in facilitating communication between the SAs and actors in both upstream and downstream markets to foster relationships that promote Afghan women’s hand embroidery.
- Organizing and implementing Market Exposure visits with the GPN and SAs to establish buyer-seller relationships, identify market trends, and navigate obstacles that prevent women embroiderers from entering established, lucrative markets.
- Assisting in building and updating a comprehensive database of various actors across the embroidery value chain in Goldozi target areas.
- Maintain both paper and digital filing systems for marketing linkages activities.
- Recording notes and relevant data during each market linkages event for analysis and reporting to the Senior Management Team.
- Develop criteria with the Grants Manager and identify qualified Business Development Services Providers (BDSPs).
- Pro-actively work with the GPN and SAs to generate new business opportunities by creating linkages to BDSPs and established, lucrative markets that will generate sales, leading to jobs creation or enhance existing jobs for SAs and WEs.
- Collaborating with the GPN, conduct research and analysis, and prepare periodic reports that can be used as market intelligence to achieve sales and marketing goals set out in the Goldozi Marketing Strategy.
- Assist in the development of marketing products based on findings that address market demand (colors, styles, stitches, regional preferences), including packaging, quality, price, on-time delivery, and identify target markets based on research and analysis on market trends.
- Conduct B2B-meeting between value chain actors (Input suppliers, producers, traders, exporters/importers)
- Working with the Communication Specialist, plan and execute a comprehensive marketing/communications campaign to reach target audiences through appropriate channels (i.e., social media, e-mail, television, radio, etc.).
- Using a unified team approach, work with the Learning Specialist and Communication Specialist to design and develop training modules on topics that address market-readiness, product development and quality, negotiation skills, customer service, and event planning.
- Coordinate with the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager to report SAs’ linkages to markets, sales, and income generation, and WEs’ production and income generation against Goldozi indicators.
- Assist in organizing and implementing marketing events, such as exhibitions and trade shows, and play an integral role in the planning and implementation of two HEP Industry Conferences over the life of the Project.
- Organize stakeholder forums to foster communication between the GIROA, USAID and other donors, industry leaders, academia, and private sector parties to explore opportunities for collaboration. Manage buyer-seller relations and initiate as-needed communication between the GPN, BDSPs, and specialists. Perform other marketing-related tasks as assigned by COP and DCOP.
- At least 5-7 years of experience working with marketing activities. USAID experience highly desirable.
- At least 3-5 years of experience working on marketing activities that consider gender mainstreaming, or equivalent years of experience.
- The ideal candidate should demonstrate an ability to work in a culturally mixed environment.
- Ability to think strategically and critically about the role of marketing in achieving Project objectives.
- Ability to solve problems and manage a variety of activities with multiple deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal and client-relations skills.
- Excellent verbal, written, presentation and editing skills in English, Dari and Pashtu.
- Strong organizational skills; ability to prioritize work.
- Ability to work effectively, both, independently and in a team unit.
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