Government of Lesotho

Private Sector Competitiveness (PSC) Project

Support to the Garment Industry – Lesotho

Maseru Skills Centre Manager

Background

A Skills Centre has been established in Maseru, where there is the greatest concentration of garment factories. The Centre has been established by the existing Lesotho Textile Exporters Association (LTEA), a non-profit organization representative of the majority of garment factories in the Maseru area.

The key objective of the Center is to assist the garment industry in Lesotho to achieve the following goals in the medium to long-term: (i) enhance the competitiveness of garment manufacturers through improving their productivity levels; (ii) meet the demands of major buyers to add more value to ‘commodity’ type products currently produced in Lesotho and support emerging product differentiation initiatives of new investors; (iii) slow down the eroding market position of the industry in Lesotho, particularly under AGOA and support diversification into the South African and EU markets; and (iv) prevent any further withdrawal of investors and loss of employment and encourage new investors in the garment sector.

The Center is designed as a private-public partnership with clearly defined roles and contribution and will be governed by a Management Council consisting of seven representatives of industry, and four ex-officio voting members from Government. The Management Council will be the apex decision-making body for the Center, its members will be elected every year, and the Council will receive quarterly reports from management. Management of the Center will be the responsibility of a Center Manager. The Center Manager will be assisted by an Administrator. The Government representatives will be permanent members acting in an advisory capacity to the Management Council in all matters relating to Government policies.
 

Specific Responsibilities

The Center Manager will be responsible for:
 

1. overall day-to-day management of the Center, including coordination of budgeting, procurement activities, financial management and monitoring and evaluation;
    

2. functioning as the Secretary of the Management Council and in this capacity to organize and facilitate meetings of the Council, present budgets, action plans and operational reports for decision-making and liaising with the Council on all matters related to the effective performance of the Center; and
    

3. coordination with other donors and relevant programs/projects. He/She will develop the training program and budget and prepare quarterly reports on the implementation of training activities by the Center and report to the Management Council. The Manager will also be responsible to ensure the financial sustainability of the Center in the third year of its operations at the end of the financing by the Government through the IDA Credit.

Qualifications and Experience

A degree or equivalent in the areas covering management; business and training in the garment industry; minimum five years proven managerial experience in the garment industry. Demonstrate ability to design, implement, monitor and evaluate training programs. Ability to prepare annual work plans, budgets and reports. Computer literacy and excellent interpersonal skills.

Applications including a cover letter and comprehensive CV should be delivered to the address below by 18th November 2010, indicating the position of interest. Applicants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Individual Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (current edition).

Duration of Contract: One year (performance based and renewable).

Project Manager
Private Sector Competitiveness and Economic Diversification Project
P.O. Box 747
Maseru 100, Lesotho
Tel: (+266) 22 315 100
Fax: (+266) 22 315 099

E-mail: tmokete@psc.org.ls