Market systems development programmes require a specific set of skills and mindsets that differ from traditional development approaches. MSD teams need to be adaptable, analytical and comfortable with complexity and uncertainty.
Building the right team, staff and culture to deliver an MSD programme requires careful thought and planning. It entails aligning human resources with the core objectives of the MSD approach and requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses recruitment, staff development, leadership and building an organisational culture that values learning.
Hiring the ‘right’ kind of talent, making investments in the team and having a leader that understands the approach are all important. Ensuring that staff has the right mix of skills to perform well is a key element of success for market systems approaches
Getting the team in place
Hiring the 'right' kind of staff is an organisational priority that everyone in the hiring process should understand, from programme managers overseas to national HR departments. Start by identifying the essential roles needed for your programme. These typically include:
- A strong team leader that oversees the overall strategy and implementation.
- Intervention managers that analyse market systems and design interventions.
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) experts to design and implement learning systems.
- Sector specialists to provide deep knowledge in specific sectors (e.g. agriculture, finance). These can also be intervention managers.
- Communications experts to develop and implement communication strategies.
For each role define your required competencies, including both technical skills and soft skills such as:
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving
- Adaptability and comfort with ambiguity
- Strong communication and negotiation skills
- Facilitation and coaching abilities
- Cultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence
The MSD competency framework provides a helpful starting point to think through the key competencies you will need on your team. Here’s an overview of the framework :
To attract the right talent to your MSD programme start by crafting job descriptions that clearly articulate the unique nature of MSD work. Use diverse recruitment channels, including specialised development job boards and networks, so that you don’t end up with the usual programme cast of characters. Try to bring in expertise from the private sector as much as possible. When interviewing, consider incorporating scenario-based questions and case studies to assess candidates' ability to think strategically and engage with the unique challenges of a facilitator’s role.
Candidates should exhibit an adaptive mindset, able to manage complexities and uncertainties. They should be open to collaboration across sectors and with various stakeholders.
Building a learning organisation
Organisational learning is the process of building and sustaining paradigms, processes, routines, spaces and incentives that make collective learning the norm. A learning culture is both a goal and a means: a goal when the organisation aims to know more about the subject of its interventions, and a means when knowledge is used to improve strategies and activities with the aim of becoming more adaptable, effective and efficient.
A learning organisation involves three overlapping enablers: means, motives and opportunities.
- Means refers to the tools and processes that allow for learning to take place, such as formal monitoring, information technologies that enhance communication flow, and forms/templates/frameworks that act as useful mind maps.
- Motives refer to the ways staff can be stimulated to seek out and share knowledge. Performance management tools that prioritise learning over results are crucial here.
- Opportunities refer to the spaces where learning can take place, in terms of time set aside and resources put towards learning objectives.
Build blocks of learning organisations shares the common elements of effective learning organisations.
Building a learning culture starts with developing a comprehensive onboarding process that introduces new staff to MSD principles and your programme's specific approach. This should include:
- An overview of MSD theory and practice
- Introduction to your programme's objectives, strategies and current interventions
- Training on key tools and methodologies used in your programme
- Shadowing experienced team members
- Field visits to understand the local context and meet key stakeholders
Building a team culture for adaptive management in MSD focuses specifically on the distinct and valuable role that MEL managers can play in actively contributing to a culture that supports the implementation of an MSD approach.
Team structure
each programme is different and needs to be structured in a way that makes sense. However, some ideas that have worked across successful MSD programmes include:
- Organising teams that integrate various functions such as economic analysis, sector expertise, monitoring and evaluation. This promotes comprehensive problem solving and innovation.
- Team structures to allow flexibility in roles and responsibilities. Agile structures enable quick adaptation to changing market conditions and programme needs.
- De-centralised decision-making structures to empower team members and enhance responsiveness to local developments.
Staff development
It is important to foster a culture of continuous learning - where staff are encouraged to update their knowledge and skills - by providing opportunities for training in emerging market trends, facilitation techniques and adaptive management. Learning organisations also implement regular feedback mechanisms and reflection sessions to evaluate progress and identify areas for improvement.
Lastly, try to leverage internal expertise through coaching and mentorship programmes to build capacity of junior team members and enhance overall team performance.
Leadership and management
Being an MSD team leader is hard work. Leaders needs to:
- Articulate a clear vision and strategy aligned with MSD principles
- Inspire the team and stakeholders to achieve common objectives
- Encourage a leadership style that empowers team members, fostering autonomy, accountability and innovation
- Demonstrate resilience and adaptability to steer the programme through complexities and challenges
The MSD team leader competency framework identifies four core competency domains that define successful programme leadership, developed through research with over 65 experienced MSD practitioners.
What support do MSD leaders need to thrive? outlines why and how to better support Team Leaders (TLs) in MSD programmes.