Consultancy – Creation of International Market Expansion Strategy for BPO

This job will be suitable for those who have a solid understanding of the Nigerian and international markets (especially Western markets) for business process outsourcing in different business disciplines

CFYE Overview 

​​The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) is a 7-year and €135 million programme funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that aims to create a prosperous future for 230,000 young women and men in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel & West Africa and Horn of Africa regions. The Fund supports implementing partners in 11 countries that will offer youth, in particular young women, opportunities for work that is demand-driven and productive, offering a stable income and safe working conditions, and that is contributing to their personal development and social protection.​ 

Private sector, civil society and knowledge institutions work on projects geared to scalable solutions for creating more and better jobs and income generating opportunities for youth. Solutions in particular focus on an integrated approach that addresses the shortcomings on the demand side (jobs) and supply side (skills) and bridging the mismatch between these two in the labour market.  

Assignment Overview 

Throughout its portfolio, one of the pathways for creating jobs for youth is through so-called business process outsourcing (BPO). CFYE’s portfolio in Nigeria is one that features several IPs active in this domain. One of them is Outcess, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider with 20 years of experience in contact center solutions, AI-driven customer engagement, data processing and other domains. 

As much as Outcess is one of the leading companies in this domain in Nigeria, it has a strong ambition to scale internationally, to drive revenue growth, to reduce staff attrition by offering competitive wages and to increase employment for young people.  For its international expansion, Outcess is mostly looking at opportunities on the US, Cananda and UK market and subsequently also in other markets in Europe and the GCC.  Key outsourcing activities include  

1. Customer Engagement & Contact Center Solutions: Inbound & outbound call center services, Multichannel & omnichannel customer support {voice, chat, email, social media, Customer service and technical support, Helpdesk and IT support services, Telemarketing and sales support). 
2. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO): (Back-office support {data entry, document processing, transaction processing}, Claims processing {insurance, healthcare, finance}, HR outsourcing {payroll processing, employee onboarding, recruitment support}, Virtual assistance and administrative support). 
3. AI-Powered Customer Experience & Automation: (Intelligent chatbots & virtual assistants, Automated customer service solutions, AI-driven analytics for customer engagement optimization, Predictive dialing, call automation and software development). 
4. Industry-Specific Outsourcing Solutions: (Banking & Financial Services: Compliance monitoring, loan processing, customer support, E-commerce & Retail: Order processing, customer inquiries, returns management, Telecommunications: Subscriber support, billing inquiries, technical troubleshooting, Healthcare: Medical billing, insurance claims processing, patient support). 

To assess the opportunities on these markets for Outcess, and to create a market entry strategy for selected markets, Outcess, together with CFYE, is looking for an international market expansion consultant to help shape its strategy.  This Scope of Work lays the details for the related consultancy assignment.  

Objectives and Activities  

The ultimate objective of this consultancy is to help establish Outcess as a globally competitive outsourcing provider, generating $1 million in revenue from international markets within the first 12 months of strategy implementation, which should ultimately lead to more and more sustainable employment opportunities for youth. As a result of this assignment, Outcess aims to 

Market Entry & Positioning 

• Identify 3-5 high-potential outsourcing contracts with international clients. 

• Develop a scalable market entry framework for long-term international growth. 

Revenue & Business Growth 

• Achieve at least $1M in projected international revenue within 12 months. 

• Generate 10+ inbound inquiries or RFPs within the first 6 months.

Strategic Partnerships & Client Acquisition 

• Secure at least 3-5 partnerships with international stakeholders (e.g., businesses, government agencies, trade organizations). 

• Build an active pipeline of potential clients in short-term priority markets (USA, Canada, UK). 

Job Creation & Talent Development 

• Support Outcess in creating 500–1,000 new jobs through secured contracts. 

To develop a strategy to reach the above and to enable the Outcess team to achieve these targets, it is foreseen that the consultant takes up the following activities: 

Market Analysis & Selection

Identify high-potential BPO markets by evaluating economic indicators, competition, and regulatory barriers. Assess opportunities in key sectors such as finance, telecom, healthcare, and e-commerce in the UK, US, Canada and potentially other international markets. 

Deliverables: 

• Market Analysis Report 

• SWOT Analysis of Target Markets 

• Regulatory Compliance Summary 

Market Entry Strategy Development

Define entry models for each individual market identified under A. through pathways such as partnerships, direct presence, licensing, joint ventures and others. Develop a roadmap with key activities, timelines, and milestones to realize market entry. For each strategy, conduct a financial feasibility & investment (needs) analysis. 

Deliverables: 

• Market Entry Strategy Document 

• Business Models & Partnership Recommendations 

• Financial Projections & Risk Analysis 

1. Compliance & Regulatory Guidance

For each of the selected markets, provide guidelines on key regulatory considerations for Outcess’ market entry, such as labor laws, data protection, and operational compliance. Also for each market assess tax implications & incentives for foreign businesses. 

Deliverables: 

• Regulatory Framework for Target Markets 

• Taxation & Incentives Report 

• Risk Mitigation Strategy 

1. Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

Identify potential clients, outsourcing partners, and industry alliances. Advise on relevant connections with national business councils & trade associations. Develop an engagement plan for potential partnerships. 

Deliverables: 

• List of Potential Partners & Stakeholders 

• Outreach & Business Development Strategy 

1. International Branding & Positioning

Develop a localized marketing strategy for global clients. Train Outcess’ sales & customer engagement teams on international expectations. 

Deliverables: 

• Revised Service Offering & Branding Strategy 

• International Sales Enablement Guide and related training materials 

Operational Arrangements 

The consultant will report to the management of Outcess as well as to the Nigeria country team of CFYE. The consultant will be contracted for this assignment through CFYE’s lead partner Palladium (Nigeria office) and contracting will be done in Nigerian Naira. Approvals on reporting (see also below) will be done together by Outcess and CFYE, which will also serve as trigger for payments.  

On a day-to-day basis, the consultant will collaborate closely with  the management team of Outcess. This means that the consultant is expected to work from the Outcess office frequently, and where needed join meetings or visits with partners etc.   

Core Competencies & minimum requirements   

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and expertise: 

• International Market Expansion Experience 

• 7-10 years in BPO, outsourcing, or technology-driven services. 

• Proven track record in global market entry. 

• Regulatory & Compliance Expertise 

• Strong knowledge of GDPR, CCPA, labor laws, and tax implications. 

• Strategic Business Development & Partnerships 

• Established network in outsourcing & trade organizations. 

• Expertise in branding and sales enablement for international markets. 

• Financial assessments and risk analysis 

Level of Effort and Reporting  

The consultant can ideally start as soon as possible but no later than April 2025 and engage on the assignment for 3-4 months. This engagement is on a part-time basis, requiring approximately 8-12 hours per week with a maximum Level of Effort of 25-30 days.  In its proposal, the consultant is requested to provide an overview of how the LoE is proposed to be divided over the different activities. During implementation, the consultant shall provide a monthly log of hours worked, detailing the activities performed. This should also lay the foundation for monthly invoicing for the assignment.  

Besides the abovementioned deliverables, the consultant will also provide a monthly progress report to Outcess and CFYE. 

How to Apply 

A short technical proposal, a budget (in NGN) based on the abovementioned LoE and CVs and relevant track record of the consultant should be submitted. The CV and track record should include detailed and recent information about similar, recent assignments or jobs taken up by the consultant. Preferably the CV also contains contact details for reference checks on past employers/assignments. Applications should be sent to Amarachi.kalu@cfye.nl and niek.vandijk@cfye.nl by 17th of March the latest.