Consultancy – European Market Entry Strategy for Egyptian Digital Solution Provider

CFYE Overview

To apply or ask questions about the vacancy please send your CV and a short motivation letter to egypt@cfye.nl

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.

Assignment Overview

Robusta Technology Group is a modern tech business based in Egypt and supported by CFYE. It is dedicated to driving growth and impact of its clients, combining expertise-based consulting with operational excellence. Octopus is a subsidiary of Robusta Technology Group, specialized in building high-performing tech teams for companies around the world, providing a fully operational build-operate-transfer model and access to top talent in a nearshoring setup. Like other Business Process Outsourcing and IT development businesses, Robusta is increasingly looking at new markets to catalyse their growth.

Through Octopus, Robusta aims to get a stronger foothold in the European market, drawing in more Europe-based clients for its business. Through increasing its business in Europe, Robusta and Octopus will createrewarding job opportunities for young Egyptian tech talents. To support the company in this process, Robusta is looking for a coach/advisor who can support Robusta as it navigates the European market.

Objectives and Activities

Robusta’s objective is to establish a meaningful international presence by identifying and investing in the most opportune markets, applying tailored methodologies for market penetration. While our current primary focus is on the GCC and Egypt, the goal for this assignment is for an advisor to offer hands-on guidance and practical support on further international expansion. This will strengthen Robusta’s approach to acquiring new clients seeking tech talent for their expansion, growth, or build phases, regardless of their geographic location. Ultimately, the advisor will equip Robusta with the knowledge and frameworks needed to pinpoint the most promising countries for strategic expansion and effective talent acquisition.

In doing this, the advisor should support Robusta in navigating some of the challenges identified so far in expanding into new target markets. These include common hurdles such as a preference among clients to outsource to specific regions, limited brand visibility for Egypt-based talent in new territories, language and cultural differences, and the absence of a localized physical footprint. The assignment should help Robusta gain a clearer sense of optimal target markets and client segments, and should support Robusta in building a more tailored value proposition for these segmented audiences.

To realise this, we foresee the following key activities for this assignment:

1. Market Identification

The consultant will work closely with Robusta to guide them through tools and methodologies of identifying the most promising markets for tech outsourcing demands, taking into consideration current analysis of Robusta’s health in different markets and building on what we already built. Outcome of this shall be a concrete understanding and pinpointing key geographical spaces Robusta should be working on to develop a market acquisition strategy to realise a new big opportunity for them.

2. Business Model Adaptation:

A next milestone would be adjusting the business model to fit the targeted geographical places aligned on, and can be focused on a certain country. The purpose is to guide Robusta team on the existing business models within these potential markets and assess if different or adapted models are required for successful penetration and sustained growth, leveraging insights from our current focus in GCC and Egypt. This activity will involve joint analysis and strategic mapping to ensure Robusta’s team is equipped to replicate the process.

3. Tailored Market Entry Strategy

Consultant to advise and coach Robusta on developing the most effective market acquisition approaches tailored to the piloted country/geographical space agreed upon and to the unique characteristics of the identified strategic expansion markets. Consultant will support Robusta in formulating concrete market entry strategies, based on comprehensive market demand, competitive landscape to be able to replicate the process

Deliverables:

Important to note that the consultant’s role is to advise, guide and coach Robusta. Based on this, the consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:

1. Target Market Identification & Rationale Report: A concise yet detailed report identifying and prioritizing the top 2-3 most promising geographical markets for tech outsourcing, supported by a clear rationale based on conducted analysis and methodologies.
2. Business Model Adaptation Assessment & Framework: An assessment document outlining potential business model adaptations (example: pricing structures, engagement types, operational setups) required for successful penetration and sustained growth within the collaboratively selected pilot market(s). And a documented framework or workshop session designed to equip Robusta’s team with the methodology to conduct similar business model assessments for other markets independently.
3. High Level Market Entry Strategy Outline for Pilot Market: A market entry strategy document detailing recommended market acquisition approaches and concrete initial market entry strategies tailored for the agreed-upon pilot country/geographical space.

Operational Arrangements

The consultant will work closely together with the management of Robusta and Octopus and report on progress of the assignment to the Egypt country team and the Scaling and Growth advisor of CFYE. The day to day contact person for Robusta/Octopus is Mona Ibrahim, the general manager of Octopus. The consultant will be contracted for this assignment through CFYE’s lead partner Palladium. Approvals on reporting (see also below) will be done together by Robusta and CFYE, which will also serve as trigger for payments.

Core Competencies & minimum requirements

Extensive business development/strategy experience
Academic background in a relevant discipline, preferably an MBA
At least 15 years experience working in sectors relevant to Robusta’s services
Detailed understanding of diverse global markets, including relevant connections and access to a comprehensive network in promising countries.
Hands-on mentality, able to provide concrete and practical advice at senior management level
Ability to apply conceptual frameworks, especially around market identification, business model adaptation, market positioning, market segmentation, and market entry strategies and related sales and branding processes.
Excellent writing and analytical skills

Level of Effort and Reporting

The consultant can ideally start as soon as possible but no later than the 1st of September and engage for approximately 3-4 months on this assignment months. This engagement is on a part-time basis, requiring approximately 12-16 hours/week with a maximum Level of Effort of 25 days. During implementation, 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 Robusta and CFYE.

How to apply (see above)