Business Development Specialists

Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) is an independent and non-profit Palestinian NGO working in Gaza Strip with the purpose of empowering women and advocating women’s rights and gender equality through capacity development, information and innovative research and advocacy programs. While implementing its strategy to fulfill its vision, WAC is guided by international human rights principles including empowerment and participation; equality and non-discrimination; and accountability to ensure justice and dignity for women.

WAC is looking for a committed professional to the values of Transformation, Integrity and Excellence to fill the following vacancy:

Business Development   Specialists (BDS)

Gaza

Position Title: Business Development Specialist (BDS) 

Number of available Positions: 2

Place: WAC Office, Gaza

Direct Report: Project Coordinator (PC)

Expected Start Date: September 2020

Expected Duration: 18 months 

Background:

For the cooperation program between European Union Delegation EUDEL and Belgium; Enabel - Belgian development agency is responsible for implementing the intervention of “Enhanced resilience of micro businesses and create sustainable livelihood opportunities in the Gaza strip -SAWA”. SAWA is a 3-year project that aims at contributing to economic resilience through enhancing the resilience and sustainability of micro-businesses in the Gaza Strip and initiating sustainable and innovative green/circular economy initiative. 

In partnership with Enabel, WAC is responsible to achieve the following result: Empowered vulnerable women and youth for establishing sustainable and resilient micro businesses. Under this result, SAWA project will support the creation of viable and economically feasible livelihood microbusinesses through providing capacity building, skills enhancement, seed funding, coaching, and mentoring to vulnerable and marginalized women and youth following the community-based and sustainable livelihood approach. 

WAC is in the granting process to receive a grant from Enabel to implement project activities related to the livelihood component in the Gaza and North governorates. Upon finalizing the granting process between Enabel and WAC, WAC is expected to start implementing SAWA project activities in September 2020

Summary:

The Business Development Specialists (BDS) will support the project “Enhance Resilience for Micro-businesses and Create Sustainable livelihood opportunities in the Gaza Strip” SAWA project, funded by Belgian development agency. The project addresses the main problem of limited access of unemployed women breadwinners (18- 45 years) and female and male youth graduates (18-29 years) to self-employment opportunities in vulnerable communities/ localities in Gaza and North governorates of the Gaza Strip. Its specific objective is to enhance resilience and sustainability of micro businesses in these vulnerable communities

Job Purpose:

The BDS will be responsible for providing business development support, including business planning guidance, for the targeted women & youth entrepreneurs. Primary activities for the BDS include (but are not) limited to:

• Conducting community/sector mapping activities and business sensitization sessions, providing training women breadwinners and female and male youth graduates in how to start new microbusiness, generate innovative and sustainable microbusiness ideas, business plan development, small business accounting and finance, and marketing. and others), life skills (leadership, communication, planning, problem solving, decision making, making connections), and legal business environment.
• Providing targeted women & youth entrepreneurs with business development and market oriented support and guidance in implementing their developed business and operational plans; follow up on all deliverables & relevant consultancy services in a way that achieves sustainability and institutionalization of practices and promoting self-sustaining enterprises; oversee and guide the targeted enterprises operationalizing the developed business plans;
• leading/supervising the development & capacity building components & coaching for the targeted enterprises; follow up on the implementation & operationalizing the business plans; support connecting enterprises with private sector; business development providers; Banks, etc.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Represent project to local community and stakeholders.
• Support vulnerability mapping activities to identify the most vulnerable communities in target localities and their community needs in coordination with project coordinator and project team.
• Support community-level sector mapping activities to identify promising community-level economic sectors and livelihood opportunities.
• Plan and implement community mobilization, outreach, and sensitization activities 
• Conduct field visits to project applicants and beneficiaries. 
• Conduct verification activities to project applicants to identify potential project beneficiaries.
• Select SAWA beneficiaries who participate in micro-business development training.
• Plan, coordinate, and supervise capacity building activities. 
• Develop training curriculum including materials, guides, tools, and templates that will be used in the capacity building program to project beneficiaries.
• Provide life skill and micro-business management training for project beneficiaries. 
• Train and support project beneficiaries to develop economically viable and technically sound business plans
• Evaluate submitted business plans and select seed funds recipients. 
• Conduct field verification activities seed funds recipients or supported micro-businesses to ensure receiving grants installment, efficient use of seed funds, and collect supportive documents.
• Provide coaching support, conduct on-site mentorship sessions, and develop mentorship report.
• Facilitate marketing, linkages, and networking support provided to project beneficiaries.
• Draft relevant agreements,
• Explore marketing channels and market linkages
• Support products development, design, guide and actively contribute to promotion & marketing events to promote the products of the women enterprises/ cooperatives, support exchange visits and marketing events
• Support PC in developing selection criteria and scoring system to select project beneficiaries.
• Support the implementation of MEAL activities. 
• Responsibilities of the BDS may include other tasks and duties as necessary throughout the life of the project.

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Academic and Professional Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, or a relevant field. (or equivalent combination of formal training and experience e.g. in marketing, economics, management, business development etc.). An MBA, community development, economic development, gender mainstreaming, with an emphasis on women economic empowerment would be added assets.
• At least three years of directly related experience in marketing, business planning, pricing analysis, business coaching/mentoring, or micro/small business (CBOs/ MSMEs), economic empowerment, livelihood, and entrepreneurship projects.
• Considerable knowledge of sound business procedures including sales and marketing.
• Good knowledge of potential market linkages; (exploring marketing channels, facilitating linkages between produces and targeted CBOs and market linkages).
• Understanding of financing options for business start-ups and business expansions.
• Practicing the empowerment of MSMEs and CBOs/cooperatives to improve their livelihood.
• Showcase and demonstrate his/ her knowledge and experience relating to gender mainstreaming.
• Sound experience in skills development/community development or related fields
• Strong knowledge in the social/ cultural and economic context of Gaza.
• Proven track record working collaboratively with communities, local NGO partners, MSMES and government officials.

Other requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written) in both Arabic and English.
• Strong team play and collaboration skills.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills. 
• Advanced skills in using office package as (MS Word, MS Project, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Resident of the Gaza or North governorates.
• Monitoring &Evaluation in the business sphere and gender experience are two added pluses.

Only applicants who have the required qualities, experience, and skills will be considered. Interested applicants must include:

• A resume (in English) 
• cover letter explaining their suitability for the position (in English)
• [email protected] 

Please submit your application through Apply Now - تقدم الآن لهذه الوظيفة 

to the attention of the HR Department no later than Thursday 27/08/2020 and include the job title (Business Development Officer) in the subject line and cover letter.

Applications received after this date or that do not meet the qualifications above will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Qualified Applicants must fill the online application 

• Women's Affairs Center encouraged Female to apply 
• Only shortlisted will be contacted