Business Entrepreneurship Officer

Business Entrepreneurship Officer (West Bank)

West Bank/Gaza Pioneers Activity

Location: Ramallah, West Bank 

Overview: 

Global Communities works at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial inclusion to save lives, advance equity, and secure strong futures. We support communities at the forefront of their own development in more than 35 countries, partnering with local leaders, governments, civil society, and the private sector to achieve a shared vision of a more just, prosperous, and equitable global community. We work with government, non-government, private sector, and community stakeholders to promote transparency, foster accountability, and access the channels they need to make their voices heard, promote change, and realize their full potential.   

Global Communities is seeking a Business Entrepreneurship Officer for the USAID West Bank/Gaza Pioneers-Raedat Project. This five-year $35M program is intended to leverage women’s potential to create ripple effects that shift gender-based power relations within the Palestinian community. This Activity will improve institutional frameworks and processes in select sectors to ensure they align with legal requirements and international best practice (both existing and new that might be advanced through implementation) for the inclusion of women. It will also support communities to develop the necessary tools to promote women’s inclusion in activities outside the home; build the capacity and confidence of individual women by engaging institutions of higher education and civil society; develop male allies, political structures, and the private sector; and strengthen public awareness and advocacy around women’s issues, including gender-based violence (GBV). 

The Economic and Private Sector Engagement Team Leader supervises the Business Entrepreneurship Officer. The Officer will be tasked with supporting the mapping and selection of women and young entrepreneurs, contributing to training and development sessions, facilitating market research for identifying business opportunities, engaging with private sector partners, implementing the private sector engagement strategy, contributing to project planning and reporting, following up with beneficiaries, and playing a role in the identification of challenges and possibilities for women's economic empowerment. The Officer will also address additional responsibilities such as mapping specialized business development services providers, contributing to the design of market-driven interventions, and actively participating in maintaining databases and reporting. 

Roles & Responsibilities 

Mapping and Selection: 

• Support the mapping and selection process of women and young entrepreneurs alongside other project team members.
• Collaborate with the Raedat team and partners to establish a small grants pool supporting the economic empowerment of vulnerable women.
• Monitor and ensure commitment to project objectives, including improvements in the work environment and promoting gender equality in recruitment and retention practices.

Training and Development:

• Contribute to the assessment, design, development, and delivery of entrepreneurship training/coaching/mentoring sessions for women and young entrepreneurs.
• Provide continuous technical support and coaching/mentoring to ensure the target group prepares and implements high-quality business plans.
• Monitor and support grantees, helping in troubleshooting business issues, enhancing budgeting skills, and promoting continuous community engagement.

Market Research: 

• Contribute to market research initiatives to identify new business opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.
• In close coordination with the Team Leader and Manager, collaborate with relevant stakeholders and, where necessary, engage external experts or agencies to conduct in-depth market analyses, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape and potential opportunities.

Private Sector Engagement:

• Assist in implementing the private sector engagement strategy aligned with Raedat Project objectives.
• Implement activities outlined in the work plan for the private sector engagement strategy.

• Map specialized business development services providers to support women and young entrepreneurs.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders, including the Banks, Women’s Empowerment Principles signatories, entrepreneurs, and professionals contributing to women's empowerment in economic and leadership roles.

Project Planning and Reporting:

• Contribute actively to creating overarching project work plans, reports, and budgeting processes.
• Ensure all activities and interventions are reported on, with evidence of impact where possible.
• Support in producing written reports on activity and component levels.
• Assist in keeping track of beneficiary count records and maintaining the database in coordination with the PSE Manager.

Identifying Challenges and Possibilities:

• Identify and address challenges in accessing finance for Palestinian businesses, particularly those owned by women.

• Contribute to designing market-driven interventions and incentives to actively engage more women and youth, aligning with identified trends.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as business administration, economics, or business development.
• Minimum of three years of experience in entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, business development, or economic development, preferably in international development projects.
• Good knowledge of the economic landscape and challenges in the West Bank and Gaza.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team. 
• Ability to work under pressure and ability to take initiative.
• Capable in planning and problem solving.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
• Ability to write reports and follow-up execution of component activities.
• Languages: Full Professional Proficiency in spoken and written English and Arabic are required.

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter to [email protected] no later than Thursday February 22nd, 2024, indicating the position title and location. 

Global Communities positively welcomes and seeks applications from all sections of society. We are committed to a work environment that respects everyone's dignity and worth and offers equal opportunity. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment.