Near East Foundation

Job Title: Business Development Experts

Number of positions: 4 positions
Reports to: Project Manager
Location: Mosul, Iraq
Travel: Yes, 75%
Project Duration: July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Project Title: Innovate Mosul: Strengthening the Green and Digital SME Ecosystem

Organizational Background

The Near East Foundation (NEF) is an international non-profit organization that has worked for over 100 years to build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa. NEF operates through country offices and local partners across ten countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, and Sudan. NEF’s programs focus on Inclusive Economic Development, Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, and Peacebuilding.

As part of its growing Iraq portfolio, NEF is implementing the UNDP-funded Innovate Mosul project, which aims to strengthen the green and digital SME ecosystem in Mosul and surrounding areas, enabling small and medium enterprises to grow, create jobs, and access market opportunities.

Position Overview

The Business Development Expert will play a leading technical role in supporting the capacity development of SMEs, local business service providers, and master trainers and coaches within the Innovate Mosul project. The Expert will focus on:

• Strengthening business diagnostics and business development support services.
• Building capacities of local trainers, coaches, and SMEs in areas of green and digital economy.
• Conducting market assessments, value chain analysis, and sector prioritization aligned with the project objectives.
• Facilitating market access, enterprise growth, and partnership-building across the green and digital economy sectors.

The position will require frequent travel inside Mosul and the broader Ninewa region.

Key Responsibilities

     1. Business Development Support

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and capacity-building of Master Trainers and Business Coaches.
• Update, adapt, and deliver business diagnostic and development curricula, with an emphasis on green economy, digital transformation, and innovation-driven growth.
• Lead trainings, mentoring, and technical coaching for trainers, service providers, and beneficiary SMEs.
• Oversee business development planning processes, including the preparation of viable business plans, financing proposals, and post-financing enterprise coaching.
• Monitor progress and performance of supported SMEs to ensure enterprise growth and job creation outcomes.
• Develop post-financing business acceleration, coaching, and technical assistance packages.

      2. Market Engagement & Ecosystem Strengthening

• Conduct market research, sector analyses, and labor market diagnostics, particularly in green and digital sectors.
• Lead the design and implementation of market and sector engagement strategies to inform SME support interventions.
• Facilitate linkages with larger businesses, value chain actors, business associations, financial institutions, and technology providers.
• Identify market opportunities and growth constraints, and propose solutions for strengthening SME competitiveness and market access.
• Collaborate with other project components to integrate cross-cutting areas such as innovation, gender inclusion, youth employment, and green technology adoption.

      3. Monitoring, Reporting & Coordination

• Provide regular technical inputs and updates to project progress reports for internal and donor reporting.
• Participate in technical reflection sessions, learning activities, and adaptive management processes.
• Support project monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities.
• Support NEF and UNDP visibility and coordination efforts as required.

Required Qualifications

• At least Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, or other related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience in developing training curricula and delivering business development trainings, specifically in the fields of business management, finance, marketing, or other related fields.
• Proven experience in providing coaching and mentorship to startups and growing businesses, with demonstrated examples of successful business expansions.
• Solid experience in market analysis, value chain assessments, or sector facilitation.
• Strong facilitation, capacity building, and business coaching skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both Arabic and English. Kurdish language literacy is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within diverse teams.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively to project locations within Ninewa and Erbil.

Preferred Qualifications

• Based in Mosul, Iraq.
• Prior experience working with international donor-funded enterprise development programs.
• Experience in green economy, digital transformation, circular economy, or innovation ecosystems.
• Experience in Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programs.

NEF will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The deadline will be on June 14, 2025.

To apply:

Please apply by submitting the following documents on the Near East Foundation's career page at: 

https://neareast.bamboohr.com/careers/457?source=aWQ9MTY%3D 

1. Cover letter outlining relevant experience and skills based on the requirements outlined above;
2. Curriculum Vitae;
3. List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer).

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

The Near East Foundation promotes Equal Opportunities for all applicants seeking employment and NEF employees.

Pre-employment Checks

Any Employment with the Near East Foundation will be subject to the following checks prior to start date:

• A satisfactory Restricted Party Screening;
• Receipt of satisfactory references;
• Proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role.

NEF's strength is its people. Our team is our fuel to achieving the innovation, quality programming, community focus, mutual trust, sustainability, and learning needed to realize our mission. To help our team thrive, we support a working structure that prioritizes flexibility, personal commitments, and staff well-being while promoting a work culture of teamwork, collaboration, respect, integrity, and excellence.

As an international organization, we value a truly diverse workforce and prioritize a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We strive to create a high-achieving work environment informed by different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. With a commitment to diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in all we do, our aim is to ensure that people feel heard, protected, and empowered to contribute to NEF's mission from day one.