NEF Belgium

Request for Applications for Agri-Business Development Master Trainers & Coaches

Application Deadline: 10 APR 2023

Number of positions: (3) Heet (3) Ramadi (4) Fallujah

How to apply: Please apply by submitting your CV please note the location (s) you wish to be considered for in Ramadi, Heet or Falluja.

About NEF:

For over 100 years, NEF has worked to build more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa through education, governance, and economic development initiatives. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently operates in nine countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Syria, South Sudan and Sudan. Its programs are organized around three themes: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate-resilient Development, and Stabilization and Peacebuilding.

Background:

NEF offers services through development hubs operating under a NEF-supported Siraj Center model. The word Siraj is Arabic for lantern but is also used to describe a beacon of light or hope. Siraj Centers use a micro-franchise model at all of its locations, each with the shared Siraj brand, standardized operating procedures, and common themes of products and services. The Siraj Center hubs offer sustainable access to safe sources of training, information, guidance, capital, and referrals to support productive asset-building and business creation. Services include, but are not limited to:

• Entrepreneurship and employment training: Training in business & agribusiness: planning, marketing, branding, entrepreneurial skills, market opportunities for home-based production activities and small businesses, and employability skills and readiness with a focus on business management.
• Tailored resources for: Agri-Business planning and Agri-business management preparation, employment opportunities, employability skills development, and a platform for matching service providers with business opportunities.
• Information: Distribution of ‘Fact Sheets’ that provide timely and up-to-date information on markets and demand-driven employment opportunities (including risk and safety checklists linked to community tensions and competition over resources, employment and livelihoods), the work permit process, refugee rights, business formalization, and potential risks and protection strategies in informal work.
• Life skills: Training in financial literacy, Arabic and English literacy training, and life skills related to formal and informal sector income generation, problem-solving, leadership and negotiation, and digital skills.
• Agri-Business acceleration: Acceleration services through mentorship structures, network building, coaching, and market facilitation and strengthening, and;
• Coordinated referrals: Referrals to other service providers, community resource hubs, vocational training programs, continued business development training, NGO programs, microfinance resources, and psychosocial support for positive coping strategies, addressing feelings of isolation and depression, and social networking.

SERVICES DESCRIPTION

The Near East Foundation (NEF) seeks individuals to provide services as Agri-Business Development Master Trainers & Coaches in Anbar (Ramadi, Heet, Falluja) Iraq. Master Trainers & Coaches will work closely with selected small ruminants’ enterprises in Heet, Ramadi and Fallujah districts to deliver business development training and develop business growth plans for selected applicants. NEF will provide training to selected Master Trainers & Coaches to deliver the below-mentioned services; Siraj Master Trainers MTs & Coaches will be engaged on work charge bases and will be selected from the local communities.

Main responsibilities:

• With technical support from a Senior Agri-business development specialist and Senior Extension Services specialist deliver Siraj services, including market assessments, outreach, selection of entrepreneurs, and structured training for soft skills, empowerment, and Agri-business strengthening for selected applicants.
• With technical support from Senior Agri-business development specialist and Senior Extension Services specialist, develop Agri-business growth plans with selected applicants.
• With technical support from Senior Agri-business development specialist and Senior Extension Services specialist, deliver tailored coaching, mentorship, and resources to selected entrepreneurs (selected from the participating applicants) who have finalized business growth plans.
• Assist Agri-Business Development and Market access specialists in reviewing and adaptation of training materials from existing NEF agribusiness development training curriculums for micro and small agribusiness development.
• Assist Business Development and Market access Specialists to develop and design additional training materials.
• Conduct high-quality one-to-one and small-group training for selected applicants.
• Conduct verification visits to the applicants.
• Support the development of business networks and mentorship circles.
• Conducting pre and post-evaluation of each training session.

Please note this is a consultancy arrangement and benefits will not be provided.

Timeframe

The expected timeframe for this engagement is April - Oct 2023. The estimated LOE is 3-5 days a week. 

Required Qualifications:

• University degree in Agriculture college or relevant Fields.
• Arabic fluency, English literacy.
• Experience in supporting Micro and Small Enterprises, highly desirable.
• Preferably two years of relevant experience developing, organizing, and delivering training and capacity-building activities. More extended experience will be considered an advantage, through providing the needed documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Strong verbal and written communication, consultation, and interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to work independently, and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Experience working with or as an entrepreneur will be highly preferred.
• Experience working in an international environment and for a not-for-profit organization.

Application Deadline: 10 APR 2023

Number of positions: (3) Heet (3) Ramadi (4) Fallujah

How to apply: Please apply on the Near East Foundation careers page at https://neareast.bamboohr.com/careers/290 by submitting your CV please note the location (s) you wish to be considered for in Ramadi, Heet or Falluja.

Kindly note only finalists will be contacted.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with NEF Belgium and its affiliated entities by visiting the NEF website (www.neareast.org).