Business Development Coordinator

WeWorld is an independent Italian organization that has been working in international cooperation and humanitarian aid for 50 years. It supports people in overcoming emergencies, and it strives to guarantee that everyone can have a decent and dignified life as well as opportunities and a better future. WeWorld works in 27 countries around the world, including in Italy, with more than 120 emergency, humanitarian aid and development projects. Its activities mainly involve women, girls and young people, actors of change in every community for a fairer and more inclusive world. The organization operates in several natural and man-made crisis in various regions of the world. The emergency response, coordinated by the Humanitarian Aid Unit, is composed by multi-sectorial interventions comprising of WASH, EiE, CVA, Food Security, Protection, and others. The organization operates also in protracted crisis with provision of humanitarian aid through a prevention, emergency relief and rehabilitation approach.

Position: Business Development Coordinator

Location: Zahle’, Bekaa (Lebanon), with frequent field visits

Reporting Relationship: Project Manager / Program Manager

Family Duty Station: YES

Starting date: ASAP

Application deadline: 28/11/2023

Working Context

WeWorld has been working in Lebanon since 2006 and is now supporting vulnerable populations through emergency WASH, shelter, basic assistance, and protection interventions as well as Water Governance and Local Economic Development programs aiming at increasing the resilience of the concerned communities, in the Bekaa Valley and Akkar.

Job Position

The Business Development Coordinator will be a strategic staff in the WeWorld Lebanon Mission as well as key in the implementation of the SAFE’s project (Sustainable Agri-Food Economy for refugee and local communities in vulnerable governorates of Lebanon) by providing technical expertise in the achievement of Outcome 1 of the project: Enhance access to decent, gender-sensitive and sustainable livelihoods opportunities in the agri-food sector for vulnerable refugee and local communities.

Adopting a Market System Development Approach, the Business Development Coordinator will ensure strategic engagement with all the actors along the agri-food value chains in the Beqaa, analysing capacity building needs, bottle-necks, and opportunities for equitable and sustainable growth in the sector(s), and guiding the development of strategies for improving (a) productivity, (b) profitability, (c) job-creation and (d) employability along the targeted the value chains.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Business Development Coordinator will:

· Support the Project Manager, providing technical guidance, and supervision to all aspects of the intervention (including planning, budget management, implementation, and reporting)

· Design gender-sensitive value chain and market analyses

· Identify gaps, bottle-necks and capacity building needs of the key actors identified in the value chains (SMEs, cooperatives, producers’ organizations)

· Develop sustainable business plans for the identified actors of the value chains, identifying, setting up and monitoring capacity building interventions

· In close coordination with the Project Manager, set up and monitoring of grants allocation mechanisms to SMEs, cooperatives and producers’ organization

· Identify strategies for re-dressing mismatch between supply and demand in the job market, with the aim to ensure youth and women’s better access to and retention of job-opportunities

· Liaise with other key actors and relevant Government agencies to ensure effective coordination and sharing of lessons-learnt and approaches for maximizing impact

· Organize and moderate, when required, meetings with main stakeholders

· Assist in the production of communication material and contribute to the design of dissemination strategies

· Prepare and submit reports and documentation as for deadlines

· Collaborate and coordinate with other WeWorld departments, including MEAL, finance and logistics

· Other assigned tasks, as necessary to the projects and WeWorld activities

The duties and responsibilities set forth above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to perform additional duties.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Knowledge

· An advanced degree in Economics, International Development, Business Administration, Agriculture, Food Security or a related field

· Fluency in written and spoken English, Arabic is an added value

· Good skills in Office tools, including formatting, layout and graphics

· Familiarity with Market System Development Approaches

· A valid driving license

Professional experience

· Minimum of 5 years of experience with donor-funded development projects focused on Local Economic Development

· Demonstrated experience in business development in the agri-food or related sectors

· Experience in project management and reporting

· Proven experience with impact-driven implementation of activities and team and budget management

Skills and Abilities

· Ability to analyze the context situation, identify threats and opportunities, and propose practical solutions and alternatives. Develops clear goals that are realistic and consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments, plans own work and manages conflicting priorities. Incorporate a strong gender perspective and ensure the equal participation of women and youth in all areas of work

· Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; makes effective a two-way communication; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people updated

· Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve programs and organizational goals; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings

· Strong team spirit, together with the ability to work independently

· Takes ownership of all responsibilities and commitments; delivers outputs within the deadline; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules, AAP and the humanitarian principles

· Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set manageable priorities and work plans and evaluate progress

· Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations

· Creativity and willingness to adjust to changes and new requirements

· Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including national and local government, donors, community-based organizations, and the private sector

· Ability to travel extensively within project areas as required

· Demonstrates integrity with regards to WeWorld values and ethical standards

· Displays cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

· Treats all people fairly without favoritism

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

· Knowledge of Italian is considered an added value

· Previous working experiences in Lebanon and/or middle-east

WHAT WE OFFER

Type of contract: a first 6 (six) month collaboration contract subject to verification of the achievement of specific objectives (these objectives will be agreed together with the Program Manager and the Country Representative upon arrival on assignment) and a second collaboration contract of 6 (six) months; possible extension for further 12 months

Economic conditions: to be defined according to WeWorld Expatriates Compensation Policy: Base Salary (seniority/role held) + Contributions (role complex, housing and hardship based on place of work; schooling, flights for children and insurance coverage for children)

Other conditions: Tax Treatment: equal tax treatment between Italian and foreign residents is guaranteed

Annual leave: 2,5 days/month (working days)

Flight ticket: one return flight every 12 months of contract

Health insurance: covered

Family duty Station: YES

R&R: NO

The recruitment process may be closed early if a suitable candidate is found.

Due to the large number of applications, we apologise in advance and will only respond to those profiles deemed suitable for the role.

WeWorld is an equal opportunity organization and will not allow discrimination based upon age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.

WeWorld has also a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a child or a vulnerable adult by any of our staff, related persons or partners. Safeguarding checks are part of the selection process.

WeWorld commitment to being a safe organization begins with the staff recruitment process which includes meticulous checks, such as criminal records checks or check disclosure of previous convictions, to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

WeWorld promotes a welcoming, diverse and discrimination- and harassment-free workplace and expects the highest standards of behaviour from all its staff, who are requested to adhere to the principles and behavioural rules defined in the CoEC and the Organisational Policies.

The CoEC and all the internal policies can be found here: https://www.weworld.it/en/about-us/transparency