BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Work Location:

National – Based in Tripoli or Beirut (With daily visits to the North and South)

Job Summary:

CARE is a leading relief and development non-governmental organization working to end global poverty. Established in 1946, it is now a confederation composed of 14 members and 4 affiliates. Working in over 95 countries around the world, CARE is reaching more than 83 million people through its programs. With more than 11,000 employees worldwide, we have a strong local presence: 95% of our staff are nationals of the countries where our programs are implemented.  

CARE international in Lebanon (CIL) is implementing a regional response to the Syrian Crisis to meet the immediate and most urgent needs of the women, men, boys and girls who have fled Syria. CARE International in Lebanon (CIL) is supporting local communities with their longer-term needs and basic rights through WASH, Shelter, Protection, and longer term economic development solutions and activities in collaboration with local partner organizations in the North, South, Beirut, and Mount Lebanon Governorates. 

CARE is implementing a capacity building and livelihood community-based agriculture project that seeks to address critical capacity gaps along targeted value chains at both the individual, communal and institutional levels This position is responsible for the outreach, implementation, follow up, and quality maintenance for the Agricultural Training activities, GHP/GMP, Food processing trainings, and GMP according to donor’s request with the support of the team.

Working Conditions:

Based in Tripoli or Beirut, with regular field visits in the North and the South

Other contract elements:

Benefits: Social security/Health Insurance & Transport allowance.

The direct supervisor reserves the right to adapt this job description at any time during employment according to needs.

Any extension of this contract is dependent on performance review and funding availability.

Minimum Education Level:

Bachelor’s Degree Field of Business, Economics, Management or other related field with 5 years of experience.

Proven Experience:

5 years’ minimum experience with the private sector/INGOs, preferably in Livelihoods, or related sectors

IT / Software / Skills:

Familiarity with MS Office software, such as Excel

Language Skills:

Language                Speaking                                Reading                  Writing

Arabic                    Fluent/Mother tongue Professional           Professional

English                    Working Knowledge Professional           Professional

French                    Optional                                  Optional                  Optional

Competencies

• Strong capacities in project cycle management and budget follow-up.
• Strong capacity to coordinate with a team, coalition and consortium.
• Outstanding skills in establishing partnerships and strengthening capacity of local partners with private sector actors and players, as well as with Local Communities and Local & National CSO.
• Excellent capacity to supervise, staff local partner organizations in a sub-grantee relationship and provide information in a timely manner to CARE’s international partners and senior management.
• Strong understanding of the needs and challenges of the Agricultural and food processing SME Sector
• Familiarity with the Lebanese economy, market, Labor Market and Social Entrepreneurship.
• Good knowledge of the legal framework for entrepreneurship in Lebanon
• Very good communication, coordination and diplomacy.
• Integrity, fairness and impartiality.
• Ability to manage sensitive cases and confidential information.
• Ability to work under pressure

Detailed Responsibilities & Tasks

Responsibility #1: BDS Approach and Curriculum development

• Development of BDS approach that reflects the current economic situation and the different levels of vulnerability of the project’s participants.
• Development of SOPs, Tools, and training materials for both Financial literacy courses and BDS training; in addition to selection and scoring tools for the in-kind grants distribution and follow up.
• Development of feasibility studies, Business plans, and technical assessment tools and training participants to use them to be selected for the in-grants.
• Provide direct technical assistance to value chain actors to assist in upgrading activities and overseeing implementation in appropriate locations based on final value chain selection.
• Creation of selection criteria for the businesses that will benefit from the BDS services and the in-kind grants.
• Elaboration of a BDS curriculum tailored for each category of SME and beneficiaries and for the sector (i.e. agro-food processing)
• Development of MSMEs status, capacities, needs, and potentials assessment with a scoring tools for businesses to graduate to receive the in-kind grants.
• Conduct under the guidance and coaching of CARE livelihoods coordinator a Business Development Services (BDS) market assessment.
• Lead in the identification of beneficiary MSMEs and farmers in the designated area of supervision working with the BDS specialists in the other project sites and ensure high quality data collection.

Responsibility #2: Project Implementation

• Design, implement, and oversee relevant capacity building to agriculture and agri-food actors (including farmers, producers, and resellers)
• Ensure that overall implementation of BDS component as per donor agreement and CARE guidelines and agreed implementation strategy is carried out on time with quality provision of services
• Consult with businesses and value chain actors, analyze business models and financial information, determine appropriate products and services, and provide coaching to beneficiaries to improve productivity and profitability of selected businesses.
• Research supply and demand of targeted commodities and promote ways to improve buyer-seller intermediation for all targeted value chains.
• Implement recommendations for farmers and MSMEs to partner with financial institutions resulting in increasing access to and use of financial services within the region and determine viable opportunities for organizations to prepare all required applications, loan documents, and business plans
• Collaborate with bilateral projects across the region to strengthen higher ends of value chains.
• Conduct MSMEs support activities directly to farmers and businesses

Responsibility #3: Capacity Building for partners on BDS

• Develop programs and activities to build the capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises (farmers and agrofood processors) to access available economic opportunities and facilitating access to the necessary inputs to support their sustainability.
• Build the capacity of the local partners to conduct quality BDS delivery to MSMEs and monitor outputs including the development of an assessment of each food processing beneficiary.
• Monitor and evaluate the business training for farmers
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits to provide support to farmers and agrofood processors.
• Ensure the proper implementation of technical training for farmers and agrofood processors

Responsibility #4: Reporting & Information sharing

• Draft narrative and quantitative reports as per CARE internal requirements and donor requirements.
• Ensure internal communication and information sharing on project with relevant staff (Livelihood manager & SME specialist, Communication, Advocacy and Information management focal point, M&E team etc.).
• Representation and Coordination
• Support the Livelihoods Manager in ensuring CARE representation in the relevant technical coordination meetings at field level and all relevant forums at the field level and vis-à-vis relevant actors and partners as relevant to the project (MSME/Private Sector, municipalities, UN agencies, INGOs, local NGOs, community focal points, etc.).
• Support in the organization of field visits by donors, peer agencies, CARE Members, Media, etc.
• The BDS officer will also have to fulfill any other task as requested by her/his supervisor depending on the programmatic priorities in the Field Office.
• Other tasks associated with the above may arise. 

Experience required

5 years of total experience out of which, 3 years’ minimum experience with INGOs, preferably in Livelihoods, or related sectors, which would include experience with the following activities:

• MSME support (access to finance, access to market, capacity building, etc.)
• Implementation of skills development and employability trainings programs
• SME and local economy knowledge 
• Community mobilization 
• Training and facilitation for staff and community groups. Experience in conducting training of trainers is a plus.

CARE is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, gender, color, religion, and sex.