Business Development Services (BDS) Officer

The BDS Officer will be responsible for coordinating, planning, organizing and implementing the business development services within the MESMER programme. The primary purpose of this role is to enhance the capacity of MSMEs involved in the MESMER program through online and face-to-face delivery mechanisms including coaching and mentoring. The BDS officer will support MSMEs including group BDS training, business coaching and advisory services, creation of market opportunity as well as other need based supports.

Duties and Responsiblities

Provide technical leadership and oversight, to ensure the integration of Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion approaches across programme activities.
Lead and use Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion assessment and analysis to inform integration strategies that target and engage youth, women, and marginalized groups in all programme activities.
Lead the development and implementation of the programme’s Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Social inclusion strategy and action plan, including the adaptation and development of tools and approaches to support the strategy and action plan.
Lead implementation of strategies aiming to maximize women and youth targeting as well as other marginalized groups such as PWDs IDPs and returnees.
Develop and implement gender-sensitive and inclusive programme processes, incorporating tailored promotion methods, eligibility criteria, requirements, and service provision mechanisms that ensure equitable access and participation for women, youth, people with disabilities, IDPs, and returnees.
Support and provide guidance for psychosocial services programme implementation and related M&E activities.
Closely work with regional investment committees of the programme to integrate gender and youth focus as well as targeting of marginalized groups such as people with disabilities returnees and IDPs.
Work with the team lead and senior project management to deliver capacity-building workshops/trainings for programme staff, partners, and other stakeholders crafting and adapting content to enhance understanding and integration of gender, youth, and social inclusion in programme activities.
Identify target groups through social assessments, partnering with relevant stakeholders and ensure participatory approaches are used and social mapping is conducted and that the involved stakeholders understand the importance of such initiatives.
Foster collaboration with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private partners specializing in gender, youth, and social inclusion to leverage their expertise.
Closely collaborate with the focal of funders to ensure that all requirements are met and passed over to the programme team.
Facilitate training and develop and/or adapt training content.
Support the integration of Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion in program activities and work plan, review IGs and comment on the strategies to mainstream gender, youth and social inclusions.
Work closely with the M&E team to integrate Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion s indicators into the M&E plan, frameworks, and reports ensuring the collection, analysis, and use of sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated data.
Support the development and tracking of specific indicators to monitor progress toward GYSI goals across all programme’s and data collection processes.
Support the project partners in mainstreaming Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion in their policies, management systems and programmes and provide training and education in implementing the policies.
Lead the assessment for the project, including desk review, coordination with all stakeholders, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and report writing.
Perform any other duties as may be required by him/her immediate supervisor.

Job requirements

High adaptability – the ability to work with a large range of actors including institutional donors and partners and to develop an understanding of various contexts.
High attention to detail in reviewing and inputting reports, proposals and other documents.
Advanced interpersonal skills and good pedagogy to support staff in ensuring compliance with donor requirements

Education

Bachelor (BA) Degree (MA preferred) in business management, economics, or relevant Social Science from a recognized University/College

Experience

Skills

Good interpersonal skills and a good team player
Strong command of English and Amharic
Excellent analytical and problem-solving capacities – the ability to identify issues with contractual implications, ensure consistent donor reporting and support teams in providing appropriate analyses of activities.
Advanced interpersonal skills and good pedagogy to support staff in ensuring compliance with donor requirements
Good proficiency in Microsoft Office – significant experience with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.