Business Development Coach

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA   UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 millionPalestinerefugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank,Jordan,Lebanon, and theSyrianArabRepublic. The Agency is committed to assistingPalestinerefugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in theMiddle Eastwith over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers.   Business Development Coach   Location Saida -Tyre Type of Appointment Consultant Deadline for Application 28 November  2012 Vacancy Announcement Number 949/2012 Department/Division Field Program Support Office    BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Through the Immediate Response Facility Programme of the Peacebuilding Fund, UNRWA, UNICEF, and the ILO will focus on maintaining Palestinian Refugee youth away from violent paths and having them gainfully occupied, through selected high-impact projects which stabilize their socio-economic environment. This project involves vocational training, the establishment of a youth empowerment and job creation programme, and micro-credit facilities.   In the context of Palestinian refugees inLebanon, there is a demonstrated link between self-employment and improved living standards. With this in mind, UNRWA aims to provide quality business development services as a cornerstone for improving the level of self-reliance and economic status of Palestinian refugees, particularly youth.   MISSION Under the auspices of Porgramme Support Office, the Self-Employment Initiative seeks two Business Development Coaches, one based in Saida and one based inTyre. With the supervision of the Self-Employment Officer, the coaches will be responsible for providing advice and support to UNRWA’s self-employment loan beneficiaries, as well as coordinating loan payments and dissemination.   MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures: (A)     The Business Development Coaches will offer on-site business coaching providing to loan beneficiaries in camps in Saida andTyre, respectively. In particular, s/he will help design and implement capacity-building training for healthy business development among new beneficiaries (e.g. book-keeping, quality control, debt management, savings management, accounting); (B)     S/he will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day dissemination of loans and following up on payments; (C)     S/he will be responsible for identifying potential beneficiaries, responding to inquiries, and maintaining our existing pool of loan-seekers; (D)     S/he will provide technical advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on how to improve the effectiveness of their proposed enterprises and how to expand their access to markets; (E)     S/he will assist the Self-Employment Officer in any other assignment that is required to ensure the smooth operation of loan disseminations and repayments. (F)      Willingness to work in Palestinian refugee camp 80% of the time;   PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES (A)   Academic and Professional        A university degree or equivalent training (please include certificates in application).   (B)   Experience -      Up to two years of relevant work experience (e.g. microcredit, capacity building, women’s economic empowerment, business administration); -      Intricate knowledge of and experience in Palestinian refugee camp in Saida and/orTyre. Palestinian refugees who reside in these camps are strongly encouraged to apply; -      Demonstrated experience in delivering business development services. Experience working in microcredit programmes a plus. (C)   Language        Excellent communication skills in Arabic. Working knowledge of English us a plus.   (D)   Skills and Competencies i)       A commitment to UN values of non-discrimination on the basis of race, gender, economic status, or religion.   SUPERVISON AND REPORTING The Business Development Coaches will be based at UNRWA’s Saida area andTyrearea, respectively, and will report to the Self-Employment Officer.   CONDITIONS OF SERVICE: Salary: Monthly salary (full package) USD $1,200.- Contract Duration: Six Months (Extendable)   EQUIVALENCY Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.   GENERAL INFORMATION UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women. It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post. Priority will be given to fully qualify registered Palestinian refugees. Prior to the commencement of services,the consultant shall confirm and acknowledge in writing,and provide proof of the existence of,self-procured adequate private insurance against medical,disability and accident for the duration of the contract. As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives’ policy.  In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.   UNRWA staff members with fixed term appointments may not be considered for any consultant/contractor position while in service. Candidates who are no longer employed by the Agency must have a minimum of 3 months break in service before they applying to any consultant/contract positions.   UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity,neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights,for diversity,and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staffs are expected to uphold these values at all times,both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNWA is a non-smoking working environment. الأونروا هي منظمة تابعة للأمم المتحدة، وهي منظمة تفترض من موظفيها الالتزام بأعلى معايير الاستقامة والحياد والنزاهة. ويشمل ذلك احترام مبادئ حقوق الإنسان واحترام التنوع وتبني الوسائل غير العنيفة في حل كافة أشكال النزاعات.  المتوقع من موظفي الأونروا أن يقوموا بدعم هذه القيم في كافة الأوقات، سواء في أماكن العمل أم خارجه. إن أولئك الأشخاص الذين يتمتعون بالالتزام الكامل وغير المشروط بهذه القيم هم فقط الذين ينبغي أن يتقدموا بطلباتهم للعمل لدى الأونروا. الأنروا هي بيئه عمل لا يسمح فيها بالتدخين. TECHNICAL & PRACTICAL TESTS REQUIRED: Short-listed candidates will sit for two tests: Written technical test (100%). The top 10 scoring candidates in the written technical test given that none have scored less than 50%; will be invited to interview.    HOW TO APPLY If you have got the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestinerefugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through this website will be considered. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted –“سيتم الإتصال فقط بالأشخاص الذين تنطبق عليهم متطلبات الوظيفة”. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. For any queries please send an email to: recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org    Date of issue:  14 November 2012