Project Coordinator « Support to Micro-entrepreneurs »

Fixed-term contract – 7 Months

Project Coordinator « Support to Micro-entrepreneurs »

Beirut, Lebanon

CONTEXT

IECD (Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement) is a French non-governmental organization founded in 1988 and operating in the field of social and economic development in partnership with local institutions. IECD’s main sectors of action are vocational training and professional integration, assistance to micro and small enterprises and access to education and health for the most vulnerable. In Lebanon, IECD has been operating in the country since 1988 and opened a regional office in Beirut in 2007.

Semeurs d’Avenir (SDA) is a Lebanese association, created in 2010, registered under the number 1905. It is the operational partner of IECD in Lebanon.

Local context

On August 4th, 2020, a massive blast in the Beirut port area killed over 200 people, wounded over 7,500 and left up to 300,000 people homeless or with damaged houses. Thousands of infrastructures and institutions have been destroyed or damaged such as the Beirut port itself, nearby hospitals, schools and universities, enterprises, among other infrastructures.

This adds to the worst economic crisis the country has been enduring for months. The catastrophe placed additional strains on the already exhausted population that was falling into dangerous levels of poverty, in addition to the surge in people affected by the COVID-19, and the political and social turmoil.

The challenges are major:

• The reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas, businesses, and homes,
• The launch of the 2021-2022 school year, after two years marked with great pedagogical discontinuity, and difficulties for students and teachers alike to maintain learning activities online.

Presentation of the project

IECD and its Lebanese partner Semeurs d’Avenir are implementing a project in response to the crisis, in the frame of the activities implemented over 30 years. All the components of the initiative Maharat Li Lubnan (MLL) launched in 2017 through the support of AFD, have been affected by the crisis. To date, the initiative could:

• Implement on-the-job trainings for 1386 vulnerable beneficiaries in various technical fields, thus enhancing their access to job opportunities and their social integration,
• Create 2 technical Baccalaureates in Industrial maintenance (2017) and IT development (2019),
• Introduce 99 people to entrepreneurship in order to launch their own activity generating incomes,

While some of the activities need to be supported to achieve the initial objectives and to continue supporting the project's stakeholders, others may contribute directly to the response to the needs that emerged following the explosions on August 4th.

In response, the two organizations propose an action plan based on the following axes:

1. Trainings and placement of vulnerable youth on urgently needed reconstruction activities,
2. Securing the back-to-school season and the school year by supporting schools in reopening and teachers in adapting their mission,
3. Support to micro-entrepreneurs affected through in-kind assistance and coaching to resume activities and secure livelihoods,

To date, 40 micro-entrepreneurs have been assessed and selected in Rmeil, Achrafieh, Qarantina and Burj Hammoud areas. The provision of in-kind support, the implementation of coaching sessions and minor repairs are ongoing.

IECD and SDA are thus recruiting a “SMEs Support” Project Coordinator to reinforce the existing team, to support further the 40 SMEs, with a special target on the support of artisans/craftsmen/craftswomen with remaining budget and ensure the achievement of project objectives by the end of August 2022.

MISSION

Under the responsibility of the Project Manager, the Project Coordinator “SMEs Support” will be responsible for the following:

1/ Operational implementation of the SMEs support activities

a- Mapping, assessing, and selecting beneficiaries: 

• Map the micro-entrepreneurs and CSOs implementing similar activities in the areas affected by the blast and other vulnerable areas, 

b- Delivering in-kind support to the micro-entrepreneurs selected:

• Assess the needs of the beneficiaries according to their business, and develop a deep understanding of their challenges and development opportunities,
• Define the type of support the beneficiaries will receive (professional equipment, tools, IT equipment, office supplies, etc.),
• Agree on the priorities with the beneficiaries,
• Ensure the necessary procurement with respect to donor’s and IECD’s rules, with the support of the Procurement Officer,
• Ensure the ownership of the grant by the micro-entrepreneur.

c- Support the micro-entrepreneurs in relaunching, sustaining and developing their business:

• Get to know the management and coaching tools of the SMEs Support Program of IECD and SDA,
• Implement periodic follow-up visits and coaching sessions according to IECD and SDA methodology,
• Evaluate the impact on the activity of the micro-entrepreneurs (collect quantitative and qualitative data, analysis and update action plan).

2/ Monitoring and steering of your activity  

• Ensure budget monitoring with the support of the Project Manager,
• Monitor and evaluate the activities and key indicators, keep up to date the database,

3/ Public Relations and internal communication

• Establish partnerships, ensure smooth coordination and complementarity of activities with other actors operating in the field (CSOs, local institutions and initiatives, etc.),
• Coordinate internally with the SMEs Support Program team, capitalize on their experience and share lessons learned,
• Report to the Project Manager on the advancement of the activities, the challenges, and risks.

PROFIL

Education: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management, Economy, Engineering with minor or experience in business

Experience :

• Minimum 3 years of experience in SMEs support, entrepreneurship programs, incubators programs, business coaching programs,
• Experience in project coordination is required,
• Experience as entrepreneur is a plus,
• Working experience in a multicultural context and civil society is a plus.

Skills

• Project management: budget, planning, defining priorities and corrective measures,
• Mastery of basic skills in business development and management to generate incomes,
• Entrepreneurship support and trainings,
• Deep understanding of the local economy, challenges and opportunities,
• Knowledge in developing local economy, especially artisant field.
• Proficiency in the Arabic language (oral / written) mandatory,
• Good oral and writing skills in English mandatory, French is a plus,
• Excel, Word, PowerPoint: working proficiency mandatory.

Qualities:

• Autonomy, dynamism, proactivity,
• Responsiveness and ability to adapt,
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish confidence with beneficiaries,
• Sense of organization, human relations, and teamwork,
• Adherence to IECD values: a look at the person, the spirit of service, a professional commitment.

CONDITIONS

Under the responsibility of: Project Manager 

Location:  Beirut with periodic field visits in Beirut area

Position dates:  01/02/2022 - 31/08/2022

Contract: Fixed-term contract of 7 months

Package: phone and transportation

Salary Range: 1400-1800 USD