Business Development Trainer

1. About Aid Gate Organization “AGO”

   Aid Gate Organization (AGO) is an independent, nonpartisan, national organization in Iraq whose history goes back to 2014 with the beginning of ISIL’s occupation in Iraq. At that time and throughout the mass conflicts occurring from 2014 onwards, ISIL groups took control of large swathes of the country, including Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Anbar, and parts of Diyala. This period witnessed an unprecedented wave of displacement for people who lived in these areas in addition to extreme human rights violations. With the Iraqi government, unable to provide much-needed, widespread assistance, many international organizations entered the country to facilitate a response. In doing so, local community members were actively recruited to assist in the movement and return of displaced peoples, while providing them with emergency life-saving assistance to meet their basic needs. Since 2014, AGO has been working untiringly to help Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, and vulnerable host communities for the implementation of whole-of-community resilience-building measures in Iraq. Today AGO is functional in Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and the Nineveh governorates, with 50–150 employees, depending on the situation in the region. We are currently working on expanding our operations into the Anbar governorate as well as southern Iraq through proven programs to rebuild the lives of men, women, children, and refugees IDPs, minorities, ethnic groups and persons with disabilities.

2. Objective

The Business Development Trainer will deliver specialized training to project beneficiaries in Falluja and Saqlawiya to strengthen their agricultural businesses. The objective is to enhance the beneficiaries’ capacity in business management, financial literacy, and market access, thereby improving their livelihoods and fostering sustainable economic growth. The beneficiaries include local farmers, agribusiness owners, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs who rely on agriculture as a primary source of income

  3. Key Responsibilities

• Training Design and Delivery: Develop and deliver tailored training programs that address the specific needs of project beneficiaries, focusing on topics such as business planning, financial management, marketing, and scaling operations. Training sessions should be adapted to the local context, and designed to be practical and hands-on, allowing beneficiaries to immediately apply the skills learned.
• Entrepreneurship and Business Skills Training: Provide beneficiaries with foundational knowledge on how to start, run, and grow a successful agricultural business. Topics may include financial planning, risk management, cost analysis, sales strategies, and supply chain management.
• Financial Literacy and Access to Finance: Train beneficiaries on how to manage finances, including record-keeping, budgeting, and financial forecasting. Provide guidance on accessing finance through grants, loans, and other funding opportunities. Equip them with the skills to prepare loan applications or grant proposals.
• Market Access and Value Addition: Teach beneficiaries how to access and compete in local and regional markets, including understanding market demands, pricing strategies, and value-added products. Help them identify new market opportunities and partnerships to increase sales and profitability.
• Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Introduce beneficiaries to modern and sustainable agricultural practices that improve productivity while conserving resources. This may include water-saving technologies, organic farming, and crop diversification techniques that align with both profitability and environmental sustainability.
• Post-Training Mentorship and Support: Provide ongoing mentorship to the beneficiaries, helping them implement what they have learned. Follow up with participants to offer additional advice, address any challenges, and support continuous improvement of their business operations.
• Community-Based Workshops: Organize and facilitate community-based workshops where beneficiaries can share experiences, challenges, and solutions. Encourage networking among participants to foster a community of practice that supports peer learning and collaboration.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Track and evaluate the progress of beneficiaries through regular follow-ups and assessments of their business performance. Gather feedback on the effectiveness of the training sessions and identify areas where further support or modification of the program is needed.
• Reporting: Prepare and submit regular reports on the training sessions, including the number of beneficiaries trained, topics covered, and progress made by participants. Document success stories and challenges faced by beneficiaries to inform future program development.

• Education: A degree in agriculture, agribusiness, business administration, adult education, or a related field.
• Experience: At least 3 years of experience in delivering training in agricultural business development, with experience working with rural communities or agricultural SMEs. Previous experience working with NGO-led programs or donor-funded projects is an asset.
• Skills:
• Strong facilitation and training skills, with the ability to engage diverse participants and adapt content to meet their needs.
• Knowledge of agricultural markets, business development, and rural economic development.
• Financial literacy, including experience in budgeting, financial planning, and market analysis.
• Excellent communication and mentorship skills.
• Familiarity with sustainable farming practices and agricultural value chains.
• Language: Fluency in Arabic is required, with the ability to speak local dialects in Falluja and Saqlawiya. English proficiency is an advantage.

Interested applicants must send their most recent:

1. CV
2. Cover Letter

To recruitment@agediraq.org, the Subject line must read: Business Development Trainer  tendersglobal.net Fallujah & Saqlawia

Note:

• Applications not meeting the specified minimum requirements may not be considered
• The CVs received after the closing date may not be considered.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview that may include a written test of communication and writing skills.

Due to the nature of AGO work activities, AGO demands its employees to have the highest discretion and flexibility qualities. AGO can anytime according to the needs of his mission, and change the work location of his employee. AGO can at any time update tasks on this Job Description according to the evolution of the program or strategy changes. The above-listed tasks are not exhaustive, the employee can be asked to undertake other tasks by the employer according to the competencies, to work over setting time.

• Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications may be screened prior to the vacancy deadline.