Entrepreneurship and Employment Coordinator

Background and Context:

Sunrise Organization for Civil Society Development (Sunrise NGO) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit, non-political, and impartial organization. It was founded by a group of volunteers in 2015 to support the community and address the needs that arose immediately after the beginning of the conflict in Iraq. It is registered in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Sunrise NGO operates in Iraq, Nineveh, Sinjar (Shingal) and Ba’aj. One of the core goals pursued by the organization is to participate in creating and preserving a safe and sustainable environment for local communities regardless of their religion, gender, disabilities, age, and ethnic background. Sunrise works in different sectors: education, women’s and children’s protection, livelihood, peacebuilding, and social cohesion. The organization supports membership of people from any of these backgrounds who are interested in the humanitarian field and want to be peacemakers. Sunrise has Muslim, Christian, and Yazidi members. We follow the humanitarian principles of humanity, independence, neutrality, transparency, impartiality, and do not harm.

Sunrise Organization for Civil Society Development seeks a new employee to join our team as an Entrepreneurship and Employment Coordinator. We are looking for candidates with a background in Project Coordination /Management/Development or related fields, with solid knowledge of the humanitarian sector, particularly in livelihoods projects.

A short description of the project:

Project Title: Reintegration of Returnees by Incorporating Social Cohesion with Economic Development in North Iraq

Project Overview: This project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, focuses on reintegrating returnees in Sinjar and Ba’aj by fostering social cohesion and promoting economic development. Sunrise NGO, in partnership with ASB, aims to create 300 small businesses for unemployed youth, returnees, and vulnerable groups, focusing on equal participation for women. The project will also support 40 SMEs, emphasizing trust-building among diverse communities, vocational training, and sustainable economic activities. The project will cover 18 to 30 regions within the Sinjar and Ba’aj districts until April 2028.

The coordinator will closely work with Sunrise NGO’s senior management, offering several benefits and challenges.

Benefits:

1. Participation in various training programs.
2. Opportunities to communicate with high-level individuals, including donors and governmental bodies.
3. Potential for a long-term contract.
4. Involvement in decision-making processes.

Main Challenge:

1. You may be required to work overtime and during weekends voluntarily.

Qualifications & Preferred Skills:

1. Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field.
2. Minimum of 3 years of experience in livelihood projects.
3. Strong leadership and team management skills.
4. Excellent multitasking and coordination skills, with the ability to manage several projects and training programs simultaneously.
5. Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, particularly in training program development and implementation.
6. Strong organizational skills with attention to detail in managing budgets, resources, and timelines.
7. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and project management software.
8. Excellent communication skills in English, Kurdish, and Arabic.
9. Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a challenging environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Lead the coordination of daily project activities, ensuring seamless communication among project officers, field staff, and other team members.
2. Set clear objectives for team members, assign responsibilities, and monitor progress to ensure project deliverables are met within deadlines.
3. Foster a collaborative and motivating environment, encouraging teamwork and resolving conflicts to maintain a positive and productive work culture.
4. Coordinate efforts across departments (e.g., finance, HR, logistics) to ensure projects are adequately resourced and tasks are executed efficiently.
5. Deliver training programs in business planning, marketing, branding, and entrepreneurial skills to beneficiaries involved in home-based production activities and small businesses.
6. Provide specialized training in employability skills and readiness, focusing on business management, market opportunities, and financial literacy to enhance self-employment and employment prospects.
7. Tailor training resources for business planning, management preparation, employment opportunities, and skills development, ensuring they meet the needs of diverse beneficiary groups.
8. Lead training in Arabic and English literacy, financial literacy, and life skills related to formal and informal sector income generation, including problem-solving, leadership, negotiation, and digital skills.
9. Deliver or assist in delivering business development training, such as financial literacy, work plan development, access to market opportunities, and other relevant topics.
10. Provide mentoring, counseling, and ongoing support to
11. beneficiaries, helping them pursue self-employment or employment opportunities in local companies.
12. Coordinate with the Projects Manager, Procurement Officer, and Project Officers to ensure alignment of training activities with overall project objectives.
13. Develop and maintain project workflows and communication protocols to ensure all team members understand their responsibilities and timelines.
14. Lead regular team meetings and cross-functional coordination efforts to ensure all project components are aligned and operating smoothly.
15. Facilitate collaboration between field teams and headquarters to ensure consistent progress and quick resolution of any challenges.
16. Work with the M&E teams to track project performance and measure the impact of training programs on beneficiaries’ employability and business outcomes.
17. Use M&E data to evaluate the success of training initiatives and adapt programs as necessary to improve their effectiveness.
18. Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports detailing project progress, training outcomes, challenges, and financial performance.
19. Serve as the liaison with donors, partners, and local community stakeholders, ensuring project activities and training programs meet their expectations and needs.
20. Engage with community leaders, local businesses, and beneficiaries to gather feedback on training programs and identify areas for improvement.
21. Support the project manager in strengthening relationships with local businesses, employers, and other stakeholders to create employment opportunities for beneficiaries.
22. Provide direct supervision and mentorship to project officers, ensuring they are well-trained in business development and employability training.
23. Identify skills gaps within the team and develop capacity-building programs to address them, particularly in training delivery, business management, and financial literacy.
24. Encourage professional development within the team, organizing regular workshops and training sessions on leadership, negotiation, and problem-solving.
25. Oversee project budgets related to training programs, ensuring all expenditures align with financial plans and donor requirements.
26. Work closely with the finance team to track project-related expenses, particularly training, resources, and beneficiary support.
27. Proactively identify and address any financial discrepancies, ensuring transparent and accountable use of project resources.
28. Identify risks related to training programs, business activities, or employability projects and develop mitigation strategies.
29. Ensure all projects comply with organizational policies, donor requirements, and national legal frameworks, particularly employment, financial literacy, and small business development.

Fill in this link: Apply Here

Deadline: 26 October 2024

Please note that Sunrise Organization will review received applications on a rolling basis before the application deadline. Sunrise may invite candidates to the written test before the application deadline. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and they should hear from us within two weeks.