Programme Officer - Enterprise Development - NOB (DC)

Introduction

The ILO Country Office for Bangladesh is anticipating launching a project to enhance the economic opportunities for the people of Cox’s Bazar through skills and livelihood programmes.  

The envisioned project aims to economically empower the NEET youth, women, persons with disabilities, indigenous and religious minorities, and other vulnerable groups in the Cox’s Bazar district through gender-sensitive environment-friendly market-relevant skills development linked to the creation of employment and self-employment opportunities in priority and growth sectors such as tourism, construction, agri-business, and other relevant emerging industry sectors.

The project interventions aim to improve resilience and self-reliance and enhance the economic empowerment of vulnerable women and youth 
in Cox’s Bazar, ensuring employment and decent work. It will provide support through skills and entrepreneurship development for the vulnerable group using ILO tools and methodologies.

The project adopts a leaving no one behind strategy by identifying challenges all persons - particularly women, youth, ethnic and religious minorities, and persons with disabilities - are facing to access and benefit equally from the services; adopting targeted measures to tackle them; and involving beneficiaries in the design, implementation, and review of interventions. This project will also involve multi-level stakeholders relevant to the skills development and employment generation in the target areas, creating a sustainable ecosystem for women to utilize their potential through the project. 

The incumbent will provide technical support and guidance to the project team and partners, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Industry Associations, Business Development Services (BDS), workers, MSMEs to implement the enterprise development and value chain development related activities of the project in the Cox’s Bazar district. 

The incumbent will provide technical support and guidance to the project team and partners, including Chamber of Commerce and Industry, industry Associations, Business Development Services (BDS), workers, MSMEs to implement the enterprise development and value chain development related activities of the project in the Cox’s Bazar district. 

Guidance and Supervision:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Director of ILO Country Office, SME Development Specialists and direct supervision of the Project Manager, Programme Officer (Enterprise Development) will contribute to the implementation of the project in the areas of enterprise related component of the project. S/he needs to work closely with the members of the project team of ILO, partners organisations, BDSs, private sectors, industry associations and ILO constituents.
 

Description of Duties

• Review and analyse country specific and district level development plans and priorities, socio-economic data, reports, and other relevant information
• Work effectively with ILO constituents, stakeholders, and private sectors to implement enterprise development strategy and programmes applying ILO tools and methodologies
• Contribute creative ideas for programme/project development and budget proposals, project proposals, programme background, country strategy papers, objectives, project reviews and evaluation. Monitor progress final reports and other data for clarity, consistency and completeness.
• Identify problems, propose solutions and action and follow-up with relevant departments at headquarters and national office, executing agencies, government offices, constituents and other organizations to expedite implementation of meet targets.
• Organize, coordinate, monitor and provide technical backstopping support to the activities under enterprise component of project and partners in relation to the programme/plan activities.
• Provide technical assistance to partner industry associations, workers association and Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) on achieving gender equality in the workplace and gender friendly working environment through assessing reskilling and upskilling needs of women, youth and disadvantaged groups in green jobs and digital skills and capacity building of business and workers associations in these areas.

• Prepare annual workplan and budget for enterprise development component of the project, 
• Strengthen the capacity of selected BDS Institutions including Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Women Entrepreneur Associations, NASIB etc. 
• Monitor progress of the Project and activities by reviewing, verifying and analysing work-plans, progress reports, final reports and other data for clarity, consistency and completeness
• Provide public relations liaison and relations support and promote Project-specific as well as general ILO activities. 
• Draft, edit in, or translate into local language(s) news releases, official correspondence, statements and speeches and other public information material
• Plan, organize and facilitate consultative meetings, workshops, conferences, seminars, training sessions and speak on behalf of the Project; 
• Prepare briefs, background information, periodical reports, subject matter related technical reports and statistical data on status of programme/project activities
• Brief ILO specialists, project experts, associate experts and visiting officials on Project-related matters and provide relevant information
• Undertake missions to project sites independently or accompanying other officials.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Required qualifications

Education

University Degree in agri-business, business management, enterprise development or other related courses.

Experience

• At least 3 year’s professional experiences at the national level in either private sector engagement, project management, partnerships, or a related field, preferably in international organizations in supervisory or lead role in entrepreneurship and business development promotion.
• Demonstrate solid practical experience with key role in planning and design, implementation, coordination and monitoring of enterprise development, value chains and market development programmes and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations, national governments, and private sectors.
• Demonstrate experience in promoting women’s economic empowerment through enterprise development and value chains and private sector engagement is a must.
• Prior experience in the ILO/ UN System will be an asset.
• Proficiency in speaking and writing in English and Bangla.

Languages

Excellent command of English and Bengali.

Competencies

• Good knowledge of programme and budget, project implementation and evaluation techniques and practices.
• Good knowledge of the role and operations of UN system activities for development.
• Knowledge of the office’s financial rules and regulations.
• Excellent drafting skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Excellent analytical skills
• Ability to justify requirements and approaches to problem resolution and ability to negotiate.
• Good computer applications skills.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to work on owns initiative as well as a member of a team.
• Ability to deal with people with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.