Project Assistant – Enterprise Development at RefuSHE

Summary Profile   

• The Project Assistant- Enterprise Development will support refugee, vulnerable host young women entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities to strengthen and grow existing micro and small enterprises through practical business management training, mentorship, market linkages, and enterprise coaching.    

Job Purpose   

• The Project Assistant- Enterprise Development will lead the implementation of the Gender and Entrepreneurship Together (GET Ahead) approach and IYB trainings to strengthen entrepreneurship, employability, and business management skills among refugee, and vulnerable young women and persons with disabilities. The role focuses on promoting women’s economic empowerment through gender-responsive entrepreneurship training, mentorship, coaching, and market linkages.   
• The role will support the implementation of business improvement and enterprise strengthening interventions for entrepreneurs who already operate small businesses or income-generating activities. The officer will focus on improving profitability, productivity, financial management, customer retention, operational efficiency, and sustainability of participant businesses.   
• This role specifically targets existing entrepreneurs and enterprises that require structured support to improve business performance and growth potential.   

Key Responsibilities   

GET Ahead Training    

• Coordinate implementation of the GET Ahead entrepreneurship curriculum and related livelihood activities.    
• Facilitate training sessions on:    
• Gender and entrepreneurship    
• Business planning    
• Marketing and customer relations    
• Financial literacy and budgeting    
• Production and service management    
• Business networking and leadership    
• Self-management and entrepreneurial mindset    
• Adapt training content to refugee and host young women contexts while maintaining fidelity to the GET Ahead methodology.    
• Organize business incubation activities, mentorship forums, and exposure visits.    
• Support participants to develop practical business plans and income-generating initiatives.    
• Conduct follow-up coaching and enterprise monitoring for program participants.   

IYB Training and Facilitation   

• Plan and facilitate Improve Your Business (IYB) training sessions for refugee and host community entrepreneurs.    
• Deliver practical training modules on:    
• Business improvement strategies    
• Record keeping and bookkeeping    
• Cash flow management    
• Pricing and costing    
• Marketing and customer care    
• Stock and inventory management    
• Business planning and goal setting    
• Productivity and operational efficiency    
• Risk management and business resilience    
• Financial literacy and savings practices    
• Conduct practical business case studies, simulations, and enterprise assessments.    
• Support participants to develop business improvement action plans.    
• Facilitate peer learning, business clinics, and group coaching sessions.    

Enterprise Coaching and Mentorship   

• Conduct regular business follow-up visits and mentorship sessions.    
• Assess enterprise performance and identify business growth opportunities.    
• Support entrepreneurs to improve business systems, profitability, and customer retention.    
• Provide individualized coaching to entrepreneurs facing operational challenges.    
• Support participants to strengthen business records and financial management practices.    
• Assist entrepreneurs to identify and access new markets and supply chains.    

Business Performance Monitoring   

• Track business growth indicators including:    
• Sales performance    
• Profitability    
• Customer growth    
• Savings practices    
• Inventory management    
• Business sustainability    
• Maintain updated participant and enterprise performance records.    
• Document success stories, lessons learned, and case studies.    
• Prepare training reports, field visit reports, and donor updates.    
• Support monitoring and evaluation activities for livelihoods and enterprise programming.    

Market Linkages and Business Networking   

• Facilitate linkages between entrepreneurs and:    
• Local markets    
• Suppliers    
• Savings and credit groups    
• Financial institutions    
• Business associations    
• Mastercraft support services    
• Organize networking forums, business exhibitions, and mentorship engagements.    
• Promote entrepreneurship ecosystems that support refugee women-owned enterprises.    

Community Engagement and Participant Support   

• Mobilize and support eligible participants for IYB interventions.    
• Coordinate with protection, case management, and psychosocial teams to support vulnerable participants.    
• Promote inclusive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered approaches during training and coaching activities.    
• Encourage peer support and collaborative learning among entrepreneurs.    

Safeguarding and Compliance   

• Ensure adherence to RefuSHE safeguarding, child protection, PSEA, and code of conduct policies.    
• Promote safe participation and confidentiality during program implementation.    
• Uphold ethical and professional standards in all interactions with participants and stakeholders.    

Qualifications and Experience   

Education   

• Minimum Diploma in business administration, Entrepreneurship, Economics commerce, Community Development, Development Studies, Project Management, Or related field.   
• ILO/SIYB Training Certification is desirable   

Experience   

• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in enterprise development, business coaching, or entrepreneurship training.    
• Experience supporting micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) and women-led businesses.    
• Experience facilitating GET Ahead, IYB, SIYB, or similar business improvement methodologies is highly desirable.    
• Experience working with refugees, youth, women, persons with disabilities, or vulnerable communities is an added advantage.    

Required Skills and Competencies   

• Strong business coaching and mentorship skills.    
• Excellent facilitation and adult learning skills.    
• Strong understanding of small business operations and enterprise growth.    
• Knowledge of bookkeeping, costing, marketing, and business management.    
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.    
• Ability to assess business performance and identify growth strategies.    
• Excellent report writing and documentation skills.    
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.    
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.    
• Fluency in English and Swahili; additional refugee community languages are an advantage.