Project Officer- Business & Marketing Action 4 Health

Under the key intervention strategies in business development such as marketing, financial inclusion and money management for targeted youth structures, the Project Officer- Business & Marketing will be responsible for providing technical support to Youth Clubs and Youth Empowerment Centres (YECs) for their business development. He/she will support youth structures to identify strategic economic empowerment interventions with attention to gender equality and enabling young people’s access to SRHR services. He/she will support the implementation of VSLAs as a financial inclusion intervention, as well as build the capacity of youth structures through the promotion of various business development services. He/she will oversee the quality and timely implementation of business and economic development activities and facilitate documentation and learning within these technical areas.

Main Responsibilities:
Provide technical advice and support to youth structures in the planning, implementing and monitoring of business development and economic empowerment activities.
• Provide strategic guidance and mentorships to youth structures concerning business development activities focusing on economic security and self-reliance.
Facilitate linkages with financial institutions and Business Development Support (BDS) service providers to enable youth structures to tap into existing youth livelihood opportunities.
• Organize meetings for collaborative youth structures to jointly plan, review and monitor project activities in the area of livelihoods and economic security on a semi-annual and annual basis.
• Ensure that youth structures have financial literacy, business planning and management skills.
• Support and monitor activities in business development and economic empowerment for youth structures.
• Support youth structures to identify strategic interventions for economic empowerment.
• Support youth structures in identifying proper inputs for their choice businesses based on geographical context, market potential, cultural appropriateness and financial feasibility.

Take the lead in project initiatives to establish a pro-poor sustainable system of community-based business development services.
• Identify community-based actual and potential individuals and companies that can offer services regularly to youth structures.
• Coordinate capacity building of youth structures (Youth Clubs and YECs) to implement quality business development activities.
• Support youth structures to develop strategic partnerships with stakeholders in the market chain.
• Coordinate possible market assessment studies to give a clear idea of the market and segments and provide insights into market-oriented enterprise development.
• Support youth structures to assess the value of their resources against market requirements to determine viable businesses and partnership options.
• Ensure effective design and delivery of enterprise training to provide knowledge and skills to maximize returns through value addition and assuming as many functions in the market chain of selected enterprises.
• Support formation and strengthening of enterprise-based Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and guide them to network with relevant organs and authorities to enhance awareness and compliance with policies and regulations governing associations and trade.

Adaptation and operationalization of the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) model being advanced by TeamUp Uganda in the program area.
• Support partners in identifying training needs for the youth structures involved in VSLAs.
• Ensure periodic capacity building of youth structures in the VSLAs methodology and related Management Information System (MIS).
• Monitor and supervise the delivery of quality VSLAs services in accordance with the VSLAs methodology.
• Mentor and monitor the progress of the trained youth structures.
• Collect, verify and, where necessary, quality assurance of the VSLA performance reports from youth structures.
• Share experiences and lessons learnt with other project staff and stakeholders.
• Ensure the development of appropriate project performance indicators for the business development intervention.
• Create and coordinate linkages to market opportunities.

Contribute to developing strategic and tactical project plans that ensure the commitment of stakeholders and accomplishment of A4HU objectives.
• Keeping up to date with the best practices in the area of specialization to act as an expert: providing advice and guidance as required.
• Ensuring the alignment of youth structures’ economic empowerment plans with local government plans and A4HU strategy and objectives.
• Support organizing and facilitating stakeholders’ workshops to enable participative planning and provide input in the planning processes.
• Develop detailed work plans and budgets as tasked by the Project Manager to deliver aspects of the program.

Engage in broader A4HU programme and administration initiatives.
• Participate in learning events and networking opportunities for the benefit of steering youth economic empowerment.
• As requested by the Project Manager, participate in and contribute to training courses or workshops on business, financial, and programme areas.
• Carry out stakeholder analyses to identify individuals and organizations with whom relations can be built.

Administration and Financial Management
• Participate in elaborating (costed) action plans, performance reviews and performance reports for youth business development activities.
• Ensure proper handling and management of A4HU assets in accordance with prescribed guidelines and procedures.
• Prepare periodical budget forecasts and have responsibility for tracking the budget.

Other Duties
• Plan and complete work assignments with a high degree of initiative, good judgment, analytical skills, and integrity.
• Apply and promote Results-Based Management (RBM) principles and a client-oriented approach consistent with A4HU rules and regulations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field.
• Four years of relevant experience in a similar position job.
• Knowledge of current business trends and markets.
• Experience in designing viable business initiatives.