Project Facilitation Officer

ABOUT FIRST CONSULT AFRICA DEVELOPMENT

First Consult Development (FCD), a sister company to FC Africa, is an indigenous non-governmental organization established in 2022 to improve the lives and livelihoods of disadvantaged citizens, create employment opportunities, increase economic productivity and competitiveness, and support women and children.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Integrated Business Plan Competition programme is a programme that works to promote market-based approaches and support entrepreneurship and MSME development among refugees and host communities in Ethiopia. Through a structured business plan competition, the project will strengthen entrepreneurial capacity, facilitate access to financial and non-financial services, support enterprise formalization, and foster sustainable livelihoods and job creation. The initiative will guide participants through business ideation, training, business plan development, financial linkage facilitation, and post-award business support, contributing to improved socio-economic inclusion, resilience, and self-reliance of forcibly displaced populations and host communities.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Project Facilitation Officer will be responsible for supporting the effective planning, coordination, and implementation of the Integrated Business Plan Competition (BPC) for Refugees and Host Communities. The position holder will provide operational and administrative support throughout the competition cycle and will work closely with the Team Leader, Regional Coordinators, technical experts, financial institutions, business development service providers, and external stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of project activities and achievement of project objectives.

The Project Facilitation Officer will support cross-regional coordination, facilitate communication among project stakeholders, monitor implementation progress, maintain project documentation, and contribute to reporting, knowledge management, and enterprise support activities. The role will also support activities related to entrepreneurship development, business plan competition management, enterprise formalization, and linkages to business development and financial services for participating entrepreneurs and small businesses. The position requires a highly organized and detail-oriented individual capable of managing multiple priorities within a dynamic project environment while supporting the project’s objectives of enterprise development, financial inclusion, and sustainable livelihood creation for refugees and host communities.

The position will work with the Team Leader to liaison with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), regional government institutions, TVET colleges, financial service providers, business development service providers, and other relevant partners.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

• Support the coordination and delivery of entrepreneurship development and business management support activities for participating entrepreneurs and SMEs.
• Assist in the review and assessment of business ideas and business plans, including evaluating business viability, growth potential, job creation prospects, and financing requirements.
• Manage coordination with ILO, RRS, UNHCR, regional government offices, TVET institutions, financial institutions, BDS providers, chambers of commerce, cooperatives, and private sector actors.
• Coordinate engagement with financial institutions, microfinance institutions, SACCOs, and other financial service providers to facilitate access-to-finance opportunities for competition participants.
• Support the implementation of financial literacy, business readiness, and enterprise growth activities designed to strengthen the capacity of participating entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• Monitor and track enterprise development outcomes, including business formalization, access-to-finance linkages, enterprise growth, and job creation achievements among project beneficiaries.
• Ensure all project activities are implemented according to approved work plans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of project activities across all implementation regions.
• Assist in monitoring project schedules, activity plans, milestones, risks, and implementation challenges.
• Coordinate communication and information sharing among project team members, regional coordinators, and technical experts.
• Support the organization of training programs, stakeholder consultations, steering committee meetings, jury sessions, pitching events, and award ceremonies.
• Coordinate logistical and administrative arrangements required for project implementation.
• Assist in coordinating internal and external resources to ensure effective project delivery.
• Support the implementation of participant screening, evaluation, and business plan submission processes.
• Facilitate linkages between project participants and relevant service providers, including TVET institutions, financial institutions, business development service providers, and government offices.
• Support enterprise formalization processes, including business registration, licensing, tax registration, and related administrative requirements.
• Maintain project records, databases, and documentation systems.
• Develop and maintain project tracking tools and databases to monitor implementation progress and achievement of project milestones.
• Assist in monitoring project budgets and tracking activity expenditures in accordance with organizational procedures.
• Prepare and submit periodic progress reports, activity reports, and implementation updates to the Team Leader.
• Document lessons learned, success stories, and project achievements for reporting and communication purposes.
• Prepare presentations, briefing materials, meeting minutes, and other project documentation as required.
• Act as a focal point of communication between project teams and external stakeholders.
• Identify implementation issues and escalate concerns to management as required.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Team Leader or Technical Director.

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

• The Project Facilitation Officer will report to the Team Leader.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or another related field.

Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, enterprise development, SME development, business development services, access-to-finance initiatives, livelihoods programming, or related areas.
• Experience working with entrepreneurship development programs, financial institutions, SME support initiatives, business incubation/acceleration programs, or enterprise financing schemes is an advantage.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders including government institutions, development partners, private sector actors, and community organizations. Experience working on donor-funded development projects is an advantage.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple activities and manage competing priorities
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong report writing and documentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Willingness to travel frequently to project implementation areas.
• Fluency in English and Amharic, both written and spoken. Knowledge of additional local languages such as Afaan Oromo, Somali, Tigrinya, Berta, and/or Arabic are strongly preferred.