BUSINESS TRAINING PROJECT OFFICER

Program / Department Summary:

Mercy Corps Yemen is continuing its FCDO-funded Fresh Horizons pilot project, which applies and tests an inclusive, climate-resilient Market Systems Development (MSD) approach within the fisheries sector in Yemen’s Aden and Hadramout Governorates. The pilot works with local market actors to sustainably increase income and food security for fishing households and communities.

The next phase of Fresh Horizons will build on the pilot’s successes through a 9-month continuation phase focused on strengthening the supply and use of cold chain equipment. Increased access to cold chain technology will reduce waste, improve profits, and open new urban markets. This will provide improved livelihood opportunities for vulnerable households and actors across the fisheries sector - ultimately increasing food access and improving household food security.

General Position Summary:

The Business Training Project Officer will support the design and delivery of training activities for vulnerable fishing households and small-scale traders. The role will focus on building participants’ business knowledge and capacity to effectively adopt and manage cold chain equipment. This includes delivering or coordinating training in financial literacy, record keeping, costing, and customer relationship management. The Officer will work closely with cooperatives, vendors, and business development service providers to ensure that trainings are practical, gender-sensitive, and aligned with market demands. They will also contribute to identifying opportunities for post-training support and longer-term sustainability.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Deliver training sessions on core business skills (e.g. costing, bookkeeping, customer service) to traders and fishing households.
• Coordinate with the Capacity Strengthening Coordinator and cooperatives to schedule and mobilise training participants.
• Support adaptation of training materials to local context and ensure content is accessible for low-literacy audiences.
• Track attendance and monitor improvements in knowledge, skills, and business practices among participants.
• Conduct follow-up visits or phone surveys with trained participants to assess uptake and provide additional guidance.
• Facilitate referrals to vendors, MFIs, or other services as needed to complement business development goals.
• Ensure strong inclusion of women and youth in training design, outreach, and delivery.
• Identify and support opportunities for cooperatives or private actors to deliver training sustainably post-project.
• Contribute to training reporting and learning documentation..
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options.
• If relevant, briefing or training any external personnel such as when working with service contractors or subaward partners.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Deputy Project Manager
• Works Directly With: Cooperative Project Officer, Private Partnership Coordinator, MEL Officer, Local Training Providers, Business Development Service Providers, Cooperatives, Traders, and Fishing Households.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, education, or related field.
• Minimum 2–3 years of experience delivering business or vocational training, especially in rural or informal market contexts.
• Familiarity with financial literacy, small business operations, or value chain development.
• Strong facilitation skills and experience working with low-literacy or vulnerable populations.
• Prior experience coordinating with community groups, training institutes, or NGOs preferred.
• Sensitivity to gender, inclusion, and cultural dynamics in training delivery.
• Fluency in Arabic required; working proficiency in English preferred.

Success Factors:

The successful candidate will be an engaging facilitator with a hands-on understanding of small business challenges in fragile contexts. They will have the patience, adaptability, and interpersonal skills needed to support diverse participants with varied needs. A commitment to practical, participant-led learning and inclusion will be key, alongside strong coordination and follow-up capacity to support meaningful outcomes.

Team Efficiency and Effectiveness 

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work.

We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.