Business and Livelihood Assistant

Role summary Business and Livelihood Assistant will support the implementation of business development, livelihood, and household economic strengthening activities under the Strengthening Access to WASH and Child Protection Services for Families and Children project in Samangan Province. The position will assist in beneficiary identification, business development, cash grant implementation, field monitoring, data collection, training, and reporting to improve the economic resilience and self-reliance of vulnerable households, particularly child protection families and other targeted beneficiaries. Duties and responsibilities Duties & Responsibilities • Support the implementation of business development, livelihood, and cash grant activities in accordance with the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), donor requirements, and Islamic Relief programme quality standards. • Assist the protection project Officer in organizing and implementing livelihood assessments, market assessments, and beneficiary selection and verification processes. • Support the registration, profiling, and documentation of eligible beneficiaries in line with approved project criteria. • Assist in organizing community meetings, awareness sessions, and beneficiary orientation on project objectives, livelihood interventions, and cash grant procedures. • Support the implementation of cash grant activities, including beneficiary verification, distribution arrangements, documentation, and post-distribution follow-up. • Conduct regular follow-up visits to beneficiary households and businesses to monitor the utilization of cash grants and provide basic technical support where required. • Assist beneficiaries in preparing simple business plans and implementing approved income-generating activities under the guidance of the Business and Livelihood Officer. • Facilitate entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business management, savings, and livelihood training sessions for beneficiaries. • Support the establishment and strengthening of business groups, producer groups, savings groups, and community-based livelihood initiatives. • Assist in strengthening market linkages by connecting beneficiaries with local suppliers and buyers. • Collect field data and maintain accurate beneficiary records, attendance sheets, business monitoring forms, training reports, and project documentation. • Conduct routine field monitoring visits to assess implementation progress, identify challenges, and report findings to the Business and Livelihood Officer. • Support post-distribution monitoring (PDM), beneficiary satisfaction surveys, and other monitoring and evaluation activities. • Coordinate with community leaders, Community Development communities, local authorities, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation of project activities. • Ensure compliance with safeguarding, child protection, gender equality, accountability, and protection mainstreaming principles throughout project implementation. • Prepare and submit weekly and monthly activity reports and contribute to project progress reports as required. • Immediately report implementation challenges, safeguarding concerns, complaints, or operational risks to the line supervisor. • Maintain confidentiality of beneficiary information and ensure proper management of project records. • Perform any other duties assigned by the Business and Livelihood Officer, Area Manager, or Senior Programme Team. Any other tasks will be assigned. Job requirements PERSON SPECIFICATION It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to Islamic Relief Worldwide vision, mission and safeguarding as well as PSEA. Essential: Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications (Bullet Points) Expected Results • Business and livelihood activities are implemented effectively and on schedule in Samangan Province. • Eligible vulnerable households receive timely and transparent livelihood and cash grant support. • Beneficiaries establish or strengthen sustainable income-generating activities. • Cash grants are utilized appropriately for approved livelihood and business purposes. • High-quality beneficiary records, monitoring data, and project documentation are maintained. • Effective coordination is established with community structures, local authorities, and project stakeholders. • Beneficiary capacity in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and business management is strengthened. • Community resilience and household economic well-being are improved through sustainable livelihood interventions. Business Development and Capacity Building Conduct market assessments, business opportunity analyses, and value chain assessments to identify viable livelihood opportunities. Support beneficiaries in developing business plans and selecting appropriate income-generating activities. Strengthen market linkages by connecting beneficiaries with buyers, suppliers, financial institutions, private sector actors, and government services. Establishment of SHGs from the selected RHs and train them in required training. Provide technical support for established SHGs members. Conduct capacity building training for key members of SHGs on business development and savings. Capacity Building Design and delivery training on: Entrepreneurship and business management Financial literacy Savings and financial planning Marketing, Record keeping and bookkeeping Business planning Develop business plans, training materials, business guidance notes, and practical tools for beneficiaries. Cash Grant Management Support the identification and selection of eligible households using approved vulnerability and economic assessment criteria. Participate in beneficiary verification, registration, and validation processes. Facilitate cash grant orientation sessions for beneficiaries. Ensure transparent, accountable, and timely implementation of cash grant activities in accordance with donor and organizational guidelines. Monitor utilization of cash grants and provide technical support to beneficiaries for effective investment in approved livelihood activities. Conduct post-distribution monitoring (PDM) and business performance follow-up visits. Identify implementation challenges and recommend corrective actions to improve project outcomes. Experience (Bullet Points) Key Personal Qualities (Bullet Points) Desirable: Functional Competencies • Good interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills. • Ability to work effectively with vulnerable communities and diverse stakeholders. • Good knowledge of livelihood programming, entrepreneurship, and household economic strengthening approaches. • Basic understanding of cash grant programming, beneficiary targeting, and community mobilization. • Good report-writing and documentation skills. • Ability to collect, organize, and analyses field data accurately. • Good organizational and time-management skills. • Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and digital data collection tools (e.g., Kobo Toolbox) is an advantage. • Commitment to safeguarding, child protection, accountability, and humanitarian principles. • Willingness to travel frequently within Samangan Province and work in remote communities.