Job Description

Position: Project Assistant 
Locations:  Aden
Technical Supervisor: Project Officer (Field)   
Vacancy Reference Number: PA/ADE-SHR

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

Islamic Relief Yemen (IRY) is implementing emergency food assistance to vulnerable families in Aden. The response aims to provide food assistance to Households in Aden. The proposed project will save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity of conflict-affected people in Yemen. Therefore, we are seeking potential project assistant to support the implementation of the FS and Livelihood project; activities will be implementing in Aden governorate. 

The FSL unit closely works with country program team in identifying, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating emergency projects and programs in collaboration with local, national and international partners.
It focuses on the Recovery and Development of strategic areas and support communities affected by conflict, natural and man-made disasters. The overall objectives of the FSL division are to alleviate poverty and suffering of human kinds   by providing them with long term sustainable program, improve the livelihood conditions of the targeted beneficiaries and reduce malnutrition rate of women and children in collaboration with international donors, INGOs and UN agencies.

JOB PURPOSE: 

The Project Assistant in a business incubator and micro businesses plays a crucial role in supporting the operations and initiatives of the incubator and micro businesses. This position typically involves assisting with project management, coordinating activities, and providing administrative support to ensure the smooth functioning of the incubator’s programs aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and small business development. This role is vital for ensuring that business incubators operate effectively while supporting entrepreneurs through various stages of their business development journey.
    
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Job Responsibilities:

• Responsible for FSL activity implementation in specific communities/geographical areas and for a specific beneficiary caseload, and reports to the relevant Officer for that location.
• Assist in planning, executing, and monitoring various projects within the incubator. This includes scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, and documenting project progress.
• Provide administrative assistance to the incubator staff, including managing correspondence, maintaining records, and organizing files related to projects and clients.
• Serve as a point of contact for incubator tenants and clients. This may involve answering inquiries, providing information about services offered by the incubator, and facilitating communication between clients and staff.
• Help maintain databases that track client progress, project outcomes, and other relevant metrics. This includes entering data accurately and generating reports as needed.
• Assist in organizing workshops, seminars, networking events, and other activities that promote entrepreneurship within the community.
• Contribute to marketing efforts by helping create promotional materials or managing social media accounts to increase awareness of the incubator’s programs.
• Work closely with internal teams and external partners such as local businesses, educational institutions, and economic development organizations to enhance program offerings.
• Conduct research on best practices in business incubation and entrepreneurship support to inform program development.
• Assist in monitoring project budgets by tracking expenses related to specific initiatives or events.
• Prepare periodic reports on project status for management review; this may include summarizing findings from client assessments or event evaluations.
• Capture field lessons learned and shared them with relevant staff and departments to reinforce and improve FSL-related construction/upgrading activities.
• Identify potential issues or risks within projects early on and assist in developing mitigation strategies.
• Lead the identification of the communities on the basis of consultation with local authorities, FSAC and related stockholders.
• Participate in the registration and verification of beneficiaries according to the selection criteria and prepare all finalized beneficiaries lists.
• Maintain project documentation including plans, reports, and correspondence.
• Maintaining adequate records, keeping an up to date filing system.
• Organize project files both physically and digitally to ensure easy access to information.
• Participate in reviews of project outputs to identify areas for improvement.
• Prepare presentations or reports summarizing project status for stakeholders.
• Represent IRY to local authorities, members of the humanitarian community, media, and in civil society forums so that its impartiality is not compromised.
• Share community feedback on beneficiary selection criteria with FSL department to update and finalize selection criteria.
• Support quality control processes by ensuring that all deliverables meet established standards before submission.
• Use software tools (e.g., Microsoft Excel, project management software) to manage project activities effectively.
• Track project activities by tracking progress against timelines and deliverables.
• Comply with all relevant IRY policies and procedures.
• Any other relevant duties as directed and in line with the grade of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

A) EDUCATION/TRAINING 

Required:

• University degree in social studies, business administration, management, or a related field.

B) EXPERIENCE  

Required:

• Minimum two years of experience in the field of micro business in emergencies with INGOs/NGOs.
• Previous experience in operate business incubators, accelerators, or similar programs is an advantage.

Desirable:

• Professional certifications in related specialization (such as CIM, or others).

C) Competencies 

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated capacities to establish and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with government officials, local organizations, communities and other stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
• Capability to analyse data effectively and present findings clearly.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team environment while also being self-motivated.
• Ability to plan and deliver results in the field.
• Trustworthy and able to manage resources effectively.
• Excellent command (spoken and written) of English and Arabic.

Other COMPETENCIES

Core Values (Required):

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core Competencies (Required):

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results
• Team player and collaboration.

Functional Competencies (Required):

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts.
• Planning and organization.

Safeguarding:

• Understanding of and commitment to safeguarding, child safety, and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation principles.

PROBLEM-SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

• Ability to deal with a complex situation and solve issues and problems.

 WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED 

• This position is located in Aden Governorate - Yemen with regular visits to the project sites in the targeted areas