Business Development Advisor

Assignment Type:

Canadian International Volunteer

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada only

Assignment ID:

VA-106914

Assignment Title:

Business Development Advisor

Partner:

Africa Business Centre for Developing Education (ABCDE)

Country:

Ghana

Duration:

4 to 5 months

Time Commitment:

Full time

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about youth development? Do you have Business Development skills to share?

As the Business Development Advisor with Africa Business Center for Developing Education (ABCDE) in Accra, Ghana, you will support the organization in accessing potential international, regional, national and sub-national funding sources to improve youth access to quality education and employment opportunities.

Apply now to support the economic empowerment of youth in Ghana!

Roles and Responsibilities

• Support in the development of creating concept notes, promotion of business ideas, and proposal writing to potential donors in the youth education and employment sectors 
• Assist the team in relationship building with potential private and institutional donors to receive sustainable funding 
• Assist in the development of training modules for youth on educational funding prospects available at the national, regional, and international levels
• Collaborate with the team to organize public events and networking opportunities between students and public institutions 
• Ensure that a gender equality lens is consistently applied in the execution of all activities
• Support partners to empower young women and promote a culture of gender-sensitive representation in all activities and program benefits  
• Support the organization to consider meaningful inclusion of program participants
• Participate in pre-assignment training
• Participate in at least 3 public engagement initiatives before, during, or after the assignment. Volunteers will be equipped with the tools, training, and support to achieve these goals. Volunteers will also have one virtual check-in with the Public Engagement Officer throughout the course of their assignment
• Set up a personalized volunteer fundraising page on the WUSC fundraising platform and share it in your networks. Volunteers will be supported with the tools, training and support to achieve the fundraising goal
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC.

Experience and Qualifications

• Degree in Business Administration, Management, International development or a related field
• Experience in promoting business ideas 
• Ability to produce analytical reports
• Minimum two (2) years relevant professional experience in your field of expertise
• A commitment to gender equality, youth inclusion, and international volunteering
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English.

Project Description

Volunteering for development is one of the important ways in which WUSC pursues its mission. The IGNI+E project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports over 70 partner organizations to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of 1.2 million youth around the world. IGNI+E harnesses the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians through volunteer assignments and public engagement activities to assist partners in improving their performance, advocating for gender equality, and implementing more sustainable, innovative and inclusive initiatives and services for poor and marginalised youth, particularly young women. Overseas, our volunteers collaborate with a wide variety of partners, including enterprise and social enterprise development incubators, skills training centres, women’s organizations, and youth groups. In Canada, WUSC works with institutions and individuals to identify, prepare, and support volunteers who travel overseas to support our partners. Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. Our collective focus is on sustainable and inclusive changes to create a better world for youth.

Partner Description

To help graduates become more employable, this pan-african organization is helping youth prepare for the world of work through mentorship, internships and scholarships. Mentorship programs enable students to make informed decisions regarding their career and academic success through engagement with large groups of students, medium-sized groups specialising in a field of interest or one-on-one mentorships on a longer-term basis. Internships provide students and young graduates with opportunities to gain practical knowledge and bridge the gap between educational systems and the world of work. These services expose young people to a broad range of work-readiness skills such as computer literacy, basic comportment, world outlook, written and spoken English, numeracy, punctuality, attention to details, client responsiveness, productivity, time management, exposure to modern culture, and general attitude to work. These services introduce students to negotiating skills, personal development skills, ICT skills, time management skills, decision-making skills, numeracy and literacy skills, positive work ethics, confidence, leadership interpersonal skills and teamwork etc.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to departure and from WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-departure training to learn about the volunteering for development program, gain practical skills for living and working in an intercultural context and network with other volunteers
• In-country orientation upon arrival in country of assignment
• Language training in country of assignment, where required
• Modest monthly living and accommodation allowance
• Airfare to and from the assignment country
• Visa/work permit
• Pre-departure medical exam
• Health insurance
• Vaccinations and antimalarial medication
• Criminal record verification
• Vacation leave entitlement
• Debriefing after completion of assignment
• An incredible opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to global development, enhance your professional skills and participate in an experience of a lifetime!

WUSC’s Safeguarding Policy

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion and sexual exploitation and abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to sign off on the WUSC Code of Conduct and the Self-Disclosure Form. International and national volunteers will also be required to submit a criminal record verification.

WUSC is a signatory to the Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Pledge on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct. The pledge represents the shared commitment as Canada’s global development and humanitarian leaders to ensure the full implementation of practices and policies that will protect and respond to our own staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. We are committed to creating safe and respectful workplaces and programs that promote gender equality and are free from gender-based violence, including by addressing and responding to all abuse of power, holding people to account, and protecting the vulnerable. Read the full pledge.