Business and Market Development Trainer

About ARWEO:

ARWEO is a nonprofit organization with a visionary focus on the rehabilitation and protection of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan. ARWEO has a strategic goal of assisting the lifesaving and immediate needs of the marginalized population including IDPs, refugees, and host communities in eastern, central, northern and central highlands regions. ARWEO has a history of 22 years implemented 86 projects with 65% of projects in Shelter, education, protection, food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. ARWEO is dedicated to transforming the lives of marginalized children including boys and girls, particularly those with immediate education, protection, and humanitarian needs, and those belonging to IDP, refugee, and host communities in the affected provinces of Afghanistan.

Project Background:

ARWEO is implementing the Youth Skill Development in Climate Resilience & Green Jobs in Kunar Province. The project targets adolescents and youth, with strong priority for young women and girls, returnees, vulnerable households, and persons with disabilities across Asadabad, Shegal, Nurgal, Narang, Khas Kunar, and Chawkay. It supports four trades: Solar PV Installation and Maintenance, Climate-Smart Kitchen Gardening, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), and Home-Based Poultry Farming. The project combines technical skills, life skills, basic enterprise support, safe delivery systems, and market linkage so that participants can use their training for income generation, self-employment, or improved household resilience.

Summary:

Business and Market Development Trainer will play a central role in linking training and skills development with real market opportunities. The position is responsible for market scanning, mapping of actors, trade-specific market linkages, business support follow-up, coordination with private sector and local stakeholders, and practical guidance to trainees and project staff on market-oriented implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Market Assessment and Mapping

·       Conduct rapid market assessments in target districts for the four project trades and update them when conditions change.

·       Map value chains, seasonal demand, buyer patterns, service opportunities, input suppliers, transport constraints, and price trends relevant to each trade.

·       Identify barriers affecting female participation, home-based enterprise options, mobility limitations, and community acceptance issues.

·       Document market findings in simple, practical formats that can guide training batches, business support, and follow-up planning.

Market Linkage and Business Support

·       Identify and maintain working relationships with local traders, suppliers, workshop owners, solar technicians, agro-dealers, poultry-related businesses, and community market actors.

·       Support the development of practical market linkage plans for trainees, including referrals, buyer introductions, supplier contacts, local exposure visits, or demonstration opportunities where feasible.

·       Assist in preparing trainees for market participation through practical sessions on pricing, customer handling, packaging, simple promotion, and product/service quality.

·       Coordinate with project staff to ensure that kits, tools, and post-training support are relevant to actual market conditions and not only training content.

·       Coordination with Project Teams

·       Work closely with Technical Instructors so that training content reflects local demand and practical income opportunities.

·       Coordinate with Community Mobilizers and district-based staff during outreach, follow-up and post-training support activities.

·       Provide market information to the Project Manager for adaptive planning and decision-making.

·       Coordinate with the MEAL Officer on market-related indicators, follow-up data, and evidence collection.

Reporting and Documentation

·       Prepare concise market briefs, stakeholder mapping updates, follow-up notes, and progress summaries as required by the Project Manager.

·       Maintain proper records of market actors contacted, agreements or understandings reached, visits made, issues identified, and support provided to trainees.

·       Contribute to monthly reports, implementation updates, and lessons learned documentation.

·       Support the preparation of practical recommendations when delays, market shocks, or access constraints affect implementation.

Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, agriculture, rural development, marketing, vocational education, or another relevant field.

·       At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in market systems, livelihoods, enterprise development, value chain work, business support services, TVET, or similar programming

·       Experience working in NGO, donor-funded, or community-based development projects is strongly preferred.

·       Good understanding of local markets in eastern Afghanistan, including community dynamics and practical barriers faced by women and vulnerable groups.

·       Experience in developing stakeholder linkages, conducting market scans, and supporting livelihood or enterprise activities is an advantage.

·       Strong written and spoken communication skills in local languages; working English is highly desirable.

 Core Competencies

·       Strong interpersonal and networking skills.

·       Practical problem-solving and adaptive planning ability.

·       Ability to work respectfully with communities, private sector actors, and local authorities.

·       Good organizational, documentation, and follow-up skills.

·       Commitment to inclusion, accountability, confidentiality, and professional conduct.

·       Ability to travel regularly and work under field conditions in line with organizational security procedures.

Performance Expectations

·       Quality and timeliness of market assessments and market linkage actions.

·       Practical relevance of recommendations provided to project management and training teams.

·       Strength of working relationships established with market actors and local stakeholders.

·       Quality of follow-up support to trainees, especially in relation to enterprise and income pathways.

·       Accuracy of records, reports, and market documentation.

·       Compliance with safeguarding, inclusion, accountability, and organizational policies.

Other Conditions

The assignment may require regular travel to project districts and villages, field-based meetings, and flexible planning in response to implementation realities. Duties may be adjusted by ARWEO management within the overall scope of the role to meet project needs, donor requirements, or contextual changes.

Protection From Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Commitment:

ARWEO has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse. All employees are expected to comply with our PSEA policy. This includes:

·       Undergoing PSEA training

·       Signing a self-declaration form

·       Participating in reference checks that include questions on PSEA

·       Reporting any suspected cases of sexual exploitation and abuse

Safeguarding:

·       Uphold and promote ARWEOI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.

·       Consistent with ARWEO’s safeguarding and protection policies, ensure all people who come into contact with ARWEO are as safe as possible.

Interested candidates should submit their CV and a cover letter without educational documents to hr@arweo.org.af

Note: Applications without mentioning the Position Title , Vacancy Number in the subject line of the email will NOT be considered.  

Females are particularly encouraged to apply

"The Market Development will have to create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the code of conduct."