Business Advisor

Overview:

Anera Ventures, a wholly owned LLC of Anera, is seeking experienced and dynamic Business Advisors—one based in the West Bank and one in Gaza—to lead the identification and support of MSMEs across Palestine. The role will focus on developing modalities to support businesses to become more sustainable and position themselves to generate growth. This role requires deep knowledge of the local context and strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills to navigate the complexities of operating small businesses in Palestine.

The Business Advisor is responsible to produce pipeline development for MSMEs seeking financial and business support, based on the criteria of the program for qualified applicants, through an Anera Ventures MSME Accelerator. The incumbent will deliver direct support in identifying risks faced by businesses and deliver practical mitigation, as well as generate innovative solutions. Collaboration with the program and wider Anera staff to develop and iterate program initiatives for current and future program activity is critical to success, as well as acting as the face of the initiative for MSMEs and other stakeholders, partners, and parallel programs and services.

The Business Advisor reports to the Executive Director of Anera Ventures and be co-located and works closely with Anera’s Palestine team to help increase the impact of traditional livelihood programs. The role will also work closely with Anera Ventures’ team members, working collaboratively to implement the Accelerator platform, achieve initial milestones, and then scale.

Jobs.ps, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Key Functions:

• Identify and develop a local pipeline of MSMEs in need of financial and/or business development support.
• Conduct due diligence, screening, and business assessments of MSMEs to ensure alignment with program criteria.
• Collaborate with and support MSMEs to develop tailored business and sustainability plans.
• Monitor and evaluate the social impact of supported MSMEs.
• Build and strengthen local partnerships to support MSME success.
• Support the development of programs and services, including incorporating learnings and offering innovative solutions to reduce risks and key barriers.
• Support with input into the design of future programs and the Accelerator platform to address local needs.

Responsibilities:

Pipeline Development:

• Support the design of the accelerator selection process, including pipeline criteria.
• Generate pipeline development in Palestine, resulting in a targeted number of businesses identified for investment and support opportunities.
• Screen and evaluate MSME candidates and maintain a database of pipeline prospects, and update progress metrics.

Due Diligence:

• Liaise with partners to evaluate and vet potential recipients of support.
• Provide qualitative and quantitative feedback to better help inform decision-making regarding selected businesses and provided services.
• Develop and improve tools that can objectively standardize MSME evaluation and screening.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Support the development and improvement of M&E tools for the purposes of program evaluation and impact measurement.
• Work with partners and MSMEs to implement the M&E process.
• Identify and support opportunities for post-program support based on M&E results.

Market and Sector Analysis:

• Conduct sector-specific research to identify high-potential industries.
• Produce periodic market scans to inform investment priorities.
• Identify value chains with scalable opportunities for MSMEs.

Minimum Experience Required:

• At least 10 years of professional experience supporting MSMEs in Palestine, including experience as a business owner, management consultant, or through donor-funded projects.
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, or a related field is required.
• Proven expertise in conducting business assessments and developing business/sustainability plans, including strategy development, financial management, and marketing.
• Strong professional networks with key stakeholders, including chambers of commerce, banks, and other financial institutions, with demonstrated understanding of the local business environment.
• Familiarity with impact investment principles and NGO/private sector partnership models is strongly preferred.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English (spoken and written).

Travel:

Travel within Palestine (circumstances permitting) is required. Occasional international travel may be requested.

How to apply:

Interested candidates are requested to send their CVs and cover letters by email to [email protected]. Applications must be received by Thursday, June 5, 2025. Please include "Business Advisor - Ramallah" in the subject line of your email.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Anera is an equal-opportunity employer.