Position:	Project Officer – Skilling & Livelihoods	Program:	Livelihoods
Role:	Market Linkage	Reporting Relationship:	Program Manager – Skilling & Livelihoods
Location:	Pune	Number of Positions:	One
Nature of Employment:	Fixed term Staff (upto two years)

ABOUT AMERICAN INDIA FOUNDATION TRUST

The American India Foundation Trust (AIF) is committed to improving the lives of India’s underprivileged, with a special focus on women, children, and youth. The Foundation does this through high-impact interventions in education, health, and livelihoods because poverty is multidimensional. Through its unique value proposition, working closely with local communities, the Foundation partners with NGOs to develop and test innovative solutions and with governments to create and scale sustainable impact. Founded over two decades ago, in the aftermath of the devastating Gujarat earthquake, as a humanitarian initiative by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji and Bill Clinton, AIFT has impacted the lives of 16.51 million of India’s poor across 35 States and Union Territories of India. Learn more at https://aif-india.org

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

AIF’s Livelihoods program envisions a world where poor and vulnerable communities have access to dignified work opportunities, empower them with sustainable livelihoods. Since 2006, the Livelihoods Program has directly and indirectly served 2.20 million people from vulnerable communities. Leveraging technology to provide financial and market linkages, knowledge, skills, and dignified work opportunities, the program helps the communities secure jobs, manage enterprises, and make a respectable living. Since its inception in 2006, through its flagship programs Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST) and Ability Based Livelihood Empowerment (ABLE), AIF Livelihoods has provided program support to 825,960 disadvantaged youth, women and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), and impacted 343,727 livelihoods.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The program aims to identify and expand PwD participation in the formal Indian labor market, ensuring their inclusion in mainstream services through skills training, job fairs/job drives for employment support followed by post placement retention through continued learning and mentoring. The program seeks to bridge the gap between PwD job seekers and employers by facilitating job fairs and creating a platform that makes it easier for companies to access PwD talent. The project's primary output involves the skill development of 250 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through training programs and giving access to a tech-enabled, inclusive learning AIF's inclusive jobs portal. The expected outcome of this effort is access to the formal labor market by 125 successfully employed PwDs, with a minimum salary of INR 10,000 per month, significantly enhancing their financial well- being and overall quality of life.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Conduct comprehensive market research, including scoping studies and focused research on emerging markets, potential buyers, product trends, and effective marketing strategies, for strategic planning and organizational development.
2. Collaborate with senior management to align market insights with organizational goals and project strategies.
3. Utilize market research findings to identify potential market linkage partners.
4. Provide actionable insights to drive informed decision-making and market penetration.
5. Initiate contact, negotiate terms, and establish fruitful partnerships with prospects
6. Foster enduring relationships with market partners to optimize business opportunities.
7. Negotiate favorable terms such as 100% digital money transactions and increased volume commitments.
8. Facilitate Buyer-Seller Interactions by serving as liaison between buyers and importers, facilitating communication and managing relationships.
9. Organize and support self-help groups' participation in national and international trade shows and targeted buyer meetings
10. Contribute to brand development initiatives aimed at promoting regional and sectoral products.
11. To maintain and update necessary periodic reports and documentation as required in the project
12. Any other task/responsibility assigned by the line manager.

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

1. Minimum of a B.A. or B.Sc Degree in Marketing or Social Work or a similar discipline.
2. Minimum of four 3-4 years of experience working in rural entrepreneurship development
3. Strong writing and speaking skills in English and local language
4. Direct experience in marketing, import/export, and relationship management.
5. Self-starter with excellent interpersonal skills and a team player; able to work independently.
6. Sound knowledge and experience in using Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other Microsoft Office software programs.
7. Experience in website management and graphics programs is desirable.
8. Product design, both design and graphic design experience a plus.
9. Willingness to travel 50-75% of the time.
11. Organized and able to create multiple timelines, budgets, and schedules
12. Able to multitask, prioritize, and manage time efficiently
13. Ability to work under pressure and disciplined

OTHERS:

Salary shall commensurate with experience.

POSITION AVAILABILITY:

Immediate

APPLICATION PROCESS:

To apply for this position, please click here

Only applications of shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.

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