Palestine Economic Empowerment, Livelihoods, TVET, MSME Development and Employment

About STOOS CONSULTING

STOOS CONSULTING is expanding its Palestine-based expert roster and invites applications from qualified consultants, trainers, researchers, facilitators, business coaches, TVET specialists, labour market experts and subject matter specialists working in the fields of economic empowerment, livelihoods, employment promotion, TVET, entrepreneurship, MSME development, business coaching, market assessment, financial inclusion and inclusive local economic recovery.

STOOS works with humanitarian and development partners to design, implement, assess and strengthen programmes that support income generation, market access, employability, enterprise recovery, vocational skills, business resilience, green jobs, digital livelihoods and inclusive economic participation for vulnerable and crisis-affected communities.

In Palestine, economic empowerment programming is shaped by prolonged conflict, movement restrictions, market disruption, high unemployment, reduced household income, damaged livelihoods, pressure on local services, disrupted education and training systems, and limited access to stable employment and business opportunities. STOOS is seeking experts who can support practical, inclusive and market-responsive interventions targeting women, youth, persons with disabilities, graduates, informal workers, farmers, fishers, MSMEs, home-based businesses, displaced households, refugees and other vulnerable groups across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, subject to access, safety and operational requirements.

Priority Areas of Expertise

1. Livelihoods and Economic Recovery

Experts may support programmes related to household economic strengthening, income generation, livelihood recovery, food security-linked livelihoods, emergency livelihoods, early recovery, resilience-based livelihoods, self-employment, home-based work, community-based enterprises, temporary employment, cash-for-work, employment-intensive public works and livelihood restoration for households affected by conflict, displacement, market collapse or loss of assets.

This may include support to vulnerable families, women-headed households, youth, persons with disabilities, farmers, fishers, informal workers, small producers, artisans and microenterprises affected by crisis and economic instability.

2. Employment Promotion and Job Readiness

STOOS is seeking experts in labour market assessment, skills gap analysis, employability training, job readiness, career counselling, job search support, CV writing, interview preparation, workplace communication, professional behaviour, digital job applications, job matching, employer engagement, internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning, on-the-job training and transition-to-work support.

Relevant experience may include supporting young graduates, unemployed youth, women seeking work, persons with disabilities, vocational trainees, workers formerly dependent on external labour markets, and job seekers entering local Palestinian labour markets.

3. TVET and Market-Based Skills Development

STOOS is interested in TVET experts who can design and deliver market-relevant vocational training, develop curricula, prepare training manuals, conduct training needs assessments, support competency-based training, facilitate Training of Trainers, strengthen TVET centres, assess training quality, support certification pathways and link trainees with employers or self-employment opportunities.

Relevant TVET and practical skills areas may include, but are not limited to:

Construction, rehabilitation and reconstruction-related skills: masonry, carpentry, tiling, painting, plastering, welding, aluminium work, steel fixing, plumbing, electrical installation, home repair, shelter maintenance, water network maintenance, sanitation system repair, road maintenance, public works supervision, occupational safety and basic site management.

Renewable energy and green skills: solar panel installation and maintenance, solar water heating, energy efficiency, battery systems, basic electrical troubleshooting, green building practices, solid waste management, recycling, composting, circular economy, environmental services, climate-smart livelihoods and green MSME development.

Agriculture, food security and rural livelihoods: smallholder agriculture, greenhouse farming, irrigation, hydroponics, water-efficient production, crop management, livestock care, poultry, beekeeping, dairy processing, seedling production, composting, home gardens, cooperative farming, agro-processing, food preservation, packaging, quality control and market access for agricultural products.

Food production and hospitality-related skills: catering, bakery, sweets production, food processing, food safety, kitchen management, community kitchens, restaurant services, hospitality, housekeeping, guesthouse support, tourism-linked services where feasible, and small food business management.

ICT, digital and remote work skills: computer literacy, data entry, digital administration, online freelancing, digital marketing, social media management, e-commerce, graphic design, mobile phone repair, computer maintenance, basic coding, website management, online customer service, remote work readiness and digital entrepreneurship.

Technical maintenance and services: mechanics, automotive repair, motorcycle maintenance, appliance repair, refrigeration and air conditioning, generator maintenance, mobile maintenance, electronics repair, water pump repair, machinery operation, logistics, warehousing, inventory control and supply chain support.

Care economy and community services: childcare, elderly care, disability support, home-based care, first aid, psychosocially sensitive service delivery, community outreach, safe referral practices, hygiene promotion and care-related employment pathways.

Traditional, creative and home-based trades: tailoring, sewing, embroidery, textile production, handicrafts, leatherwork, cosmetics production, soap-making, hairdressing, barbering, beauty services, photography, video editing, design, packaging, branding and online sales.

4. MSME Development and Business Coaching

Experts may support MSME assessments, business diagnostics, business plan development, feasibility studies, start-up support, business recovery planning, enterprise coaching, incubation, acceleration, business formalization, customer relations, pricing, costing, bookkeeping, financial management, digital marketing, sales, branding, product development, supply chain management, market expansion and post-grant follow-up.

STOOS is particularly interested in business coaches who can support micro and small enterprises, women-led businesses, youth-led start-ups, informal businesses, home-based enterprises, cooperatives, small producers, service providers, damaged businesses and crisis-affected MSMEs to stabilize, adapt and grow in difficult market conditions.

5. Women’s and Youth Economic Empowerment

STOOS seeks specialists who can support women-led enterprises, youth entrepreneurship, safe access to income, mentorship models, peer learning, life skills, leadership, financial independence, home-based business models, safe market participation, family-sensitive livelihood planning and protection-sensitive economic empowerment.

Experience is especially relevant where economic empowerment is linked to GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, disability inclusion, youth inclusion, social cohesion, safe referral pathways, community acceptance and do-no-harm approaches.

6. Market Assessment, Value Chain Analysis and Private Sector Engagement

Relevant expertise includes rapid market assessments, labour market studies, value chain analysis, private sector mapping, buyer-supplier linkages, market feasibility studies, enterprise ecosystem analysis, stakeholder mapping, employer surveys, price monitoring, market functionality analysis, local economic recovery planning and identification of viable income-generating activities.

Priority sectors may include agriculture, food systems, construction, renewable energy, ICT, services, logistics, retail, light manufacturing, care services, repair and maintenance, handicrafts, tourism-related services where feasible, and local production value chains.

7. Financial Inclusion and Access to Capital

STOOS is seeking experts in financial literacy, household budgeting, business finance, savings groups, community-based savings and lending, microfinance readiness, Islamic finance models, cash-flow management, investment readiness, grant management, small grant mechanisms, revolving funds, financial coaching and access to finance for MSMEs.

This may include support to women, youth, informal businesses, farmers, cooperatives, start-ups, crisis-affected enterprises and businesses seeking to restart or adapt after shocks.

8. Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Systems and Rural Livelihoods

Experts may support programmes related to farmers’ livelihoods, fisheries, livestock, poultry, beekeeping, dairy production, greenhouse farming, irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, hydroponics, food processing, preservation, packaging, agricultural cooperatives, producer groups, local food markets, input supply chains and rural enterprise development.

Experience in linking agriculture and food systems with nutrition, food security, climate resilience, water scarcity, women’s economic participation and local market recovery is strongly encouraged.

9. Green Jobs, Climate-Sensitive Livelihoods and Environmental Services

STOOS is interested in expertise related to solar energy livelihoods, renewable energy services, energy-efficient businesses, climate-smart agriculture, waste management, recycling, composting, circular economy, green construction, water-saving technologies, environmental clean-up, sustainable production and green MSMEs.

Experts may also support the integration of climate sensitivity into livelihoods, TVET, enterprise development and local economic recovery programming.

10. Digital Livelihoods, E-Commerce and Remote Income

Relevant expertise includes digital skills training, online work readiness, freelancing platforms, e-commerce, digital marketing, social media sales, content creation, online customer service, ICT-based employment, remote administrative work, digital financial tools, mobile-based business solutions and digital entrepreneurship.

STOOS is particularly interested in experts who can support youth, women, graduates, small businesses and home-based enterprises to access practical digital income opportunities despite mobility, market and access constraints.

11. Social Enterprises, Cooperatives and Community-Based Businesses

This includes expertise in cooperative development, producer groups, community kitchens, women-led collectives, savings groups, social enterprise models, refugee-host community economic cooperation, inclusive businesses for persons with disabilities, community-based production groups and local service enterprises.

Experts may support group formation, governance, business planning, market access, financial management, conflict-sensitive group facilitation and sustainability planning.

12. Inclusive Economic Empowerment and Protection Mainstreaming

STOOS seeks experts who can ensure that livelihood and TVET programming is safe, inclusive, accessible and conflict-sensitive. Relevant expertise includes gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding, PSEA, protection mainstreaming, safe beneficiary selection, risk analysis, community engagement, accountability to affected populations and referral pathways.

This is particularly important for programmes targeting women, girls, youth, persons with disabilities, displaced people, refugees, informal workers, households affected by violence and families with limited income options.

13. Training Design, Facilitation and Capacity Building

STOOS is seeking experienced trainers who can design and deliver practical, participatory and field-oriented training for beneficiaries, trainers, local NGOs, TVET centres, cooperatives, municipalities, community-based organizations, private sector actors and project teams.

Areas of training may include business planning, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, employability, job readiness, digital skills, vocational trades, soft skills, customer service, marketing, leadership, cooperative management, grant management, occupational safety, training of trainers, coaching methods, mentorship, safeguarding, gender inclusion, disability inclusion, conflict sensitivity and monitoring of livelihood outcomes.

14. Monitoring, Learning and Programme Quality

Experts may support outcome monitoring, post-training monitoring, tracer studies, business performance tracking, grant follow-up, beneficiary follow-up, market monitoring, learning reports, case studies, tool development, reporting templates, data collection, qualitative and quantitative analysis, recommendations and programme quality reviews.

Relevant experience includes monitoring livelihood results such as employment, income change, business survival, business growth, skills use, market linkages, women’s participation, inclusion of persons with disabilities and sustainability of training outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

Selected experts may be engaged to conduct economic assessments, labour market studies, market mapping, value chain analysis and feasibility studies. They may also design and deliver training curricula, coaching packages, manuals, toolkits and practical learning materials adapted to the Palestinian context.

Experts may be asked to facilitate vocational training, business coaching, mentorship, institutional capacity building, training of trainers and private sector engagement. They may support MSMEs, cooperatives, TVET centres, municipalities, local NGOs, CBOs, producer groups and community-based structures.

Assignments may also include developing livelihood pathways for women, youth, refugees, displaced households, persons with disabilities, unemployed graduates, informal workers and vulnerable families. Experts may support job matching, employer networks, apprenticeships, internships, small grant schemes, business incubation, post-grant follow-up and market linkages.

All experts are expected to integrate gender equality, youth inclusion, disability inclusion, safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, accountability and do-no-harm into their work, and to contribute to monitoring, learning, reporting and evidence-based recommendations.

Required Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate residence in Palestine or strong operational experience in Palestine, with a solid understanding of the humanitarian, development, economic and labour market context in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and/or the Gaza Strip.

Applicants should have fluency in Arabic, while strong English is highly desirable. A degree, diploma or professional qualification in economics, business administration, development studies, agriculture, engineering, TVET, education, finance, social sciences, livelihoods, entrepreneurship or a related field is preferred.

Applicants should normally have a minimum of 5–7 years of relevant experience in economic empowerment, livelihoods, TVET, MSME development, entrepreneurship, employment promotion, market systems, financial inclusion, agriculture, local economic recovery, training, facilitation or business coaching. Highly experienced vocational trainers with strong practical field experience are also encouraged to apply.

Experience working with INGOs, UN agencies, local NGOs, municipalities, donors, private sector actors, chambers of commerce, cooperatives, TVET institutions, women’s organizations, youth organizations or organizations of persons with disabilities will be considered an asset.

Applicants should have strong skills in facilitation, training delivery, coaching, stakeholder engagement, field coordination, analysis, reporting, communication and ethical work with vulnerable communities.

Desired Profile

STOOS is particularly interested in experts with demonstrated experience supporting programmes for women, youth, persons with disabilities, refugees, displaced people, informal workers, unemployed graduates, small farmers, fishers, MSMEs, home-based businesses, cooperatives and crisis-affected households.

Applicants should be able to work in multi-stakeholder environments and provide support that is field-oriented, market-informed, inclusive, practical, ethical and responsive to local Palestinian economic realities. Experts with the ability to work across governorates, adapt to access constraints, use remote or blended approaches when needed, and produce clear technical outputs are strongly encouraged to apply.