Business Development Officer (BDO)

Job Context

• Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) started its journey in 1988 with a noble vision to stand in solidarity with the poor and marginalized. Being a peoples` centered organization, ESDO envisioned for a society which will be free from inequality and injustice, a society where no child will cry from hunger and no life will be ruined by poverty. Near about three decades of relentless efforts to make this happen, ESDO has embraced new grounds and opened up new horizons to help the disadvantaged and vulnerable people to bring meaningful and lasting changes in their lives. During this long span, ESDO has adapted with the changing situation and provided the most time-bound services especially for the poor and disadvantaged. A community focused and people centered approach has been adapted by ESDO while consideration was given to the national policy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its guiding principle. ESDO is one of the most dynamic organizations expanding its development interventions across 422 upazilas under 56 districts of Bangladesh covering over 10 million poor and vulnerable people.

• The Business Development Officer (BDO) will play a crucial role in assisting individuals seeking employment to achieve their career goals under the ACCESS – Advancing Career Connections, Employment, and Skills for Success_GG12 project. S/he will support most climate migrant youths who are migrants due to several climate events to ensure livelihood resilience through enterprise development and self-employment opportunities for graduates of TVET programs. S/he will support youth, women, and marginalized groups in transforming acquired skills through competency-based training (CBT), apprenticeships, dual training systems, entrepreneurship modules, and digital learning into viable businesses and income-generating activities. The role focuses on enterprise incubation, market linkages, access to finance, and fostering sustainable and green business practices. Primary responsibility will be to provide comprehensive support and guidance to new entrepreneurs, including business plan, market research, business scale-up, mentoring, and networking with the digital business platform. S/He will collaborate with various stakeholders, such as business associations, community organizations, and local business groups, to connect the market with suitable growth opportunities. This position requires exceptional communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills to effectively empower individuals and contribute to their successful entrepreneurship outcomes. S/he will distribute time 80% in fieldwork and 20% in desk work and report directly to the project coordinator.

• Reporting to: Project Coordinator

Job Responsibilities

Enterprise Development & Entrepreneurship Support:

• Identify and support trainees with entrepreneurial potential to develop viable business plans.

• Provide one-to-one business coaching, mentoring, and advisory services.

• Organize and deliver entrepreneurship training modules integrated into TVET programs.

• Support incubation of small and micro-enterprises, with a focus on green and climate-resilient businesses.

• Facilitate group enterprises, cooperatives, or producer organizations where appropriate

Market Linkages & Business Growth:

• Develop and strengthen value chain linkages for trainee-led enterprises.

• Establish market connections with buyers, suppliers, and service providers.

• Promote digital platforms and e-commerce solutions for business visibility and sales.

• Organize trade fairs, business networking sessions, and exposure visits.

Access to Finance & Partnerships:

• Monitor attendance, motivation, and challenges faced by trainees during training.

• Facilitate access to financial services, including microfinance, SME loans, and government enterprise funds.

• Develop partnerships with financial institutions, chambers of commerce, and private sector actors.

• Advocate for start-up support packages, seed capital, or grants for promising entrepreneurs

Stakeholder Engagement & Ecosystem Building:

• Collaborate with training institutions to integrate entrepreneurship into curricula.

• Build relationships with local business associations, incubators, and accelerators.

• Engage with government bodies to align enterprise development with national SME/entrepreneurship policies.

• Ensure inclusive participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups in enterprise activities.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting:

• Maintain an enterprise database to track business development outcomes.

• Monitor enterprise performance in terms of profitability, sustainability, and job creation.

• Document case studies, success stories, and lessons learned for scaling enterprise models.

• Support project reporting to donors, government, and internal management.

Organization Development & Others:

• Any other duties that may be assigned by organization management.

• Provide support to the core activities of the organization as per the needs and requirements of the organization.

• Any other duties that may be assigned by organization management.

• Provide support to the core activities of the organization as per the needs and requirements of the organization.

• Any other duties that may be assigned by organization management.

• Provide support to the core activities of the organization as per the needs and requirements of the organization.