Business and Social Enterprise Mentor
Closing Date: 16 July 2025
Category: Finance & Business Support
Kia ora, Bon dia and warm Pacific greetings,
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Timor-Leste. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Business and Social Enterprise Mentor or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in Timor-Leste will be 12 months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
Professional Specifications
Our Partner Organisation – ProEma
Pro-EMA was established in March 2018 to transform the lives of young vulnerable Timorese women through free education, training, and business development in a safe and supportive environment. Their vision is that Young Timorese women thrive as leaders, businesswomen and contributors to society.
Pro-EMA provides a unique opportunity where young Timorese can thrive by providing an opportunity that would otherwise not be available due to their lack of resources. They have a reputation of delivering high quality outcomes from our social enterprises, catering and training services.
The Assignment
Pro-EMA aims to secure its financial future by strengthening its social enterprise business model. The social enterprises currently include a restaurant, a small chocolate-making business, a 13-bed hotel, a training salon, and a café. The challenge is to make these social enterprises profitable so they can support ProEMA’s many community empowerment and gender projects.
Having an experienced volunteer who has run a restaurant, catering/food business, or hospitality focused business would be highly beneficial. They could assist with business planning and train staff in all aspects of running the social enterprises. This support would help secure Pro-EMA’s financial future, enabling the organisation to focus on its mission: transforming the lives of young Timorese women through free education, training, and business development in a safe and supportive environment.
The Country – Timor-Leste
There are 1,225,000 people living in Timor-Leste (formerly known as East Timor). Timor-Leste is one of the world's newest nations and the newest in Southeast Asia with history of colonisation and occupation.
Timor-Leste became independent in 2002, after it suffered a violent history through decades of struggle for independence from Indonesia. As a young nation, Timor-Leste is moving from a post-conflict fragile state to quickly transition as a developing resilient nation.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
vsa.org.nz/assets/Assignment-Descriptions-2019-2020/2025/June-2025-/TIM_AD_42171_Business-and-Social-Enterprise-Mentor_Pro-Ema-2.pdf
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Timor-Leste. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Business and Social Enterprise Mentor or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in Timor-Leste will be 12 months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
Professional Specifications
- Experience in running a business preferably or as a business mentor
- Experience in Social Enterprise
- Business planning and management skills and an ability to train others and enhance their knowledge and skills
- Strong leadership and coaching abilities
- Financial management and budgeting expertise
- Good communication skills
Our Partner Organisation – ProEma
Pro-EMA was established in March 2018 to transform the lives of young vulnerable Timorese women through free education, training, and business development in a safe and supportive environment. Their vision is that Young Timorese women thrive as leaders, businesswomen and contributors to society.
Pro-EMA provides a unique opportunity where young Timorese can thrive by providing an opportunity that would otherwise not be available due to their lack of resources. They have a reputation of delivering high quality outcomes from our social enterprises, catering and training services.
The Assignment
Pro-EMA aims to secure its financial future by strengthening its social enterprise business model. The social enterprises currently include a restaurant, a small chocolate-making business, a 13-bed hotel, a training salon, and a café. The challenge is to make these social enterprises profitable so they can support ProEMA’s many community empowerment and gender projects.
Having an experienced volunteer who has run a restaurant, catering/food business, or hospitality focused business would be highly beneficial. They could assist with business planning and train staff in all aspects of running the social enterprises. This support would help secure Pro-EMA’s financial future, enabling the organisation to focus on its mission: transforming the lives of young Timorese women through free education, training, and business development in a safe and supportive environment.
The Country – Timor-Leste
There are 1,225,000 people living in Timor-Leste (formerly known as East Timor). Timor-Leste is one of the world's newest nations and the newest in Southeast Asia with history of colonisation and occupation.
Timor-Leste became independent in 2002, after it suffered a violent history through decades of struggle for independence from Indonesia. As a young nation, Timor-Leste is moving from a post-conflict fragile state to quickly transition as a developing resilient nation.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
vsa.org.nz/assets/Assignment-Descriptions-2019-2020/2025/June-2025-/TIM_AD_42171_Business-and-Social-Enterprise-Mentor_Pro-Ema-2.pdf
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
We are looking for a volunteer with:
- 12 months fulltime volunteering opportunity in Timor-Leste
- Flights, accommodation and living costs covered by VSA
- Bring your social enterprise and business knowledge to this assignment
VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.
Does volunteering with one of the largest and most experienced agency in international development interest you?