The Entrepreneurship Officer at the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a regional position responsible for leading the design, planning, implementation, and evaluation of entrepreneurship and business development interventions across 10 African countries. This role is central to fostering innovative entrepreneurship approaches that build sustainable, job-creating enterprises grounded in gender equity and inclusive economic empowerment, with a specific focus on marginalized groups such as young women, youth with disabilities, and refugees.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Programme Management – Entrepreneurship Programming (60%)
- Lead the design, planning, implementation, and evaluation of entrepreneurship and business development interventions across 10 African countries.
- Coordinate the delivery of entrepreneurship and business skills training with implementing partners, ensuring quality, relevance, and inclusion within FAWE programmes.
- Manage the entire competitive start-up grant process, including advertisement, selection, due diligence, and disbursement, to ensure transparent and efficient support to young entrepreneurs.
- Support participants in developing viable business proposals, particularly in priority economic sectors, with special attention to marginalized groups.
- Strengthen and foster innovative entrepreneurship approaches that build sustainable, job-creating enterprises grounded in gender equity.
- Monitor quality assurance processes, business performance indicators, risks and mitigation factors, and job creation outcomes, ensuring accurate reporting and documentation.
Capacity Building and Programme Development (20%)
- Provide technical support in assessing entrepreneurship capacity gaps within FAWE national chapters and recommend capacity-strengthening interventions.
- Strengthen alliances and develop partnerships with entrepreneurship hubs, financial institutions, private sector actors, and organisations supporting youth, PWDs, and refugees.
- Support National Chapters in localized co-creation, design, and implementation of entrepreneurship curricula (e.g., business planning, pricing, record management, marketing, etc.).
- Ensure inclusivity and accessibility in the content delivery.
Building and Strengthening Partnerships (10%)
- Build and maintain partnerships between FAWE Chapters, entrepreneurship partners, financial institutions, and inclusion experts to enhance business support pathways.
- Coordinate entrepreneurship mentorship programmes, including mentor–mentee linkages, tracking, and reporting structures.
- Collaborate with FAWE's advocacy, partnerships, and communications teams to amplify the voices and achievements of young entrepreneurs.
Resource Mobilisation (10%)
- Lead and contribute to resource mobilisation efforts aimed at expanding entrepreneurship support initiatives, including pitching new ideas to development partners.
- Provide technical input to funding proposals, concept notes, and partner engagement processes related to youth economic empowerment.
Expected Deliverables
- Annual entrepreneurship training and support plan.
- Database of applicants and supported entrepreneurs.
- Quarterly business performance and job creation reports.
- Documented success stories and key learnings.
- Updated partnership and mentorship tracking reports.
- Comprehensive entrepreneurship manual/guidebook.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in business-related studies, Education, Social Sciences, Entrepreneurship, Development Studies, Economics, or a related field.
- A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
- Minimum of 7 years’ working experience in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) support, youth entrepreneurship, or incubators/accelerators.
- Experience in the education sector and its interlinkage with entrepreneurship.
- Proven experience in training delivery and business-plan assessment.
- Strong partnership development and networking skills.
- Experience working with marginalized groups, especially young women, PWDs, and refugees.