Program Rapporteur/Partnership Lead at Ventures Platform

Job Description

• Ventures Platform Foundation (VPF) in conjunction with the World Bank Group’s Digital Development unit and the Rockefeller Foundation, has launched a Click-On Kaduna Digital Entrepreneurship Program in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
• The initiative aims to help increase employment for disadvantaged youth and women in Kaduna State by catalyzing the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for the creation of economic opportunities.
• The ICT sector in Kaduna State is nascent yet vibrant with strong support from the Government. A core component of the Kaduna State Development Plan (KSDP) 2016-2020 is to position Kaduna as a destination for business investment to create jobs, especially among young people. ICT related industries such as mobile and web application development and computer assembly are considered one of the seven areas with significant potential for driving regional economic growth and job creation. Fostering social and economic inclusion of women is also considered crucial for achieving these objectives.
• In partnership with the World Bank and the Kaduna State Government, Ventures Platform Foundation (VPF) will implement a digital entrepreneurship program that will provide training and mentorship to technology startup teams in Kaduna on cutting-edge digital entrepreneurship skills and lean startup methodologies. It will help to build a foundation for a vibrant tech community in Kaduna. Emphasis will be placed on supporting female-led startups and teams that include female team members.
• The VPF Team is looking to hire an experienced and professional candidate as a Rapporteur and Partnership Lead to support the team on this program. This position requires a candidate who is detail-oriented, collaborative, and who possesses strong writing skills.
• The Click-On Kaduna Digital Entrepreneurship Program will run for 6 months and will train 180 participants, 30% of whom are women.

Description Of Responsibilities
Our ideal candidate will support the VPF team in:

• Program Reporting
• Documenting the proceedings of all meetings and submitting to the team within 24 hours, and synchronizing reports that will feed into the overall program report at the end of the program's life cycle;
• Ensuring timely availability of all reports to the Program Director;
• Maintaining close communication with the VPF Incubation team;

Partnership:

• Cultivating, managing, supporting, and tracking relationships with all corporate partners and prospects;
• Engaging with prospective and current corporate partners, which include multinational corporations, small businesses, innovation hubs, and nonprofits;
• Networking with a broad range of business partners; and
• Supporting the VPF team in other tasks as needed.

Work Schedule:

• The anticipated duration of the contract is 7 months, starting September 24th 2018.
• The candidate will work for VPF on a full-time basis and be based in Kaduna with availability to travel outside Kaduna.
• The candidate will work out of the VPF designated office in Kaduna State.
• Regular office hours are 8am to 5.00pm from Monday to Fridays.
• The candidate is responsible for using his/her own laptop.
• VPF will reimburse the candidate for out-of-pocket expenses associated with official travel outside Kaduna, by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

Payment Schedule:

• Payments by VPF are delivery-based (milestones achieved). Any deliverable not meeting the required indicators/specification will have to be reworked and resubmitted at no additional cost to VPF.
• The proposed payment schedule for this assignment is monthly payment upon submission of progress reports on completed tasks, outlined against planned outputs. Based on the report and satisfactory performance, payments will be certified by the supervisor.

Supervision:

• The candidate will work under supervision of the VPF Team who will have frequent interactions with the candidate at various stages to brief him/her on:
  • Program status;
  • Agree on the modalities and clarify the deliverables;
  • Provide feedback and comments on program expectations; and
  • Track the progress made by the candidate.
• The supervisor will evaluate the consultant’s work and certify delivery of work.

Skills & Requirements
Functional Competencies:

• Have technical knowledge to perform the role effectively;
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills, with analytic capacity;
• Record keeping capabilities and ability to write reports;
• Strong business development skills, able to identify, cultivate, and manage partnerships;
• Have negotiation skills;
• Able to manage internal and external stakeholders.

Qualification
Education:

• A Bachelor’s degree in any relevant field.

Experience:

• At least 3-5 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Knowledge and familiarity of the technology, innovation, and startup ecosystems.

Language:

• Excellent spoken and written English required. Fluency in Hausa is desirable.