Entrepreneurship Specialist at Adam Smith International

Tracking Code: 945-112
Location: Kano
Reporting to: Job Placement and Private Sector Engagement Lead
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular
Department: Private Sector Development

Background

• MAFITA is a 6-year DFID-funded programme working in Nigeria’s northern states, with a vision to empower marginalised youths and women through the provision of increased economic opportunities and social inclusion.

About MAFITA

• Northern Nigeria has high-youth unemployment, insecurity and limited economic opportunities. MAFITA aims to assist 68,000 marginalised young people – with a particular emphasis on adolescent girls and Almajirai – to find gainful employment. By 2021, the program will create a net total of 43,300 full-time equivalent jobs and assisted 23,500 micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The project will tackle the supply and demand side of the labour market, focussing on the delivery of skills essential for employment, as well as the absorptive capacity of the labour market.
• MAFITA will partner with public and private stakeholders to improve access to relevant and quality training, mentorship, work experience, business development, and financial services for marginalised youths and women. The programme will also support local market systems to enable the absorption of MAFITA’s target beneficiaries into sustainable income-generating activities.

Position Overview

• The Entrepreneurship Specialist will support the establishment of the MSE support center working with COSDECs, State Governments and local partners. The role will focus on the provision of MSE support, entrepreneurship training and job placement services.

Duration

• This is a full-time position, commencing as soon as possible with an anticipated 160 days of input until 31st March 2018, but with scope to increase this depending on budgetary constraints.
• The Specialist will be based in the Kano office and may require some travel to other project focal states in the North.

Responsibilities
The Entrepreneurship Specialist is expected to:

• Support the development of curriculum with Making Cents to support MSE start-up and growth and work with TVET unit to get the curriculum accredited by NBTE.
• Work with SMEDAN to ensure the effective integration of curriculum within their existing activities and support capacity building of SMEDAN employees
• Support the pilot of an enterprise hub in Kano working with SMEDAN to develop the hub model and establish standard operating procedures and sustainability plans
• Oversee training of MAFITA beneficiaries in the “Getting Ready for Business” and “Soft Skills” curricula (soon to be combined)
• Oversee the establishment of MSE support centres within the COSDECs and identify innovative partnerships for new hubs to support the apprenticeship programme
• Support state governments in formulation and implementation entrepreneurship and innovation funds
• Responsible for timely and effective delivery of MSE initiatives particularly those relating to entrepreneurship and enterprise start-up
• Support the timely delivery of LED quarterly milestones including contributing to written reports and monitoring activities
• Provide the communications team with appropriate communications pieces relating to LED activities

Required Skills and Experience
The Entrepreneurship Specialist should bring a commitment to the programme’s overall aims of providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to marginalized young people across our core states of operation. The preferred candidate will bring a strong work ethic to a lively and dedicated team of professionals. The following qualifications are required:

• Degree relating to Business Management, Business Administration, Economics or similar fields
• At least 5 years’ experience working with MSE development. Experience working with private sector is preferable
• Background in youth issues related to employment, business start-ups and ownership, entrepreneurship in Nigeria or similar environments, particularly for youth and women
• Demonstrated knowledge of data collection and analysis
• Experience working with youth training and/or mentorship programmes preferred
• Knowledge in business development
• Excellent people skills and ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders, both written and oral
• Time management
• Competent knowledge in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Relevant computer proficient, experience in using Microsoft tools and/or any relevant software.