Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator

Location: Unguja, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Contract Length: 1 year, renewable
Commitment: Full time, 40 hours/week
Compensation: 2,503,600 TZS/month (gross) + Health Benefits
Start Date: February 2025: Please note there is a mandatory training to attend the week of February 24, 2025.

About Youth Challenge International (YCI)

YCI is a leading global youth development organization that promotes youth innovation to drive positive change. Together with our partners we create market ready solutions that catapult youth around the world to succeed and prosper; we are driven by youth and their potential to affect positive change in the world. Our solutions are focused – always keeping the young people we are designing for and with at the center of the conversation. Our approach is rooted in creativity and constantly evolving to respond to changing needs and market realities. YCI is an organization where diversity and talent come together to shape a better future for youth around the world.

HerStart: Innovate the Future

HerStart: Innovate the Future is an initiative developed by Youth Challenge International to foster and create innovative solutions for a more equitable and prosperous economy within Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. The program includes training and support for aspiring entrepreneurs in social enterprise, gender responsive business planning, the measurement of social impact, and access to finance. Canadian volunteers will be engaged in providing human capital support activities through on-site placements and capacity building initiatives with partner organizations.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Project Lead in Zanzibar, the Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator will play a key role in the HerStart team, providing technical entrepreneurship support to all project stakeholders. Collaborating with partner organizations, the YCI team, Canadian volunteers, the Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator will coordinate activities related to training, coaching, mentorship, and funding for HerStart participants. They will ensure training quality through coaching and support to HerStart facilitators to meet the changing needs of young women entrepreneurs.

We are seeking a passionate, skilled, and creative candidate with social entrepreneurship and program coordination experience to deliver exceptional results.  We are looking for people to join our team who believe in youth as powerful agents of change, and those who are passionate about contributing to women’s empowerment and advancing both national and global gender equality agendas.  

Responsibilities include:

Small Business Growth and Technical Leadership: Coordinate the HerStart coaching and mentorship programs to inspire a culture of entrepreneurship across the program in Zanzibar; Leverage tools such as the Business Model Canvas to inform participants enterprise research, prototyping and planning, and identification of market appropriate value chain opportunities; Coordinate support for HerStart participants applying for the Catalyst Fund; Provide partners, mentors, staff and volunteers with coaching on how to effectively support HerStart participants.
Training Quality Assurance: Act as a Master Trainer for HerStart facilitators in Zanzibar; Provide technical support in the preparation of training modules and learning materials on main project themes, including social entrepreneurship, green business and women’s leadership development; Develop and deliver trainings and resources for HerStart facilitators to better meet participant needs; Closely monitor training quality and design and contribute to ongoing quality improvement of training materials and processes as needed; Work closely with HerStart Master Trainers in Uganda and Ghana to share insights and lessons learned.
Ecosystem Development: Grow and maintain a network of robust mentors who can tangibly support enterprise development; Refer entrepreneurs to resources necessary to maximize business growth including funding opportunities, networks, professional services (legal, accounting, planning department) and mentorship opportunities; Engage Canadian volunteers in ecosystem development aligned with participant needs.
Volunteer Management: Supervise international volunteers in their professional deliverables that advance the goals of HerStart, and/or partner organizations; Provide coaching and mentorship to ensure their meaningful engagement and integration into the HerStart program; Leverage their expertise in the development and delivery of initiatives; Support in the onboarding, integration and debrief of volunteers throughout their placements.

Skills and Experience

You are a self-starter with 2+ years of enterprise development experience in Zanzibar; you are passionate about investing in women and youth livelihoods and inspired by the potential of innovation and entrepreneurship; you have a talent for fostering relationships with young people and diverse stakeholders; you are aligned with the Lean Startup approach and familiar with design thinking; you have demonstrated the ability to mentor and support ventures at both the start-up and growth phase, informed by a strong network and keen understanding of Zanzibar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem; you possess a learning orientation and willingness to participate in ongoing professional and personal development; you thrive as a team member and work respectfully and inclusively with diverse stakeholders, including international volunteers; you are passionate about participatory approaches to training and learning and have experience in facilitation; you demonstrate an integrated understanding of the principles of gender equality and the empowerment of young women, including a familiarity with the socio-economic profile of young women in Zanzibar; you are an effective communicator with excellent written and verbal English proficiency and you are a permanent resident or Citizen of Tanzania (preference will be given to Zanzibar residents.)

Application Deadline: December 23, 2024

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received, so we encourage early submissions. No phone calls about the position can be accepted. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

APPLY NOW

YCI encourages applications from all backgrounds. To achieve our goals, we rely on the unique experiences and viewpoints of our staff, volunteers, and partners. We understand that diverse perspectives require an inclusive culture to thrive – a culture that is respectful and welcoming to all.  We are committed to creating a place of inclusion for employees, candidates, volunteers, partners and visitors of all backgrounds, ages, religions, races, gender identities, physical abilities or sexual orientations; a place where one can be their whole self, and where that whole self feels celebrated.   

Please note that YCI uses a people-focused approach to evaluating applicants. We do not utilize artificial intelligence during the recruitment process. 

Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy

Youth Challenge International (YCI) commits to a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and considers any such acts a gross misconduct and grounds for dismissal. YCI recognizes the unequal power dynamics inherent in international development work and our responsibility to protect the human rights of the communities we serve and provide an environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility, and all employees are required to sign and adhere to the PSEA Policy and Code of Conduct, at all times.  All employees must ensure that they understand and act in accordance with this clause.

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