POST DESCRIPTION FOR BUSINESS BOOTCAMP MANAGER
| Position title | Business Bootcamp Manager |
|---|---|
| Organization | Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) |
| Contract type | Consulting agreement |
| Duration | 7 Months period with possible extension based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds |
| Duty station | Juba, South Sudan but very frequent visits of all program areas in the former states of Eastern, Western and Central Equatoria |
| Deadline for application | 30 May 2019 |
| Report to work | 10 June 2019 |
Background:
The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is an international non-profit organization founded by UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, Forest Whitaker, with the mission of helping societies affected by destructive conflicts and armed violence transform into safer and more-productive communities. Since its inception in 2012, WPDI has created and manages peacebuilding programs in Uganda, Mexico, South Sudan, the United States, and South Africa. In South Sudan, WPDI is active in the three areas formerly constituting the Equatorias region, namely Eastern Equatoria State (EES), Western Equatoria State (WES) and Central Equatoria State (CES), where we foster youth entrepreneurship through the provision of entrepreneurship skills as well as support to the creation and development of youth-led businesses.
In view of improving efficacy and efficiency in promoting the development of such businesses, WPDI has established a unique facility, the Business Bootcamp, a business incubator designed to identify promising business plans, support the implementation of selected project and monitor as well as backstop their development in view of sustainability and profitability. The value of the Business Bootcamp lies in its capacity to closely monitor the developments of supported projects while drawing on the combined expertise of its Oversight Committee composed of representatives of WPDI and its partners, who include prominent stakeholders from the international private sector.
To strengthen its action in favour of youth entrepreneurship in South Sudan, WPDI is recruiting an experienced Business Bootcamp Manager, who will provide leadership for the activities of WPDI pertaining to the Business Bootcamp. Overall responsibilities will include: managing the selection process of business projects, officiating as secretary for the Oversight Committee, ensuring that recommendations issued by the Committee to individual entrepreneurs are fully complied with, including by conducting regular on-site visits to business supported by WPDI across the Equatorias.
Position summary:
Under the overall guidance of the WPDI Executive Director and direct collaboration with the Program Manager, the Business Bootcamp manager will be responsible for supervising, managing and monitoring the implementation of the Business Bootcamp in the Equatorias, ensuring timely delivery of quality results as well as accurate reporting and strategic coherence, and maintaining regular relations with partners.
In particular, the Business Bootcamp Manager is responsible for designing and implementing the Monitoring & Evaluation of the program. To this effect, the Business Bootcamp Manager will coordinate with program beneficiaries for the preparation of Monthly/Quarterly/Annual reports on SMEs progress. The Business Bootcamp Manager will ensure that information and data on the supported projects is regularly collected and analysed and made available to the Oversight Committee and WPDI partners.
The Business Bootcamp manager works in close collaboration with State coordinators, Government officials, private sector, non-government, local communities, civil society organizations and all other stakeholders whose contribution can be of interest for the success of the Business Bootcamp.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Business Bootcamp Manager will have the following duties and responsibilities:
- Supervise, manage and monitor the implementation of the Business Bootcamp in the Equatorias, including the organization of Business Plan Competitions and the support to youth-led income generating community projects;
- Supervise the business plan competitions at WPDI Community Learning Centers;
- Ensure that the business plans submitted by youth or through business plan competitions are reliable and relevant;
- Monitor all the development phases of the SMEs, expenditures and progress in view of ensuring sustainability and profitability;
- Develop, implement and update as needed a Monitoring & Evaluation framework ensuring that WPDI management and the Oversight Committee have relevant information to assess the progress of the projects and the overall functioning of the Business Bootcamp;
- Conduct specialized onsite business trainings for the young entrepreneurs;
- Develop and strengthen monitoring, inspection and evaluation procedures to ensure the SMEs supported by WPDI are commercially viable;
- Suggest strategies for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the SMEs by identifying challenges and developing plans to minimize or eliminate such challenges;
- Report monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and annual progress on all SMEs supported by WPDI to the Executive Director and partners;
- Conduct capacity assessment on existing monitoring and evaluation system and develop indicators and a monitoring strategy for the SMEs;
- Provide inputs, information and statistics for quarterly, annual and other reports to the program manager;
- Prepare and maintain data base of all SMEs supported by WPDI
- Coordinate with beneficiaries to ensure that the M&E framework is fully implemented and reports issued on time;
- Provide mentorship, support and guidance to the youth and community groups in the Equatorias on all the different steps to ensure that the WPDI-supported income generating projects are on track;
- Supervise the business trainers and training content in entrepreneurship skills at WPDI CLCs;
- Conduct field visits to assess the development of projects on the ground;
- Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications and requirements:
Education: A University Degree, preferably in Business Administration, Economics or related field.
Experience: 4 to 5 years experience of progressively responsible experience in the monitoring and evaluation of SMEs and/or development projects with a significant income-generating component;
- Experience in working with young people, and young entrepreneurs in particular;
- Experience in teaching business and entrepreneurship skills;
- Experience in designing tools and strategies for data collection, analysis and production of reports;
- Proven ICT skills, notably in Excel and data base software;
- Expertise in analyzing data using statistical software;
Good contextual knowledge of local issues in South Sudan with great sensitivity of local cultures and community realities; keen interest in working with youth leaders; - Proven ability to work efficiently, under pressure, and in multicultural environment. Recognized experience in leadership and proven ability in driving economic managing programs and activities, relations with high-ranking officials, with adequate knowledge and attention to political sensitivity.
Language: Excellent written and spoken English and Juba Arabic.
This position entails traveling to the areas where the income-generating projects are implemented.
Professional standards:
All WPDI members (staff, volunteers and interns) are expected to commit to WPDI policies such as WPDI Code of Conduct, Child Protection Policy, Reporting Conflict of Interest, Reporting Misconduct, Reporting Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties and responsibilities associated with the position.
How to apply:
In case you meet the qualifications and requirements and that you are interested in the position, please send your detailed CV and Cover letter to the email address provided below. Make sure to include your working telephone number and email with a writing sample . In addition, three professional references must be provided. All candidates must be eligible to work in South Sudan (Valid residence permit and work permit or valid South Sudanese citizenship card/passport)
All applications must be submitted on or before close of business, 30th May 2019 .
E-mail: [email protected]
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.