Job Summary

Reporting to the Chair, Incubation and Innovation Center (I2C).

Key Responsibilities

• Work with I2C Chair, and I2C volunteers to develop strategies to recruit, attract, retain, and exit innovative entrepreneurs and startups.
• Work with I2C Chair to design market surveys and focus groups to assess market needs.
• Coordinate the design of incubation and acceleration programs that meet the market needs.
• Be part of I2C team that coaches, mentors, and offers advisory services to incubate entrepreneurs, USIU-Africa students, alumni and staff.
• Coordinate the coaching hours of affiliated I2C faculty (including the Chair and other interested USIU-Africa faculty and staff), alumni, and senior students for incubates.
• Coordinate the external mentor’s initiative in a spreadsheet or website that ensure targets are agreed upon, mentor meetings occur, and targets are met for clients.
• Coordinate the day-to-day activities of I2C.
• Support clients with linkages towards raising funds.
• Work with I2C Chair to develop proposals for funding.
• Attend trainings to improve skills in social entrepreneurship facilitation and proposal writing as appropriate.
• Manage relationships with a wide array of stakeholders including entrepreneurs, faculty, students, donors, investors, mentors, and coaches amongst others.
• Connect entrepreneurs to available resources.
• Coordinate and enhance the existing calendar of events for I2C on a rolling semester basis.
• Prepare semester reports on the achievements and activities of I2C.

Requirements

Required Skills

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgments.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented.
• Demonstrated social and networking skills that enable working with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems, and knowledge-sharing networks.

Required Qualifications

• Experience working with social enterprises.
• At least two years’ experience in mentoring, coaching, and training entrepreneurs.
• At least five years’ experience working with entrepreneurs and startups in a business incubation or acceleration set up.
• Evidence of successful implementation of donor-funded programs.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance and developing successful proposals for external donor funding is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business related field concentration in entrepreneurship.

Desirable

• Completion of master’s degree in business related field.
• Experience launching and managing a business startup.
• Experience on youth-focused donor or social enterprise programs.