Entrepreneurship Officer at Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
Position Summary:
FAWE is seeking to recruit a qualified and dynamic
Entrepreneurship Officer to lead the full spectrum of the entrepreneurship
pathway from opportunity identification, training, incubation start-up funding,
to business development support or venture growth for young women and
marginalized youth across 10 African countries. The Officer will work with
entrepreneurship partners, financial institutions, mentors, and alumni networks
to ensure young entrepreneurs build sustainable, job creating businesses.
This is a cross-cutting role that will provide technical
support on Entrepreneurship issues across all programmes and
departments. The successful candidate will also lead and manage the
entrepreneurship and business development component, ensuring that youth
especially young women receive high-quality entrepreneurship support,
competitive startup capital, mentorship, and linkages to markets and financial
institutions up capital, mentorship and linkages to markets and financial
institutions.
Contract Type: This position is on a fixed
contract for three years with the possibility of extension
based on the availability of funding and individual’s performance.
Location: The Programme Officer –
Entrepreneurship will be based in the Regional Office in Nairobi with
regular travel to FAWE National Chapters
Reporting to: Senior Programme Officer
Functional Relationships: All Units within FAWE,
FAWE’s 34 National Chapters, Civil Society Organizations, and regional and
sub-regional policy bodies, among others.
Direct Reportees: None
Key Roles and Responsibilities
1. Programme Management – Entrepreneurship Programming
(60%)
- Lead
the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of entrepreneurship
and business development interventions across 10 African countries.
- Coordinate
delivery of entrepreneurship and business skills training with
implementing partners, ensuring quality, relevance and inclusion in FAWE
programmes.
- Manage
the entire competitive start-up grant process—from advertisement,
selection, due diligence to disbursement—to ensure transparent and
efficient support to young entrepreneurs.
- Support
participants to develop viable business proposals, particularly in
priority economic sectors, with attention to marginalized groups,
especially young women, youth with disabilities and refugees
- Strengthen
and foster innovative entrepreneurship approaches that build sustainable,
job-creating enterprises grounded in gender equity and inclusive economic
empowerment.
- Monitor
quality assurance processes, business performance indicators, risks &
mitigation factors, and job creation outcomes, ensuring accurate reporting
and documentation. creation outcomes, ensuring accurate reporting and
documentation.
2. Capacity Building and Programme Development (20%)
- Provide
technical support in assessing entrepreneurship capacity gaps within FAWE
national chapters and recommend capacity-strengthening interventions
aligned with programme objectives.
- Strengthen
alliances and develop partnerships with entrepreneurship hubs, financial
institutions, private sector actors, and organisations supporting youth,
PWDs and refugees.
- Support
National Chapters in localized co-creating, designing and implementing
entrepreneurship curricula (i.e., business planning, pricing, record
management, compliance, marketing, performance tracking etc.) ensuring
harmonized approaches and adoption of best practice across countries.
- Support
and ensure inclusivity and accessibility in the content delivery.
3. Building and Strengthening Partnerships – Global,
Regional & National (10%)
- Build
and maintain partnerships between FAWE Chapters, entrepreneurship
partners, financial institutions, inclusion experts and other strategic
actors to enhance business support pathways for young entrepreneurs.
- Coordinate
entrepreneurship mentorship programmes, including mentor–mentee linkages,
tracking, and reporting structures.
- Collaborate
closely with other FAWE team’s advocacy, partnerships, communications to
amplify the voices and achievements of young entrepreneurs and enhance
programme visibility.
4. Resource Mobilisation (10%)
- Lead
and contribute to resource mobilisation efforts aimed at expanding
entrepreneurship support initiatives, including pitching new ideas to
development partners and supporting proposal development mobilisation
efforts aimed at expanding entrepreneurship support initiatives, including
pitching new ideas to development partners and supporting proposal
development.
- Provide
technical input to funding proposals, concept notes and partner engagement
processes related to entrepreneurship, business development and youth
economic empowerment.
Expected Deliverables
- Annual
entrepreneurship training & support plan.
- Database
of applicants and supported entrepreneurs.
- Quarterly
business performance & job creation reports. . creation reports.
- Documented
success stories and key learnings.
- Updated
partnership & mentorship tracking reports.
- Entrepreneurship
manual/guidebook
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s
degree in business related studies, Education, Social Sciences,
Entrepreneurship, Development Studies, Economics or related field.
- A
Masters’ degree will be an added advantage.
- Minimum
of 7 years’ working experience in Micro Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) support, youth entrepreneurship, incubators/accelerators.
- Experience
in education sector and interlinkage with entrepreneurship.
- Experience
in training delivery & business-plan assessment.
- Strong
partnership development skills.
- Experience
working with marginalized groups, especially young women, PWDs, and
refugees.
Key Competencies
- Demonstrated
strong leadership skills, with the ability to guide and influence others
effectively.
- Excellent
written, oral, and editorial communication skills in English. Proficiency
in French is a strong asset.
- Exceptional
interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and collaborate with a
wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Proven
ability to work effectively in team-oriented environments.
- High
level of resilience and adaptability, with a flexible approach to changing
priorities.
- Ability
to work independently, managing tasks systematically and with minimal
supervision.
- Skilled
in crisis management, maintaining composure and effectiveness under
pressure.
- Adheres
to the highest ethical standards, particularly in the handling of
sensitive and confidential matters.
- Champions
inclusive leadership with a strong commitment to gender responsiveness and
disability-inclusive programming.
Gender Specialist at Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
Submission Deadline: 23rd October 2025
About FAWE
The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a
pan-African Non-Governmental Organisation operating through 34 National
Chapters to promote gender equity and equality in education across Africa. FAWE
works to foster enabling policies and shift societal attitudes to support
girls’ and young women’s access, retention, and completion of quality education
and skills development.
Overview of FAWE’s Vision and Advocacy Work
FAWE is a renowned thought leader in girls’ and young
women’s education in Africa. FAWE facilitates access to quality education and
training opportunities for girls and women across Africa to develop relevant
skills to achieve their full potential in all realms of life. Our advocacy work
focuses on integrating gender-responsive approaches and policies in African
education systems to inculcate skills and competencies in girls and women to
enable them to contribute to and transform their societies. FAWE believes that
the entry of girls into schools, their retention, and their transition to
higher levels of education make significant contributions to ending gender
disparities and enhancing sustainable development in Africa.
Position Summary: FAWE seeks to recruit
a Gender Specialist to join its Regional Secretariat based in
Nairobi. The Gender Specialist will play a critical role in advancing FAWE’s
gender equality agenda by supporting gender policy advocacy, strengthening
partnerships, and enhancing institutional capacities for gender mainstreaming.
The Gender Specialist will collaborate with FAWE’s 34 National Chapters,
regional bodies, and key stakeholders to promote and sustain gender-responsive
education systems.
Contract Type: This position is on a fixed
contract for three years with the possibility of extension based on funds
availability and performance.
Location: Regional Office in Nairobi, with
frequent travel across the region.
Reporting to: Executive Director
Functional Relationships: FAWE Regional
Secretariat team, National Chapters, Civil Society Networks, Regional Economic
Communities and National Governments
Direct Reportees: None
Key roles and responsibilities:
1. Lead and Support Gender-Responsive Advocacy and
Partnerships
Design and implement gender-focused advocacy initiatives and
policy engagement strategies.
Organize and facilitate campaigns, dialogues, and strategic
lobbying initiatives to advance gender equality in education.
Support the commemoration of international observances
related to gender and education (e.g., International Women’s Day, Day of the
Girl Child).
Develop gender policy documents including position papers,
policy briefs, and outcome reports.
Document and disseminate successful gender interventions
across FAWE’s network.
2. Gender Analysis, Research, and Knowledge Management
Conduct gender analysis and generate evidence to support
policy and programme interventions.
Compile and synthesize data on gender disparities in
education to inform advocacy messaging.
Identify and support opportunities for collaborative gender
advocacy with Ministries of Education and Gender.
Contribute to gender capacity needs assessments and develop
tools for FAWE Chapters.
3. Technical Support to FAWE National Chapters and
Stakeholders
Provide expert guidance to Chapters on gender integration
and policy engagement
Strengthen stakeholder networks to enhance cross-sectoral
collaboration on gender equality in education
Facilitate regional and national forums for gender dialogue
and shared learning
Support strategic alignment between national gender
priorities and regional advocacy agendas
4. Gender Integration in Programme Management
Provide technical gender inputs into the design,
implementation and evaluation of programmes.
Support programme coordination, preparation of MoUs and
documentation of programme outcomes.
Participate in programme meetings and ensure gender
considerations are reflected in all stages of programme cycle.
Prepare gender-focused progress reports, donor
communications and knowledge products.
Qualification Requirements
- Masters’s
degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Education, Law, Development
Studies, or a related field.
- Minimum
of 10 years of experience in gender advocacy, policy work, or women’s
rights within an NGO or multilateral organization.
- Strong
understanding of gender equity principles, intersectionality, and feminist
approaches to development.
- Demonstrated
experience in gender mainstreaming, research, and evidence-based policy
engagement.
- Excellent
communication, analytical, and report-writing skills.
- Proficiency
in Microsoft Office Suite and data management tools.
- Experience
working with AU, Regional Economic Communities, and national ministries is
desirable.
- Knowledge
of Africa’s gender policy landscape and education systems is essential.
Personal Attributes
- Strong
leadership and facilitation skills, with the ability to build trust and
mobilize stakeholders.
- Sound
understanding of gender-responsive programme management, monitoring, and
evaluation.
- Effective
communicator with strong advocacy and negotiation skills.
- Passionate
about gender justice, girls’ education, and inclusive development.
- Proven
ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-country environment and within
consortia.
Languages
- Fluency
in English is required; proficiency in French is an added advantage.
Application Procedure
Review of applications will begin as soon as they are
received, and only complete applications will be reviewed. If an outstanding
applicant is identified early in the search process, we reserve the right to
appoint before the deadline. For this reason, we encourage interested
candidates to apply at the earliest possible opportunity.