Company Profile

WUSC (World University Service of Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization working to create a better world for all young people. We bring together a diverse network of students, volunteers, schools, governments, and businesses who share this vision. Together, we develop solutions in education, economic opportunities, and empowerment to overcome inequality and exclusion for youth around the world, particularly young women and young refugees. WUSC currently works in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $40 million. We have over 90 staff in our Ottawa office, and over 200 people overseas implementing 16 development projects in collaboration with donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Mastercard Foundation and the African Development Bank.

Job Description

• POSITION LOCATION Accra, Ghana
• ELIGIBILITY Local National, must be legally entitled to work in Ghana
• REPORTS TO INVEST Project Director
• CONTRACT TERM 2 years with possibility of renewal
• APPLICATION DEADLINE Position open until filled
• EXPECTED START DATE January 11, 2021

• Coordinate and deliver initial consultations with key stakeholders including private sector, women entrepreneurs, economic intermediaries and other ecosystem players to support program activities, to identify potential partners, and to activate key networks 
• Support a needs assessment and market analysis in consultation with female entrepreneurs to understand opportunities and barriers they face 
• Support a needs assessment/survey and market analysis in consultation with economic intermediaries to understand current gaps in knowledge and practice related to support for climate related businesses run by female entrepreneurs.  This will support design of the workshop series in each country.   

• Develop and support execution of private sector engagement strategy for the INVEST project
• In collaboration with the INVEST team coordinate integration of private sector partner representation within public social marketing campaigns and outreach to identify potential new women and female youth enrollees in INVEST training programs and related TVET programs. 
• Contribute to the development of an innovative challenge fund for private sector partners
• Support local incubators, accelerators for the delivery of gender-sensitive after-care BDS  for women entrepreneurs
• Co-organize with industry partners, business competitions for INVEST project entrepreneur beneficiaries
• Contribute to creation of sponsorship engagement strategy targeting private sector employers financing of gender sensitive, market relevant skills training for young urban poor women.
• Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Project Director

• Lead and produce a country strategy and work-plan aligned with the AWCE project’s overall work-plan and strategy in close coordination with the WUSC Program Manager, Project Officer and MERL Advisor (WUSC project team)
• Facilitate design and delivery of workshops series on gender and market barriers faced by climate-focused female entrepreneurs organized for economic intermediaries across Ghana.
• Provide strategic input to support research related to women’s contribution to green growth and a roadmap on gender-sensitive green entrepreneurs in coordination with MERL Advisor.  
• Support knowledge dissemination to economic intermediaries, entrepreneurs and international development audiences through organized events, knowledge products, networking social media, and other avenues. 
• Identify and support potential partners (economic intermediaries) to apply for AWCE capacity building fund 
• Develop a database of economic intermediaries, female entrepreneurs, technical advisors and other relevant key stakeholders in each country 

Required Skills or Experience

Education & Experience

• Degree in business or other relevant degree or adequate experience;
• At least 10 years technical experience in a similar capacity in private sector relationship building, entrepreneurship, business development services or other relevant sectors;
• Strong experience in business development, climate change and/or women’s economic empowerment programs desirable.

Competencies

• Competent in engaging effectively for project planning and management with the private sector, government and technical and vocational education and training institutions;
• Extensive experience working with entrepreneurs, economic intermediaries and other business development support organizations and experts in Ghana.  This could be direct experience with these groups or on related assignments (e.g. private sector development initiatives, foundation activities);
• Willingness to travel frequently to Western and Ashanti Regions;
• Strong grasp of concepts such as climate change, environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, business development support services, impact investing and gender lens investing;
• Excellent presentation, leadership, mentoring and coaching ability and team building skills;
• Familiarity with inclusive market systems approaches to international development;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Experience in building the capacity of staff and partners, both formal and informal; 
• Ability to actively participate as an effective member of a team and take initiatives to strengthen the implementation of the project; 
• Proven ability to work productively with various stakeholders and to meet tight deadlines with a focus on producing quality products; 
• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn and use google applications (google docs, google hangouts, etc.; 
• Demonstrate a commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment;
• Curious, enthusiastic and willing to innovate and adapt.