Career Opportunity
Job Title: Entrepreneurship Development Officer
Department: Programmming
Reports To: Technical Advisor II – Business and Entrepreneurship Development
Location: Maseru, Lesotho
CRS Background:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health and nutrition, WASH, agriculture and food security, livelihoods, education (ECD), microfinance, peacebuilding and Integrated Catchment Management (ICM).
Job Summary:
The purpose of this role is to support the development and implementation of a sustainable and replicable daycare centers’ business model for the target daycare centers in two target project areas (Maseru and Leribe) for the upcoming ECD project “Catalyzing Quality Sustainable and Replicable Daycare Services in Lesothoproject”.
Catalyzing Quality Sustainable and Replicable Daycare Services in Lesotho will transform the quality of care at 30 daycare centers in Maputsoe and Thetsane industrial settlements in the Maseru and Leribe Districts, resulting in improved nutrition, health, and developmental outcomes for children 0-4 years through an affordable and replicable model of quality daycare services. Core project components will include:
- Enhancing quality daycare through improved infrastructure and training of daycare center providers to provide age-appropriate stimulation and play-based learning; support proper child nutrition and hygiene practices; and provide childcare that meets national guidelines.
- Linking daycare centers with village health workers for immunization status verification, malnutrition screening and referral, if necessary.
- Developing a replicable business model that allows daycare providers to offer affordable, quality services and earn a living wage.
- Supporting parents to pay for care through the establishment of Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC).
- Promoting adoption of national daycare center guidelines informed by the global nurturing care framework, ensure centers’ compliance, and promote government support of centers to improve quality and access through engagement and advocacy with Lesotho Government stakeholders.
The Entrepreneurship Development Officer responsibilitieswill includeamong others training, coaching and mentorship of daycare center caregivers on key topics which include marketing, entrepreneurship and innovation, budgeting, financial reporting, book-keeping etc.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Liaise with GoL (Ministry of Small Business and BEDCO), facilitate trainings, workshops, and coaching sessions for thedaycare centercaregivers in Maseru and Thetsane on quarterly basis.
- Participate and provide technical support during project start-up and SMILER workshop and ensure tools developed are appropriate and relevant tohelpdaycare centerbusiness owners to monitor progress towards financial breakeven.
- Support the design of a business management manual/curriculum for Daycare Center caregivers in Maseru and Leribeworking closely with Childcare &ECD Project Manager, MEAL Officer, and other project staff to ensure that sustainable business model practices are documented.
- Conduct monthly monitoring visits to Daycare Centers, as needed, to identify business practice learning gaps and to provide technical assistance and mentoring accordingly.
- On a monthly basis, provide ongoing technical guidance on business management to ensure the designed model is implemented and adjusted, as needed.
- Work closely with MEAL Officer, collect data, support data analysis process, share lessons learned to facilitate improvements in decision-making and documentation of best practices from Maseru and Leribe to be replicated.
- Prepare and produce comprehensive monthly and quarterly reports based on business model activities conducted and contribute to development of annual project report.
- Establish new relationships and maintain existing relationships with donors, local organizations, government ministries specifically Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Health and other institutions.
- Participate in existing ECD forums in Maseru and Leribe area to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.
- Identify and provide guidance on advertisement platforms affordable fordaycare center caregivers and ensure daycare center services are marketed and promoted to attractmore children.
- Join internal and external microenterprise and daycare platforms and working e.g., ECDAN childcare group.
- Identify risks that may affect daycare center business model sustainability and develop strategies to mitigate those risks.
- Support advocacy efforts with key stakeholders, present at ECCE internal, national and international platforms.
- Ensure that the business model plans for the needed child protection and safeguarding mechanisms to ensure children attending daycare are safe.
Preferred Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing or any related qualifications.
- Minimum of 3 years work experience advising, coaching and mentoring small and medium starting or growing their businesses.
- Additional relevant experience will be considered.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong skills in training, mentoring, and coaching.
- Organized and proactive, able to create and execute plans for complex goals.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Computer literate.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.
Required languages
- Fluency in Sesotho and English.
Travel
- Must be willing and able to travel up to 60% of time withing Maseru and Leribedistricts
Supervisory Responsibilities
- No supervisory roles in this position
SUBMISSION
Please note that the position is only open to applicants who are Citizens of Lesotho. Interested Basotho candidates should submit their CV and Cover Letter no later than 14 March2024 at 14:00 by email to [email protected] with the subject line: ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT OFFICER .If the subject line does not indicate the position, the applicant will not be considered. HARD COPY APPLICATIONS NOT ACCEPTED. ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.
Please be advised that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, all successful candidates will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and their personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate their behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer