Program Officer (Entrepreneurship Cluster) 

Number of Positions: 2

Location: Kathmandu and Butwal

Company Description

The Why: NEPAL aspires to graduate from least developing country to a lower middle-income country by 2026. However, the development community’s excessive focus today on socio-political empowerment has not yielded the desired economic transformation.  In reaching the 2026 national target, shall we wait for institutions of power to become accountably productive or shall we bolster innovations of people to bring inclusive prosperity?  And, shall we strengthen grassroots-government collaboration in shaping an equal and enterprising future?

The How: DAAYITWA, with a focus on economic empowerment, envisions an enterprising Nepal where every youth has opportunities for a prosperous future. Daayitwa is a part of the Daayitwa Abhiyaan which consists of four organizations: Daayitwa, Governance Lab, Nepal Leadership Academy based in Nepal and Nepal Rising (Daayitwa-US) based in the U.S. Inspired by shared values of innovation, collaboration, and service, it promotes the socio- economic development of Nepal. The movement fosters inclusive and equitable economic growth by accelerating grassroots innovations, strengthening government institutions, and revitalizing a virtuous cycle of democracy and development through grassroots-government collaboration.

Our Focus Areas: 

1. Enterprise-led employment creation 

2. Design evidence-based policies for improved decision-making 

3. Build state capability for effective policy implementation 

4. Foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovations

Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment Project (GEEP)

GEEP accelerates rural enterprises for boosting employment and income growth in rural Nepal. GEEP is executed through a partnership among Daayitwa, Gandaki and Koshi provincial governments, 10 local governments and the Nepali diaspora. GEEP’s objectives are to accelerate growth-oriented rural enterprises, build state capability for effective policy implementation  and foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovation. GEEP builds on Daayitwa’s decade-long experience in governance innovation and accelerating growth-oriented enterprises in rural Nepal to create jobs and amplify income through the Rural Enterprise Acceleration Program (REAP). 

You as The Program Officer, with supervision from the Program Manager, will be responsible for the implementation and coordination of various interventions of the Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment Program (GEEP) at different municipalities.

• Support the project team in the on-ground implementation of the GEEP initiative, with a focus on managing key elements such as beneficiary selection, capacity building, and program execution.

• Contribute to the design and execution of diverse project activities, including conducting scoping studies, developing curricula, creating analytical toolkits, screening Expressions of Interest (EOIs), and overseeing project implementation.

• Organize and facilitate various events such as awareness programs, orientation workshops, entrepreneurship workshops (including business acceleration training modules) and pitching sessions together with the Project team

• Conduct frequent field visits to the project area and implement and monitor all activities.

• Contribute to build and strengthen partnerships with local, national and international stakeholders (e.g. government, private companies, banks, universities, local communities, venture funds, NGOs and international development partners.

• Contribute to project monitoring, research, evaluation and learning activities.

• Support to prepare regular progress reports in line with reporting schedules, as well as any other reports requested by development partners and other stakeholders.

• Assist in collaboration with national/provincial/municipal advisors to ensure the project is implemented according to organization and industry best practices, programme framework, and regulations.

• Assist to design business and entrepreneurship tools and methodologies for enterprise acceleration.

• Collaborate with the Daayitwa communication team in creating and sharing stories of impact to national and international audiences.

• Master’s in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Agriculture, Economics, or other related fields. 

• At least 1 years of experience working in a project or program setting. Proven track record in coordinating projects at the local or federal level. 

• Experience in relevant Provinces would be an added advantage. The candidate should also have technical, supervisory, and management experience in governance and social system strengthening programs of a similar scope and scale.

• Understanding of social issues related to youth employment, youth entrepreneurship, and community-driven development.  

• Recognized expertise in rural development, community engagement, government collaboration and private sector development. 

• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a diverse, team-oriented environment.

• Strong motivation, self-starter, and organizational/time management skills. 

• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks at a time within deadlines.

• Willingness to learn and work hard. Growth mindset is key. 

• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English and Nepali.

Compensation: Daayitwa will provide compensation on a monthly rate basis. The rate will be mutually agreed upon, commensurate with the level of the required deliverables, the qualifications and experience of the candidate. 

If you're keen on this position, kindly complete the form below by 15th October 2024. To access the page, please click on the provided link and right-click to go to the link.

https://forms.gle/WKR3PfmP2xRjexkN7

In the subject line, put “" followed by your first and last name (e.g., “XXX – Sabina Nepali ) and attach the following documents. All documents must be compiled in a single file, in the same order and saved in PDF format:

• Cover letter (one page max)

• CV 

• Academic transcripts/certificate for most recent qualification

Deadline: 15th October 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

**Only shortlisted candidates will be notified**