Entrepreneurship and CSOs Capacity Building Expert – IWEE

1.INTRODUCTION:

About Expertise France:

Expertise France is a public agency part of the AFD Group, merging six agencies under the supervision of the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance with a strong inter-ministerial vocation. EF offers programme engineering and technical assistance by developing and implementing international cooperation actions worldwide. EF operates in various development and institutional cooperation fields, including safety and security reform, post-crisis/stability, public health, human rights, strengthening of institutions and NGOs, and governance.

Expertise France designs and implements projects which aim to contribute to the balanced development of partner countries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and the priorities of France’s external action.

 

2.DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

The overall aim of the IWEE project, financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), is to contribute to the economic empowerment of Iraqi women and reduce gender inequalities by increasing their income. The objective will be pursued through three components: supporting the structuring of the female entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting the creation of micro-enterprises and the development of existing businesses created by Iraqi women.

Objectives of the Assignment

The primary goal of this assignment is to: -Enhance the capacity of CSOs to effectively provide business development support to women entrepreneurs. -Strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem to ensure sustainable, long-term impact. – Foster the development of women-led enterprises by creating better access to mentorship, financial services, and networks.

Scope of Work and Responsibilities

1. Capacity Building for CSOs and Local Partners:- –Needs Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the capacity-building needs of CSOs in the entrepreneurship space. –Training Development: Design and deliver training modules on topics such as business mentoring, access to finance, and monitoring & evaluation strategies. –Workshop Facilitation: Organize and facilitate workshops focusing on entrepreneurship development, governance, and impact measurement for CSOs. –Capacity Enhancement Programs: Support CSOs in establishing and operating business incubators and accelerators targeting women-led enterprises. –Toolkits and Guidelines: Develop resource materials, toolkits, and operational guidelines for CSOs, promoting best practices and replicable models.   2. Strengthening the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: – – Partnership Development: Build relationships between financial institutions, incubators, accelerators, and CSOs to improve service delivery. –  Knowledge Sharing: Establish knowledge exchange platforms to facilitate networking and collaboration among CSOs and ecosystem stakeholders. –  Promote Financial Access: Collaborate with microfinance institutions to ease financial inclusion for women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural and vulnerable areas. 3. Direct Support to Women Entrepreneurs –Training and Mentorship Programs: Develop and implement tailored entrepreneurship programs, focusing on startup development, financial literacy, and business expansion. – Business Networks: Organize networking events and mentorship sessions to connect women entrepreneurs with role models, investors, and financial institutions. – Monitoring and Coaching: Provide ongoing support and coaching to selected women entrepreneurs to ensure business sustainability.  4. Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management – Performance Indicators: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the impact of capacity-building initiatives in coordination with IWEE MEAL officer – Data Collection and Reporting: Prepare monthly and quarterly reports summarizing progress, achievements, challenges, and recommendations. – Sustainability Planning: Develop recommendations to ensure the sustainability of project initiatives.

Expected Deliverables
Deliverables	Timeline
Detailed needs assessment of CSOs and recommendations	March 2025
Training Materials: Tailored toolkits, modules, and guidelines for CSO	December 2024 April 2025
Capacity-Building Workshops: to deliver capacity building workshops to contracted CSO as per the IWEE communication plan	Continuously
Progress Reports: Monthly and quarterly reports on progress, challenges, and success stories.	Monthly and quarterly
Final Report: A comprehensive report summarizing project outcomes and lessons learned (end of contract).	end of contract

 

Required Qualifications and Skills
Experience:	– Minimum of 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship development, capacity building, or working with CSOs. – Demonstrated experience in supporting women entrepreneurs in developing economies, preferably in Iraq or conflict-affected areas. – Knowledge of financial inclusion initiatives and experience working with microfinance or banking institutions is an advantage.
Skills:	–          Strong facilitation and training skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders. – Proficiency in English and Arabic is required.
Personal Attributes:	– Strong interpersonal and communication skills. – Ability to work independently and in a multicultural environment. – Flexibility to travel within Iraq as required
Reporting and Coordination
– The expert will report to the IWEE Project Manager and work closely with other project team members and partner organizations. – Regular meetings with IWEE management to track progress and adjust strategies. Close collaboration with key stakeholders, including local CSOs, financial institutions, incubators, and government representatives.
Travel Requirements
–  The expert will be expected to travel within Iraq to engage with CSOs and monitor activities across target regions, including both urban and rural area. –  Travel policy will be as per Expertise France regulation.

Location: Baghdad Office (remotely) with potential travels to other Iraqi governorates

Contract Type: Service Contract

Duration of Assignment: 3 months (45 working days) – renewable

Starting Date: 21 November 2024

Working Hours: Part-time

Travel Requirement: 25% – 50%

Only applicants who apply as per the below details will be shortlisted.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage everyone to apply. We particularly encourage women to apply and contribute to our diverse and inclusive work environment
• Deadline of submission: 14 November 2024 23:59
• All applications must include the following (In English and in PDF format only) :
  • Detailed CV
  • Cover Letter detailing their approach to capacity building and supporting women entrepreneurs in conflict-affected regions.
  • References from three previous employers or clients.
• Applications should be sent to erbil.recruitment@expertisefrance.fr , using the following subject: “Entrepreneurship and CSOs Capacity Building Expert-IWEE”.
• Expertise France reserves the right to close the announcement prior to the stated deadline as applications are screened on a rolling basis and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.
• Incomplete applications and wrong title formats will not be considered