About EDI Ethiopia

The Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) Ethiopia is an autonomous quasi-institution reporting to the Ministry of Labor and Skills (MOLS). EDI was re-formed as an institute in 2021 following the latest government reorganization bringing together two entities, namely: The UNDP-supported Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC), established in February 2013, and the World Bank financed Women Entrepreneurship Development Project (WEDP), established in December 2012.

EDI aims to promote the emergence of a vibrant, competitive, and innovative private sector in particular a dynamic entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem in Ethiopia. EDI offers a comprehensive package of entrepreneurship development programs, an end-to-end BDS program packages aimed at supporting MSMEs including access to finance, market linkages, incubation, and acceleration services. Following its new mandate as a national institute, EDI plays a key role in the Ethiopian entrepreneurial ecosystem providing guidance and support for the standardization of the entrepreneurship and BDS programs through a strategic shift encompassing the systemic role to build the capacities of other public and private institutions in the ecosystem to replicate impact.

The Opportunity

EDI Ethiopia through a grant agreement with GiZ - Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is implementing a pilot BDS Voucher System Project that aims to improve Small and Medium Enterprises' (SMEs) access to quality Business Development Services (BDS) in Ethiopia. The project will provide SMEs with vouchers to cover part of the costs of accessing high-quality and impactful BDS. This voucher system incentivizes SMEs to invest in professional services to improve their operations and growth prospects. Additionally, the project envisions to build the capacity of local BDS providers and stimulate demand for their services by increasing visibility, promoting demand-driven BDS and generally contributing to the growth of the BDS market in Ethiopia.

Scope of Work

Under the direct supervision of the Project Coordinator and in close collaboration with the BDS & Innovation Director and other program leads, the BDS Officer serves as an expert advisor and trainer for participating SMEs in utilizing their vouchers to access quality BDS that meet their business needs. The incumbent assesses SME capabilities, provides guidance on appropriate BDS selection, and facilitates linkages with qualified providers to maximize the impact of the vouchers.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• The specific duties of the BDS Officer will include the following but not limited to:

• Manages the BDS voucher application and approval process, ensures compliance with BDS financial support guidelines and regulations.

• Develops and maintains the voucher system, including database management, security, and integration with vendors.

• Developing and delivering BDS programs and trainings to SMEs.

• Providing technical assistance to SMEs on business planning, marketing, and financial management.

• Building relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, businesses, and donors.

• Overseeing the development and implementation of BDS policies and procedures.

• Conduct needs assessments of SMEs enrolled in the voucher program to identify capability gaps and business challenges.

• Map SME needs to appropriate BDS solutions (financial management, marketing, digitalization etc) that can drive growth

• Develop training materials and deliver capacity building workshops to educate SMEs on available BDS options.

• Guide SMEs through BDS provider selection aligned to their strategic business goals

• Facilitate linkages and connections between SMEs and qualified BDS providers

• Oversee delivery of BDS services supported by vouchers and ensure timely issue resolution

• Provide hands-on support to SMEs on optimally utilizing different BDS for long-term benefits

• Capture feedback from SMEs on quality of BDS received through vouchers

• Identify opportunities to improve the design and delivery of the BDS voucher program

• Prepare reports on voucher utilization trends, successes and improvement areas

• Efficiently execute any other tasks and responsibilities as required by the Project Coordinator and other line program managers.

Reports To: Project Coordinator

Contract duration: 9 months with a possibility of extension  

Job Requirements

Required Qualification:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance or any other field with a proven track record of experience in BDS and entrepreneurship development programs.

• Minimum 2 years of experience in BDS support and engagement on entrepreneurship development programs.

• Certificate of Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW) or BDS provided by EDI Ethiopia would be a plus.

Skills and knowledge:

• In-depth understanding of common business challenges faced by SMEs

• Expertise in various business development services – marketing, financial management, HR, operations, digital transformation etc.

• Strong knowledge of local BDS provider landscape and service offerings

• Familiarity with impact metrics and success factors for SME growth through BDS

• Hands-on experience in SME capability assessment and gap analysis

• Skills in training design, facilitation, and capacity building

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 tools and analytics tools

• Good research experience in development areas including entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

• Entrepreneurial thinking and problem-solving skills and attitude.

• Strong research, critical thinking, communication, and presentation abilities

How to Apply

Application Instruction

Interested applicants must submit their cover letter and CV named with your Full Name via email hr@edi-ethiopia.org and clearly indicating the position they are applying for as a subject up to or before January 12, 2024 5:00 PM. Applicants that would like to apply for another vacancy must repeat the same procedure. Even though we highly encourage digital applications via email, for applicants that would like to submit paper-based applications please enclose your cover letter and CV in an envelope and submit it at the reception of EDI’s headquarters located at Wesen Grocery, inside CEE Compound, new building ground floor reception office. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/H2wAfZ73u4BLKvwg7. If you face any difficulty in the application process please contact us on: +251944878338 or info@edi-ethiopia.org . Female Applicants are highly encouraged to apply for all positions

Please be aware that EDI Ethiopia does not demand any payment from applicants at any stage of the recruitment and selection process. Additionally, EDI Ethiopia has not enlisted any agent for recruitment purposes. We emphasize that EDI Ethiopia is an equal opportunity employer.