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, the incumbent will be responsible for the overall facilitation of the project activities spanning provision of support for the SMEs and BDSPs during onboarding and match making process. The job holder will also provide assistance to the project coordinator and other project members for the efficient execution of project activities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

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

• Support outreach activities to onboard SMEs into the voucher program

• Organize orientation workshops and info sessions for SMEs on voucher eligibility and application by frequently establishing a direct contact with SMEs and BDSPs.

• Provide translation support to SMEs for all program guidelines and agreements.

• Guide SMEs through the registration and application process; assist with form filling, selection of BDSPs from the BDS portal.

• Support SMEs in evaluating and selecting suitable BDS providers as per their needs

• Facilitate linkages between SMEs and shortlisted BDS providers for service delivery

• Conduct verification checks on SMEs as per program guidelines before voucher allocation.

• Maintain regular communication with SMEs to support voucher utilization.

• Assist senior project staff in monitoring and data collection from SMEs.

• Address operational queries and provide handholding support to SMEs.

• Support organization of meetings, events and forums for SMEs and partners

• Maintain program databases, records and documentation related to SMEs

• Prepare weekly/monthly reports on outreach progress and challenges.

• Provide feedback to identify areas of improvement in SME engagement processes

• Efficiently execute any other tasks and responsibilities as required by the Project Coordinator and other project members.

Reports To: Project Coordinator 

Contract duration: 9 months with a possibility of extension  

Job Requirements

Required Qualification:

• BA/BSc Degree in any field

• 0-1 years of experience

• Prior experience in providing training, BDS, M&E, data collection, analysis, report writing, project coordination and facilitation etc would be a plus.

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

Skills and knowledge:

• High level of drive and enthusiasm to learn and develop new skills

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Willingness to take initiative and ownership of assigned tasks

• Commitment to understanding the project objectives and impact

• Motivation to expand skills and capabilities within the role

• Dedication to completing tasks professionally and in a timely manner

• Adherence to organization and project values/principles

How to Apply

Application Instruction

Interested applicants must submit their cover letter and CV named with their Full Name via hr@edi-ethiopia.org and or on ethiojobs.net 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: CLICK HERE. 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.