Entrepreneurship advisor (EA) at Light for the World Kenya

Key Roles and responsibilities

• Supporting the Country Management team (CMU) and the Business Coaches with the 2026 workplan.
• Facilitating the national ToT refresher and supporting Business development providers with contextualisation of curricula.
• Supporting the Country management Team with selection and onboarding days of programme participants.
• She/he will visit the implementing locations quarterly for observations and quality assurance, specifically the Entrepreneurship track and Milestone Based Funding.
• An advisor for the Business development providers while running the WCW Academy, together with the Academy coordinator.
• Attending monthly community of practice to exchange cross-country learnings with all Entrepreneurship Advisors and bimonthly conducting community of practice with Business development service providers.
• Leading the capacity strengthening strategies of Business service providers, together with DIAs, based on DISCs and action plans.
• Supporting alumni with referral pathways and building bridges to foster transitions to work after the Entrepreneurship track (START & GROW).
• Leading mapping and engagement with financial institutions, VSLAs, microfinance providers, and youth-serving organisations.
• Supporting CMU with learning agenda - depending on focus chosen in yearly action learning framework.
• Supporting the after-action review, 6/12 months after outcome data synthesis for recommendations and future workplan(s) for Pillar 1.

Specific Activities: Preparation Phase

Ahead of the training, the Entrepreneurship Advisor is expected to:

• Responsible for selecting business development service providers who are experienced, competent, and possess adequate entrepreneurship skills to effectively support persons with disabilities
• Ensure that the Business development service providers follow all Mastercard Foundation Child and Youth Safeguarding Guidelines. Namely: Prevention measures will include detailed screening procedures for all Organization Personnel who will come into contact with Children and Youth, including the following, as may be applicable in each country: certificate of good conduct, police reference checks or equivalent, verification that applicants are not listed in national registries of Child offenders; a detailed application and interview process; references who support the applicant’s suitability to work with Children and Youth. The certificates must be provided to CMU.
• Indicate when the Business development service providers require more Safeguarding and/or Disability Inclusion training.
• Host and conduct the national ToT for the Business development service providers with a specific emphasize on contextualisation of the training materials from a quality assurance perspective.
• Support the Business development service providers and Academy coordinator with coordinating the timing of each Academy cohort and track to assure a timely delivery.

Phase B

• The EA supported scoping of new locations related to Phase B in 2025 together with the CMU and BDS providers by executing the previously mentioned market assessment. The market assessment is relevant for Entrepreneurship track participants to understand market demand, to inform the technical skilling opportunities, as well as inform agri-value chain opportunities for the rural academy.
• The EA with support of the CMU will discuss with existing partners (CLS providers as well as BDS providers) if and what role their responsibilities could expand to when starting Phase B.
• The EA and ESO will support longlisting and Information and Enrolment days for the CLS providers if this is deemed necessary.
• The EA will support the scoping with assessing possible new ESOs for the WCW (rural) academy.
• The EA will support the scoping with assessing possible rural academy agri-experts.
• The EA and BDS providers will support the identification of new technical skilling opportunities.

Participant Recruitment & Selection

• Attend the information and enrolment days together with the CMU (including the WCW Academy Coordinator, Disability Inclusion Advisor, MERLA Officer) and BDS providers. Participants will be interviewed, a functional assessment conducted, participants will indicate which stream they may be interested in and consent forms will be captured by the CMU or the participant confirmation in both the rural and urban areas selected for training.
• The EAs role during these days is focusing on explaining the Entrepreneurship track, managing expectations towards the Start-Up Support and share examples of alumni and/or opportunities within the ecosystem.

Core Life Skills Training

• During the final session of CLS, the WCW Academy Coordinator, Inclusive Employment Advisor and EA will support the youth with disabilities to identify their preference for the entrepreneurship, technical skilling or employment streams at the end of the CLS training. The decision will rest solely with the participant.

Start Entrepreneurship

• The EA will suggest entrepreneurs with disabilities, possibly WCW Academy Alumni, that can be approached by the BDS providers to join specific sessions as role models.

Technical Skilling

• The EA supported by the WCW coordinator are expected to identify an 5-10 technical skilling partners per location, while mapping market opportunities in the urban and rural area. Technical skilling providers should ideally be small business owners or artisans. It’s important these opportunities are market driven and not solely based on participants’ preferences.

Start-up support

• The EA is responsible for the overall quality assurance of the instrument; this relates to efficiency and effectiveness and so to the CMU responsibilities as well as the BDS providers responsibilities.
• Technical skilling participants will also be eligible for up to 400 USD if the business plan includes in-kind contributions, such as buying stock, material or equipment necessary for the business. The EA will be responsible for agreeing to milestones and reviewing the business plans, whereas the CMU would be responsible for buying and providing the in-kind contributions.
• The EA will lead in mapping and engagement with financial institutions, VSLAs, microfinance providers, and youth-serving organisations.
• The EA will lead in the development of the graduate registry.
• The EA will support the implementation of the Access to Finance strategy 2.0, helping in the coordination/design of VSLA pilots and explore other pilots (eg. asset sharing)

Alumni Engagement and Referral

• The EA will support strengthening of post-graduation mentorship(s) and Alumni-led coaching initiatives.
• The EA will support the youth-led alumni engagement activities by pro-actively building bridges within the inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Education and Professional Background

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Entrepreneurship, Agribusiness, Economics, Community Development, or a related field from a recognized Kenyan institution.
• Additional training or certification in Disability Inclusion, Agribusiness Development, Business Coaching, or Youth Empowerment is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of Kenyan national disability policies and frameworks (e.g., PWD Act 2003, CRPD, National Youth Policy) is desirable.

Work Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years of practical experience in entrepreneurship development, MSME support, business coaching, or youth livelihoods programs in Kenya.
• Proven experience working with persons with disabilities, preferably through inclusive economic empowerment or skills development projects.
• Experience supporting entrepreneurs in agricultural value chains, rural enterprises, or agribusiness startups.
• Experience in identifying, engaging, and supervising Business Development Service Providers or local business mentors.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of Kenya’s business environment, including county-level enterprise opportunities, youth enterprise schemes, and markets.
• Good knowledge of business planning, financial literacy, record-keeping, marketing, savings groups, and startup sustainability.
• Familiarity with climate-smart agriculture, value addition, and market linkages for agri-enterprise development.
• Ability to conduct business needs assessments, design tailored support packages, and provide coaching adapted to different disability types.

Soft Skills

• Excellent communication skills in English and Kiswahili; knowledge of local languages in the project area is an advantage.
• Inclusive facilitation and mentorship skills, with the ability to adapt materials for youth with various disabilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity when working with communities and county-level stakeholders.
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, and non-discrimination.

Other Requirements

• Knowledge of government and non-government actors supporting youth and disability inclusion (e.g., NCPWD, YEDF, NGAAF, County Enterprise Offices).
• Ability to collaborate with county governments, private sector actors, farmer organizations, and vocational training centres (TVETs).
• Willingness and ability to travel to rural and agricultural project sites within Kenya.

How to apply

• A cover letter explaining their motivation and suitability for the role.
• An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) including at least three professional referees.
• Any relevant certifications or evidence of training (optional).