We are expanding our innovation and scaling efforts and are looking for a Challenge Fund Manager to support this. This is a consultancy based, full time position with GRP. The Challenge Fund Manager will assist with programme design, execution, mentoring and coordination in running an open and competitive innovation challenge. The successful applicant will engage with innovation challenge winners and support a leadership academy and an investor forum. This work will be done in close collaboration with GRP’s Head of Innovation and Scaling as well as the GRP Secretariat team.
Roles and responsibilities
The successful applicant will have a focus on the following work areas, and provide wider strategic support, as below:
- Innovation and Scaling support:
- Support the design and implementation of Accelerating Agricultural Enterprise Innovation Challenge.
- Grantee and partner engagement support through the GRP Incubator, including mentoring support and leadership training.
- Actively engage with partners and grantees through Incubator activities, workshops and direct mentoring, as well as match making between grantees and potential partners.
- Shared Learning and Mainstreaming support:
- Actively engage with partners and grantees through Incubator activities, support the strengthening of a Community of Practice of entrepreneurs and innovators, facilitate workshops and engage in direct mentoring.
- Support in the mainstreaming of viability testing, scaling assessments and scaling support.
- Support in translation of learning into knowledge and evidence products to inform policy and practice, and to drive future action and investment.
- Strategic Design and Scaling support:
- Support the design of programmes and proposals (challenge funds, private sector engagement, incubator activities) for Africa as well as the other regions GRP is active in.
- Support in mainstreaming and institutionalising tools, structures, and frameworks of the Incubator.
- Represent GRP in general at meetings and events and give presentations internally and externally, as needed.
The Challenge Fund Manager will report to GRP’s Head of Innovation and Scaling and will work in close collaboration with the GRP Secretariat. The manager shall be based in East Africa.
Assessment
The application will be assessed on the following:
- Knowledge of resilience, GRP and its partners
- Experience designing and running challenge funds
- Relevant degree linked to business and development
- Strong resilience programme design
- Experience in leadership development
- Experience of mentoring projects, providing support and start-ups
- Experience of innovative processes for development and emerging markets
- Experience of, and networks in, both the development sector and the private sector
- Understanding of applied resilience and international development cooperation
- Outstanding communication skills
- Excellent ability to express themselves in English, both orally and in writing, additional languages highly beneficial
- Located in East Africa
- Cost
Terms of Reference: Challenge Fund Manager
How to apply
If you are interested in the position, please submit a CV and a 1-page cover letter to challenge@globalresiliencepartnership.org by noon (12:00 CEST) on 7 October 2022.
If you have any questions please contact Jesper Hörnberg (jhornberg@globalresiliencepartnership.org), GRP’s Head on Innovation and Scaling.