Senior Business Development Advisor - Gambela

ABOUT INKOMOKO 

Inkomoko supports entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in order to improve livelihoods, create jobs, and help communities thrive.

Founded in 2012, Inkomoko has worked with more than 60,000 entrepreneurs across East and Central Africa, including thousands of refugee entrepreneurs. Inkomoko provides a combination of training, consulting, access to finance, and market-level systems change.  We are the largest lender to refugee entrepreneurs in Africa.  

Inkomoko has 650+ staff in 40 offices across Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Through Inkomoko’s 2030 strategic plan, we are adding 3 additional countries to serve more than 550,000 entrepreneurs and growing our $30M loan fund to impact 7M lives. 

 
INKOMOKO VALUES

All staff at Inkomoko are connected to a shared set of organizational values:

• Purpose: be solutions-oriented, produce high-quality work, and be a global leader.
• Achievement: push yourself to reach beyond what you previously thought possible. 
• Improvement: be humble, engage in continuous growth through open & accurate feedback
• Bravery: willing to take risks, create a safe space for others, be compassionate, and inclusive.
• We Eat Goat:  we celebrate success and support each other in hard times. We do this work together in the spirit of turikumwe, tuko pamoja, abren nen, Kula na sawa, On est ensemble.
  

Inkomoko is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Persons who reflect the diverse communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply. 

 

ABOUT THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Inkomoko Ethiopia seeks a highly talented and experienced senior Business Development Advisor to work directly with entrepreneurs to help them develop the skills to scale their businesses.

Current responsibilities include:

MANAGEMENT & GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (50% time)

• Serve as a coach, mentor, and advisor to Business Associates (BAs) and Business Development Advisors (BDAs) to enhance their business development skills
• Ensure client recruitment targets are achieved in assigned locations
• Assist BDAs/BAs and review work as needed to ensure high-quality work is delivered to clients
• Coordinate the BDAs and BAs activities with other department activities, ensuring the highest quality of organization and client services outcomes
• Work with the Business Development Manager and Inkomoko leadership team to develop annual goals for the BGS department
• Build the capacity of BDAs and BAs team to achieve Inkomoko Ethiopia’s annual business development service objectives, market linkages, advocacy & access to finance.
• Represent Inkomoko in stakeholders meetings and activities.
• Maintain and develop relationships with partners, and business community leaders across Gambella region and the respective refugee camps that Inkomoko operates at.
• Keep up to date on the latest business and industry trends in Gambella region and the respective refugee communities that Inkomoko operates.
• Ensure set KPIs on individual business, market linkages and advocacy are met in the locations under his/her supervision

STRATEGIC ADVISING & ENTREPRENEUR RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT(40% time)

• Conduct regular site visits to provide real-time coaching for assigned client portfolio based on business needs, challenges and opportunities
• Provide informed, strategic, and realistic advice to help clients meet their objectives for business growth.
• Ensure up-to-date clients’ business information across locations in an accurate manner using the applicable project management tools
• Review BDAs & BAs consulting work to define immediate client needs and areas of improvement.
• Assist BDAs & BAs to implement recommendations on learnings/insights within businesses, helping them to navigate challenges, make sound business decisions and achieve their business/growth goals
• Connect clients to other INKOMOKO services, including access to finance, training, advocacy and market linkages
• Manage the schedule and delivery of services throughout client engagements
• Provide the training using Inkomoko training materials in relevant local languages including but not limited to Nuer, Agnuak, Arabic, English, Amharic & any additional language as required within the area of operation
• Coordinate with the training and field teams in organizing training logistics, field activities such focus group activities, refresher trainings and training supplies ensuring all are within budget
• Ensure up-to-date the clients’ business information is collected and shared in an accurate manner using the applicable project management tools.
• Support and coordinate with the MEL, training and admin teams on location activities.

 GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (10% time)

• General maintenance of entrepreneur files, reports, and coordination with colleagues.
• Contribute to staff meetings, annual retreats, and monthly entrepreneur Services meetings. 
• Participation in ongoing entrepreneur tracking and implementing Inkomoko’s impact evaluation programs every quarter/year 
• Represent Inkomoko  in partners' meetings and any other events in camps as assigned
• Participate in the development of Inkomoko goals, strategies, and planning
• Represent Inkomoko in the local business community and at conferences or other events
• Keep up to date on the latest business and industry trends in Ethiopia and across Africa
• Regularly track and report on the progress of client work and project deliverables, gathering learnings/insights and reporting to management for improvement.
• Review & submit weekly, monthly and quarterly program reports in a timely manner.
• Communicate program priorities/details to clients, in line with INKOMOKO policies.
• Perform any other duties as assigned.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• We are looking for individuals who are passionate about entrepreneurship and have the skills and experience to help entrepreneurs make lasting changes to their businesses. We are seeking candidates who work quickly and thoroughly, collaborate, and are both kind and serious. 
• The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications: 
• 5+ years experience, in working with MSMEs or  applicable fields is required
• Experience in consulting, business planning, and providing business advice
• Excellent computer skills, especially with MS Excel, Word, and ERP, project management tools (i.e. Odoo, MS Dynamics,Asana,Trello,etc…)
• Good written and oral communications skill
• Good presentation and training skill
• Shows perseverance, personal integrity, and critical thinking skills
• Skilled/ with expertise in market linkages and value chain management to MSMEs;
• Excellent communication in local languages spoken in the town/camp in the region including but not limited to Nuer, Agnuak, Arabic,  English, Amharic etc.
• Experience working in refugee settings with different nationalities across refugee camps in Gambella region
• Background in finance or ability to produce financial reports/projections for entrepreneurs; 
• Deep understanding of go-to-market strategies and growth strategies for businesses in the area of consumer goods; 
• Past experience writing business plans in preparation for investment;
• Ability to work with high-profile individuals and companies by demonstrating exemplary levels of professionalism; 
• Strong presentation and training skills, and ability to teach others business concepts;
• Possess business acumen, and original thinking; 
• Bachelor’s degree required in a Business related field; 
• Additional Master’s studies or CPA skills preferred; 
• Reside in Gambella town or nearby camps/towns around the refugee camps: Jewi, Terekidi, Kule, and Nguenyyiel

WHAT YOU’LL GET

• This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:
• Competitive salary, and potential Goal-based bonus
• Incredible company culture, including deep investment in your learning and growth
• Diverse colleagues and policies that show our commitment to equity and inclusion 
• Talented, passionate, and committed team colleagues across the region
• Ability to make a significant social impact to your community
• Generous health insurance, staff savings, parental leave, sabbatical, and more benefits.

TO APPLY

If you’re excited about this role, please submit your application through the jobs portal. 

Tell us about what you’ll bring to this growing company.

DEADLINE:  8th April 2025.  Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please apply as soon as possible!

 

Inkomoko is committed to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.  As we seek to reflect the communities we serve, refugees and women are strongly encouraged to apply. As a company we have policies that ensure fair treatment in the application process. 

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Employment is conditional upon successful background checks and other verification as needed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and background screening checks. Inkomoko also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual misconduct, fraud, or abuse. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.