Entrepreneurship Incubation Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, is a leading organization dedicated to promoting children's rights and well-being globally. Established in 1946, UNICEF has been operational for over 70 years and works in 190 countries and territories. The organization is known for being the world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries and focuses on various areas including child health, nutrition, education, and protection from violence and exploitation. With a workforce of over 12,000 employees, UNICEF is funded entirely through voluntary contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments, ensuring its independence and ability to serve children in need.

Job Overview:
The Entrepreneurship Incubation Consultant will play a crucial role in enhancing UNICEF's Generation Unlimited (GenU) initiative by providing specialized technical expertise in entrepreneurship incubation pathways. The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship Lead and will be responsible for designing and operationalizing incubation systems across various entrepreneurship models, including the AI Ventures Accelerator and Community Health Worker (CHW) Entrepreneurship models. The consultant's work will involve developing structured cohort models, crafting technical and business curricula, establishing mentorship mechanisms, and building ecosystems that support early-stage ventures from ideation to investment readiness. The consultant will also ensure that entrepreneurs receive consistent, high-quality support across different pathways, contributing to GenU's broader ambition of creating an integrated and scalable entrepreneurship support architecture that is adaptable to diverse country contexts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Development of Integrated Incubation Systems: Design and strengthen incubation systems across GenU’s entrepreneurship pathways, ensuring a coherent support architecture for early-stage ventures. Deliverables include a comprehensive incubation systems blueprint, mentorship ecosystem framework, and a business perks partner package.
• AI Ventures Accelerator (AIVA): Develop the technical and entrepreneurial curriculum for AIVA, ensuring alignment with ethical AI considerations and market adoption pathways. Deliverables include an AIVA curriculum package and cohort design blueprint.
• CHW Entrepreneurship: Support the development of enterprise pathways for Community Health Workers, including operational steps and risk considerations. Deliverables include a CHW Entrepreneurship incubation guide and support toolkit.
• Micro Entrepreneurship: Strengthen the Micro entrepreneurship pathway, ensuring tailored incubation support for youth. Deliverables include a Micro Entrepreneurship Playbook and learning module package.
• Follow-On Funding: Build a follow-on funding pipeline and design tools for investment readiness assessment across all incubation pathways. Deliverables include a follow-on funding strategy report and investment readiness assessment toolkit.
• Progress Tracking: Contribute to the harmonization of venture progress tracking across all pathways, aligned with internal reporting requirements. Deliverables include a performance tracking framework and periodic analysis briefs.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must possess a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, International Development, or a related field. A minimum of 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship program development, management, or consultancy is required, with a proven track record in supporting portfolio management systems and follow-on funding networks. Experience in entrepreneurship models within the MENA region is considered an asset. The candidate should also demonstrate excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills, along with strong technical knowledge of incubation systems and funding frameworks.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, or International Development. This educational background is essential to ensure the consultant has the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively contribute to the development of entrepreneurship incubation systems.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience is required for this position. This experience should encompass entrepreneurship program development, management, or consultancy, with a focus on supporting portfolio management systems and establishing follow-on funding networks. Familiarity with entrepreneurship models, particularly in the MENA region, is advantageous and will enhance the candidate's suitability for the role.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in Arabic is considered an asset, and working knowledge of another UN language would also be beneficial. This linguistic capability is important for effective communication and collaboration within the diverse international context of UNICEF's operations.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is set to last from January 15, 2026, to January 14, 2027, and is primarily remote-based. The consultant will be required to travel internationally to countries such as Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Liberia as part of their responsibilities. Candidates must complete their profiles in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and submit a financial proposal detailing costs per deliverable and total lump-sum for the assignment. UNICEF will cover any emergent travel expenses and requires that selected candidates have valid health insurance coverage at the time of contract award. Payment for professional fees will be contingent upon the satisfactory submission of deliverables, and UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if standards are not met. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history.