Enterprise Development Manager

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

POSITION SUMMARY - This position will be based in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and is only open to South African citizens or those legally qualified to work in South Africa

The Enterprise Development Manager will be responsible for ensuring that Yes for Youth, SMMEs, and Cooperatives receive appropriate and relevant training and mentorship in greening their business activities, and will assist them in developing and implementing business improvement plans (BIP) in support of the Conservation South Africa (CSA) Green Economy Enterprise Development Programmes in the K2C Biosphere Landscape. This work will include the capturing of lessons learnt and development of appropriate enterprise development toolkits to support the implementation of the K2C enterprise development program.

This role will report to the Senior Manager of Economic Inclusion and the incumbent will be working together with the K2C Outreach Associate and Yes for Youth supervisors, in implementing school-based entrepreneurial activities to encourage youth (15 – 25 in age) to become entrepreneurs. This will be achieved through the hosting of competitions, learning events, and markets days in the K2C Landscape. This role will also provide support in implementing these types of activities across the other two CSA Landscapes, these being in the Eastern and Northern Cape.
 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Readiness Assessments

• Compiling of registration forms for K2C and partner-supported cooperatives.
• Compiling SMME and Cooperatives selection criteria, supported by the Senior Director Green economies, for approval by the K2C Senior Manager: Economic Inclusion and K2C Landscape Senior Programme Manager.
• Assessment of applicants, including interviewing and proficiency testing where relevant.
• Selecting potentially viable SMMEs and Cooperatives to participate in the business hubs and managing SMME participation in the business hub centres.
• Analysing business needs of SMMEs and Cooperatives.
• Identification of beneficiary training and development needs and designing an appropriate training plan for each beneficiary.
• Development of Business Improvement Plans (BIPs) for registered SMMEs and Cooperatives.
• Training of participants on Savings Groups and Finance options.

SMME Development and mentoring

• Mobilising additional resources to support both the programme at large and participating SMMEs, Cooperatives, and Village Savings Groups including securing access to seed capital.
• Working closely with the Senior Manager of Economic Inclusion and Senior Programme Manager to ensure that SMMEs and Cooperatives attend appropriate training and receive certification.
• Supporting the establishment, development, and scaling up of women-led Village Savings Groups.
• Ensuring that direct training resources are available, as required.
• Ensuring that developed BIPs are in line with market demands.
• Assisting SMMEs and Cooperatives to implement their BIPs, including access to business support (funding etc.).
• Identifying risks based on business analysis and assisting with putting risk mitigation strategies in place.
• Designing, implementing, and monitoring of the mentorship program in conjunction with the Senior Director Green Economies.
• Arranging and overseeing suitable workplace attachments for beneficiaries and monitoring their learning outcomes.
• Monitoring of SMMEs to ensure that learning is implemented.
• Evaluation of business environmental impact and assisting in identifying and rolling out opportunities to “go green”.

Landscape Business Hub Operations

• Identifying challenges faced by SMMEs, Cooperatives and Village Savings Groups and devising solutions to address these.
• Monitoring and supporting the performance of the businesses with regard to legal and regulatory compliance.
• Monitoring and coaching the businesses with regard to record keeping and maintenance of financial management systems.
• Assisting SMMEs in drawing up quotes and invoices and applying for major tenders.
• Supporting SMMEs, Cooperatives and Village Savings Groups in applications for capital funding.
• Following up on any issues raised by customers in relation to the business and its products or services.
• Coaching business personnel on business etiquette.
• Providing feedback to the K2C Senior Programme Manager on SMME and Cooperatives.
• Coordinating and managing beneficiary training events.
• Liaising closely with the K2C Senior Manager: Economic Inclusion and K2C Landscape Senior Programme manager, as well as other team members, to identify and match businesses against requests by lodges in private game reserves in the local area.
• Putting in place remedial action based on feedback from private game reserves on goods and services provided by SMMEs and Cooperatives.

Work experience and readiness for Yes for Youth

• Management of Yes for Youth Supervisors.
• Overseeing the planning and implementation of K2C Landscape Outreach Activities into the youth work readiness program.
• Working with Yes for Youth in the Landscape to develop their work readiness and linking participants to mentored businesses for their work experience.
• Training on Savings Groups and Finance options.

Reporting and Administration

• Monitoring and reporting on individual SMMEs, Cooperatives and Village Savings Groups progress over time.
• Compiling and submission of monthly and quarterly reports to the K2C Senior Manager: Economic Inclusion and K2C Landscape Senior Programme Manager.
• Performing all administration related functions as required by the role.
• Act at all times with due care and consideration of the CSA Partners’ stakeholder relationships.
• Supporting the management of a database of:
  • SMMEs and Cooperatives data, i.e. name of SMME, address, type of business, location, annual turnover, etc.
  • Training required by SMMEs and Cooperative members.

Management of staff

• Perform all other activities in line with Job Description as requested by supervisor.

Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Rural work setting.
• Ability to travel in the local area, visiting sites daily.
• Ability to travel to other CSA Landscapes, as necessary. Less than 10% per annum.
• This role will be a fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin in April 2025 and end in December 2025, renewable based on donor funding and performance. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Undergraduate degree (from a recognized institution) or equivalent combination of education and experience in Business Management, Rural Enterprises Development, Business Development Services, or related field, and/or 4 to 6 years of relevant work experience in project management experience in rural enterprise development, business development services, and rural economic development in the Southern Africa region.
• Experienced in Business Mentorship and Start-Up Training.
• Excellent project management experience including project planning, monitoring, and evaluation, reporting, multi-stakeholder partnerships coordination, grants management, etc.
• Experience in successfully working with several stakeholders to achieve a common goal.
• Excellent in communication skills.
• Strongly self-motivated individual with a problem-solving attitude.
• Excellent written and spoken English and familiar with local languages (Tsonga or Northern Sotho.)
• Ability to communicate with different stakeholders
• Driver’s License.

Preferred

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: April 8, 2025  (11:49 PM EST)

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.