The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund
About Us
AECF is a leading African-based development organization that leverages the power of the private sector to address systemic issues of rural poverty and employment across the continent. We find and fund innovative, game changing commercial businesses in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors that transform the lives of low-income households. By catalyzing funding, we help companies surface and commercialize new ideas, business models, and technologies that increase agricultural productivity, expand energy access, and alleviate poverty, particularly where these efforts impact women and young people. AECF works in frontier markets, fragile contexts, and high-risk countries where few mainstream financing institutions go. We back bold enterprises to tackle climate risk, expand opportunity for women and youth, and build resilience in fragile contexts so rural and marginalized communities can rise out of poverty
Since 2008, we have deployed over US$290 million, leveraged $916 million in additional capital, provided funding to 698 businesses in 27 countries – impacting 36 million people.
About the Programme
AECF is implementing Investing in Women’s Entrepreneurship for a Greener Economy in Benin and Burkina Faso, a six-year gender equality and economic inclusion programme funded by Global Affairs Canada. The programme provides investment capital and technical assistance to women-owned and women-led enterprises, financial institutions, cooperatives and associations operating in climate-positive sectors. It also works with women’s rights organisations and other local actors to address structural barriers, strengthen women’s agency and advance policy advocacy and social norm change at community and national levels.
About the Role
This role supports implementation of AECF’s current Gender Lens Investing Strategy through the Investing in Women Benin and Burkina Faso programme (IFEV-Benin and Burkina Faso). The role will lead and coordinate gender-responsive activities, help the programme achieve its gender equality and women’s economic empowerment targets, and ensure that gender considerations are integrated across investment, technical assistance, advocacy, learning and results measurement.
The successful candidate will work closely with women entrepreneurs, women-led enterprises, agricultural cooperatives and farmer associations, financial institutions, women’s rights organisations, gender champions and other programme partners.
The incumbent will be based in Burkina Faso. This role will report to the Programme Manager, Benin/ Burkina Faso.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment activities across the programme, in accordance with the programme management framework, approved workplans, budget and results framework.
- Assess the gender capacity of programme investees and provide tailored technical assistance that enables enterprises, cooperatives and micro-finance institutions to adopt gender-responsive business practices, inclusive workplace policies, climate-smart solutions and products or services that better meet women’s needs.
- Design of gender tools, and guides for portfolio companies in ensuring inclusive climate-smart practices and policies.
- Design and supervise the delivery of women empowerment and norm-shifting activities by women’s rights organizations, and other local community-advocacy groups.
- Strengthen the capacity of gender champions to influence formal and traditional institutions, promote women’s voice and decision-making, and advocate for women’s social and economic empowerment in target communities in Burkina Faso.
- Work with the programme and impact teams to monitor gender equality and women’s economic empowerment indicators, analyse sex-disaggregated and other relevant data, and document outcomes, lessons, case studies and participant stories.
- Deliver quality programme reports outlining gender activities, insights and impact created during donor reporting cycles.
- Lead in the development of evidence-based policy briefs, advocacy frameworks and other materials that champion women’s empowerment in Burkina Faso, together with the women rights organizations.
- Support the larger IFEV-Burkina Faso programme team on gender integration across the investment process.
- Build a network of gender champions, allies and actors that can collaborate with the IFEV-Burkina Faso programme to advance gender equality in Burkina Faso.
- Support the development of knowledge products and organize knowledge sharing events
- Contribute actively to AECF’s Gender Department by sharing programme learning, supporting the development of institutional tools and approaches, and contributing to cross-programme gender equality priorities.
Suitable candidates should possess:
- A bachelor’s degree in Gender Economics, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Economics, Development Finance, or other relevant fields of study.
- A minimum of five (5) years of post-training experience in one or more of the following areas: gender economics, social entrepreneurship, impact investing, management consulting, private sector development, renewable energy. agribusiness, SME finance, rural financial services and/or renewable energy and adaptation to combat climate change.
- Hands-on experience in the agribusiness sector is preferred.
- A strong understanding of climate-smart agriculture and solutions.
- Previous experience working with women rights and gender advocacy organizations is strongly preferred.
- Strong experience/ interest in the international development field.
- Experience working in an international team and proven ability to deliver in a complex environment with multiple, divergent stakeholder interests.
- Be fluent in English and French.