In Field Youth Led Entreprise Support Consultant - Mutare & Mutasa

SNV is a global development partner, rooted in the African and Asian countries where we operate. With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, it is our mission to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

Background

SNV Zimbabwe, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Embassy of Sweden, is implementing Phase II of the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) Project. The project targets out-of-school youth (aged 18–35) to improve their livelihoods and future prospects through employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the agri-food, renewable energy, and emerging sectors.

Following the successful completion of rapid needs assessments and enterprise profiling of new and graduated youth led enterprises (YLEs) under the previous assignment done by the Regional Youth-Led Enterprise Support Consultants the scope of the Infield Youth-Led Enterprise Support Consultants transitions the role from diagnostic support to structured enterprise growth facilitation. The consultant will provide ongoing business development mentorship, coaching, and market systems strengthening support to YLEs. The role will deliberately provide continued post-establishment support to Year 1 (Cohort 1) youth-led enterprises to prevent early-stage failure by reinforcing governance and record keeping systems, improving market participation.  This will enable the enterprises and groups to transition from fragile start-up operations to stable, market-integrated and growth-oriented businesses.

For more information on our operations in Zimbabwe and SNV visit our website: www.snv.org 

To strengthen the commercial viability, competitiveness, and systemic market integration of youth-led enterprises across target districts by providing structured mentorship, business development facilitation, and market systems development support. Support to youth-led enterprises will be provided in various forms, including technical assistance, coaching, and financial support, depending on the identified needs and growth potential of each enterprise.

Scope of Work

Enterprise Mentorship and Coaching

• Develop individual enterprise growth plans for at least 100 YLEs per district from Cohort 1 (YLE established in 2025).
• Conduct structured coaching sessions for at least 100 youth led enterprises targeting M2 and M3 (advanced technical, business management, market linkages) for youth led enterprises established under Cohort 1.
• Develop growth plans and conduct structured mentorship coaching sessions for at least 50 new youth led enterprises from Cohort 2 (YLE established in 2026) targeting M2 and M3 (advanced technical, business management, market)
• Track enterprise performance indicators (sales, jobs created) updating the information into LogAlto.
• Tracking and enter youth transition to employment into the LogAlto

Business Development Services (BDS) facilitation

• Facilitate linkages with at least 2 BDS providers to provide mentorship and coaching per district.
• Facilitate at least 30 enterprises per district in accessing BDS that includes but not limited to business management, product improvement, marketing, linkages/networking, branding, and packaging.

Market Systems Development Integration

• Facilitate through mentorship at least 5 active private sector partnerships per district with buyers, suppliers, or aggregators.
• Facilitate through mentorship at least 2 successful financing linkages per district (banks, MFIs, Gvt).
• Document evidence of behavior change among market actors serving youth enterprises.

Coordination and complementarity with LSPs

• Joint market opportunity identification targeting 5 opportunities with respective LSPs
• Coordinate district-level collaboration with the project, including Basic Life Skills training delivered by the Ministry of Youth, Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training and other TVETs, YSAL and enterprise development support facilitated by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, and technical trainings provided by TVETs, private sector, extension workers.
• Submit consolidated Mutare and Mutasa districts report by the 25th of every month.

Learning, Adaptation and Scaling

• Document at least 2 scalable enterprise models/district.
• Document at least one success story per month/district

    Expected Deliverables

1. Opportunity identification: 5 active private sector partnerships/district.
2. Enterprise growth plans: Minimum 150 per district targeting Cohort 1 and 2.
3. Mentorship and coaching: Minimum 150 YLEs/district targeting cohort 1 and 2.
4. BDS facilitation: at least 2 BDS/district providers supporting at least 30 YLEs.
5. Access to finance: At least 2 successful financing links per district.
6. Upload enterprise progress and youth employment data in LogAlto.
7.  Monthly progress reports and Final consolidated reports.

Click on the link for detailed Terms of Reference

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Agribusiness, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Agriculture or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience supporting youth or MSMEs in enterprise development and trade.
• Strong understanding of business development services, market systems, and youth economic empowerment.
• Proven ability to coach and mentor youth entrepreneurs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to travel across districts within the region with own mode of transport.

• Contract type: Consultant
• Duration: June 2026 to December 2026
• Duty station: Mutare/Mutasa, Zimbabwe
• Expected start date: 1 June2026

How to Apply

If you meet the requirements and are excited about this opportunity, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your Expression of Interest no more than 2 pages and click on the link for the BIDDER PROFILE by 25 May 2026 by clicking the "I'M INTERESTED" tab via smart recruiters

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in due course.

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Vetting

SNV carries out rigorous background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for national determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill in a questionnaire regarding Misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, sexual harassment as well as Fraud), the “Statement of Conduct". This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme. 

We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Any form of solicitation by phone or other means will be treated as disqualification of the candidate. SNV is an equal employment provider.