Commercial Lead ZEP

Job description

Furrer Foundation is hiring:

Commercial Lead – Zambia Entrepreneurs Park (ZEP), Rufunsa & future locations

Are you excited to help us scale our Zambia Entrepreneurs Parks across Zambia and thereby enable more Zambian rural youth to learn a trade and become entrepreneurs?

About the Zambia Entrepreneurs Park & College (ZEP/ZEC):

We are positioning apprenticeships as a viable alternative to academic pathways by training young women and men to be high-quality craftsmen and entrepreneurs. We believe this is crucial for economic growth in general and for the advancement of individuals and families in particular.

Our first ZEP in Rufunsa started operations 2024 with 2-year apprenticeship training courses in construction, carpentry and metalwork and plans to expand to 10 professions by 2026. ZEP apprentices will benefit from best-in-class practical training by our ZEP master crafts(wo)men as well as high-quality teaching by our ZEC lecturers and visiting businessmen- and women – all with the aim of equipping our apprentices with all the practical and theoretical skills needed to become the most successful entrepreneurs in Zambia.

As we are scaling our model of the Zambia Entrepreneurs Park to further locations in Eastern Zambia and beyond, we are looking for an experienced, diligent, and entrepreneurial Commercial Lead:

Your responsibilities:

Assist with all commercial aspects related to ZEP expansion (plot purchases, contractors, etc.)
Draft procurement policies/processes and implement procurement controlling across ZEP locations
Drive co-ordination and synergies between ZEP crafts(wo)men, contractors and suppliers
Set up the satellite ZEP administration, in particular employment- and rental contracts, IT, etc.
Establish and oversee KPIs, budgeting, accounting & reporting processes for all ZEP locations
Establish the ZEP retail offering across locations and find & onboard interested merchants/chains/etc.
Drive marketing of ZEP products across all channels (physical incl. pot. showroom, online, etc.)
Advise our crafts(wo)men/entrepreneurs on their business setup, organization and bookkeeping
Teach apprentices at ZEC in your area of specialization, preferably accounting (up to 15% of the time)

Your profile:

Diploma-level educated accountancy professional (ZICA membership in good standing of advantage)
Solid bookkeeping & admin skills, incl. pension/social security, preferably gained in company w/ branches
Significant practical experience working in the private sector, preferably in industry/manufacturing
Expertise and seniority to lead negotiations with landowners, trad. leaders, suppliers and crafts(wo)men
Willingness and ability to teach/instruct an entrepreneurial subject (accounting, calculation, marketing)
Native-level proficiency in spoken and written English and Nyanja (and Bemba)
Creative, resourceful, and proactive relationship builder with a positive can-do attitude
Highly reliable, trustworthy, and diligent in all business matters

Contractual aspects:

Contract: Full-time, start date ideally May 2025 / by arrangement

Salary: competitive and commensurate with experience, incentive structure

Location: Rufunsa/TBD, with extensive travel to and within Eastern province

Application process:

Please apply by sending 1) your CV and 2) a cover letter explaining the benefits of vocational training and entrepreneurship for rural Zambia to b.furrer@furrerfoundation.com

Application deadline: 7th May 2025