ZEP/ZEC Cluster Head

Job description

Furrer Foundation is hiring:

Cluster Head -Zambia Entrepreneurs Parks & College (ZEP/ZEC)

Are you excited to lead our first cluster of Zambia Entrepreneurs Parks & Colleges and scale it across Zambia, thereby enable Zambian rural youth to learn a trade and become entrepreneurs?

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

We are repositioning apprenticeships as a viable alternative to academic pathways by training young women and men to become highly qualified craftsmen and entrepreneurs. We believe this is crucial for individuals and families as well as economic growth in rural Zambia. Our first ZEP in Rufunsa offers 2-year apprenticeships in construction, carpentry, metalwork, power electrics, plumbing and auto mechanics, and expanding to 10 professions by 2026. ZEP apprentices benefit from best-in-class practical training by our ZEP master crafts(wo)men as well as state-of-the-art teaching by our ZEC lecturers and visiting entrepreneurs, providing them with the theoretical and practical skills needed to earn a good living and become successful entrepreneurs in rural Zambia.

As we are opening Zambia Entrepreneurs Parks in three more locations in the East (Nyimba, Kateta & Lundazi) which together with the Zambia Entrepreneurs Park & College in Rufunsa will form the first ZEP/ZEC cluster, we are looking for an effective and entrepreneurial leader as our first ZEP/ZEC Cluster Head:

Your responsibilities:

·        Lead the ZEP/ZEC cluster with four Entrepreneur Parks & the central Entrepreneurs College in Rufunsa

·        Build up a lean and effective organization managing all ZEP/ZEC training and production operations

·        Install solid budgeting-, accounting & reporting processes and corresponding controls at cluster level

·        Establish, monitor and lead through a modern effective KPI framework ensuring & incentivising impact

·        Supervise the ZEC Principal on all TEVETA-, curricula-, and training planning & implementation

·        Oversee the ZEP Commercial Lead, especially on crafts(wo)men recruiting & business advisory

·        Assist and advise on satellite ZEP construction and next cluster location search and selection

·        Teach apprentices at ZEC in your area of specialization, preferably accounting (up to 5% of the time)

·        Potentially grow into ZEP/ZEC CEO position overseeing all 10 clusters planned for completion by 2033

Your profile:

·        Diploma- or uni-level educated professional, preferably with an accounting- and/or industry background

·        Highly effective leader inspiring ZEP/ZEC apprentices, crafts(wo)men, teaching staff and stakeholders

·        Solid project mgt, financial-, and process skills, preferably gained in private sector or education

·        Willingness and ability to teach/instruct an entrepreneurial subject (accounting, calculation, marketing)

·        Native-level proficiency in spoken and written English and Nyanja (and ideally Bemba)

·        Creative, resourceful, and proactive implementer and relationship builder with a positive can-do attitude

·        Highly reliable, trustworthy, and diligent to lead by example in all business and personal matters

Contractual aspects:

·        Contract: Full-time, start date ideally January 2026 / by arrangement

·        Salary: competitive and commensurate with experience, incentive structure

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

Application process:

Please apply by sending 1) your CV and credentials 2) a cover letter explaining the benefits of vocational training and entrepreneurship for rural Zambia to benjamin.furrer@fis-fundation.org

Application deadline: 14 Dec