Entrepreneurship and Innovation Specialist

Introduction: MTC International Development Holding Company, LLC (MTC International) is a US-based private company, with more than 30 years of experience developing curricula, providing technical training and building capacity to prepare young people for meaningful, long-term employment. MTC International is implementing the USAID-funded Workforce Improvement and Skill Enhancement (WISE) project, and has engaged BDO Esnad to manage the employment and payroll processes for the project.

Project Description: The USAID-funded WISE project provides expertise to help upgrade the country’s technical and vocational education and training system, enhance connections between employers and training centers, and create local partnerships for economic development. With an emphasis on youth and females, MTC International and its partners provide capacity building and training for stakeholders and counterparts to: (A) upgrade technical secondary education to meet the needs of the market in selected governorates and sectors; (B) improve skills and productivity of the workforce in selected sectors and governorates; and (C) improve labor market efficiency and advocacy for workforce development.

Project Duration:

Base Period: 3 years (November 1, 2015 to October 31, 2018)

1 option year (November 1, 2018 to October 31, 2019)

Position Location: Cairo, Egypt

Reporting and Supervision: The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Specialist reports to the Entrepreneurship and Work-Based Learning Senior Advisor, or designate. S/he supervises the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Specialist.

Position Summary: The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Specialist supports the establishment of entrepreneurship and innovation clubs in selected schools. S/he also facilitates an annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Day in coordination with the MoETE.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Entrepreneurship:

• Pro-actively scout for new innovative ideas and opportunities.
• Document tested innovation projects and processes and ensure effective sharing and generation of knowledge around innovations.
• Apply industry-focused research to create entrepreneurship curricula, business development programs, and technology transfer initiatives that can more directly connect technical school students’ and graduates' ideas with industry needs.
• Develop mechanism for injecting research and intellectual capital into innovations that can spur the development of new products, businesses, and industries.
• Build entrepreneurs from the ‘ground up’ using students and graduates’ innate curiosity and ingenuity to assist them in becoming society’s next innovators.
• Develop system for transition of technical schools' students’ and graduates’ innovative and entrepreneurial business ideas into new companies.
• Improve availability and accessibility of entrepreneurship services, with focus on business incubators.
• Assist entrepreneurs in market and commercialization planning, prototype design, and production.
• Develop symbiotic relationship between entrepreneurs/innovators and business actors, by developing an entrepreneurship pipeline that can transform technical schools' students’ and graduates’ innovations into business innovation which can directly impact economic and community development.
• Collaborate with other relevant donor projects to create an entrepreneurship curriculum to be taught at technical secondary schools.
• Assist the Entrepreneurship and Work-Based Learning Senior Advisor in the implementation of her/his tasks.

• Coordinate and provide support on overall innovation strategy/action plan, including formulation, design, planning and implementation, both within Result A and across all components.