Entrepreneurship and Innovation Coordinator

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Coordinator

(Entrepreneurship Cluster)

Full-time

Location: Kathmandu

Company Description

The Why: NEPAL aspires to graduate from least developing country to a lower middle-income country by 2026. However, the development community’s excessive focus today on socio-political empowerment has not yielded the desired economic transformation. In reaching the 2026 national target, shall we wait for institutions of power to become accountably productive or shall we bolster innovations of people to bring inclusive prosperity? And, shall we strengthen grassroots-government collaboration in shaping an equal and enterprising future?

The How: DAAYITWA, with a focus on economic empowerment, envisions an enterprising Nepal where every youth has opportunities for a prosperous future. Daayitwa is a part of the Daayitwa Abhiyaan which consists of four organizations: Daayitwa, Governance Lab, Nepal Leadership Academy based in Nepal and Nepal Rising (Daayitwa-US) based in the U.S. Inspired by shared values of innovation, collaboration, and service, it promotes the socio- economic development of Nepal. The movement fosters inclusive and equitable economic growth by accelerating grassroots innovations, strengthening government institutions, and revitalizing a virtuous cycle of democracy and development through grassroots-government collaboration.

Our Focus Areas:

1. Enterprise-led employment creation
2. Design evidence-based policies for improved decision-making
3. Build state capability for effective policy implementation
4. Foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovations

Entrepreneurship Cluster

The entrepreneurship cluster in Daayitwa works in enabling the rural enterprise ecosystem to enable enterprise-led employment creation in rural Nepal with Rural Enterprise Acceleration Program (REAP) and Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment Promotion (GEEP) Program as its flagship projects.

The Daayitwa Rural Enterprise Acceleration Program (REAP) was initiated in 2013 with the mission

of “domestic employment generation through rural entrepreneurship for an inclusive and enterprising Nepal”. REAP identifies growth-oriented rural women and youth entrepreneurs, capacitates them to exploit local innovations, connects enterprises with financial institutions, and bolsters the municipal enterprise ecosystem. REAP operates as a municipality-based competition on a one-year timeline, with close technical and financial collaboration with municipalities at the core.

GEEP builds on Daayitwa’s decade-long experience in governance innovation and accelerating growth-oriented enterprises in rural Nepal to create jobs and amplify income through the Rural Enterprise Acceleration Program (REAP). GEEP is executed through a partnership among Daayitwa, provincial governments, local governments and the Nepali diaspora. GEEP’s objectives are to accelerate growth-oriented rural enterprises, build state capability for effective policy implementation and foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovation. GEEP is currently being implemented in 14 rural/municipalities of Gandaki, Lumbini and Koshi province.

Responsibilities: You as the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Coordinator will report to and assist the Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator in providing leadership, management oversight, and technical direction for entrepreneurship projects, ensuring that project deliverables are met on time and deliver desired impact.

A) Coordinate Program

• Lead the implementation of the entrepreneurship projects, with a focus on managing key elements such as selection, capacity building, access to finance and markets, value chain strengthening and overall program execution.
• Contribute to the design and execution of diverse project activities, including conducting scoping studies, developing curricula, creating analytical toolkits, screening applications, and overseeing project implementation.
• Support with various administrative, human resources and communications functions.
• Organize and facilitate various events such as awareness programs, orientation workshops, entrepreneurship workshops (including business acceleration training modules) and pitching sessions together with the Project team
• Conduct field visits to the project area as and when required.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders (e.g. government, private companies, banks, universities, local communities, NGOs)
• Prepare regular progress reports in line with reporting schedules, as well as any other reports requested by stakeholders.
• Collaborate with national/provincial/municipal advisors to ensure the project is implemented according to organization and industry best practices, programme framework, and regulations.
• Design business and entrepreneurship tools and methodologies for enterprise acceleration.
• Collaborate with the Daayitwa communication team in creating and sharing stories of impact to national and international audiences.
• Collaborate with the Daayitwa communication team in communication & outreach activities like knowledge dissemination, presentations, and program updates for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the communications team to design and develop engaging communication materials, including brochures, newsletters, reports, social media content, and donor proposals, with a strong emphasis on fundraising and partnership development.
• Develop and execute fundraising strategies, working closely with development teams to craft compelling messaging, identify donor prospects, and cultivate relationships to secure funding
• Collaborate with the M&E team on project monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) activities, including data collection, tracking key performance indicators, and ensuring timely reporting.

B) Improve Access to Finance and Access to Markets

• Design and implement interventions that strengthen entrepreneurs’ access to finance (e.g., through linkages with financial institutions, business planning support, financial literacy programs) and access to markets (e.g., through market linkages, trade fairs, buyer-seller meets), as well as support branding and marketing of selected enterprises.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with access to market and access to finance stakeholders (e.g., private companies, banks, academicians, experts) to foster an enabling ecosystem.
• Identify and collaborate with national and international experts to introduce innovative solutions for improving financial and market inclusion of local entrepreneurs.
• Develop tools and frameworks to assess enterprise readiness for finance and markets, and provide tailored technical assistance.
• Facilitate business-to-business (B2B) linkages and networks to open new market
• opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
• Support enterprises in developing marketing strategies, packaging, and quality improvement to meet buyer requirements and standards.
• Promote digital financial solutions and e-commerce platforms as part of expanding market reach and financial inclusion.
• Coordinate with local governments to advocate for policies that enhance access to finance and market infrastructure.

C) Rural Enterprise Innovation & Value Chain Development

• Design and implement interventions to strengthen rural enterprise innovation and value chain development by identifying key gaps, constraints, and growth opportunities across both agriculture and non-agriculture sectors.
• Provide and coordinate technical assistance to enhance productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, including support in improved agricultural practices, post-harvest management, storage, value addition, and diversification, while ensuring similar tailored support for non-agri enterprises.
• Facilitate access to appropriate inputs, technologies, and business development services to enable enterprise growth and efficiency.
• Promote the adoption of innovative solutions such as climate-smart practices, digital tools, and appropriate mechanization to improve productivity and resilience of rural businesses.
• Support the development and piloting of context-specific and scalable business models suited to rural markets and resource conditions.
• Foster a culture of local innovation by encouraging entrepreneurs to identify challenges, test solutions, and adopt adaptive approaches to problem-solving.

Requirement:

• Master’s in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Agriculture, Economics, or other related fields.
• At least 3 years of experience working in a project or program setting. Proven track record in coordinating projects at the local or federal level in the field of rural entrepreneurship.
• The candidate should have technical expertise in innovating rural enterprises along with supervisory, and management experience in governance and social system strengthening programs of a similar scope and scale.
• Understanding of social issues related to youth employment, youth entrepreneurship, gender equality and social inclusion, and community-driven development.
• Recognized expertise in rural development, community engagement, government collaboration and private sector development.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a diverse, team-oriented environment.
• Strong motivation, self-starter, and organizational/time management skills.
• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks at a time within deadlines.
• Demonstrates adaptability and a continuous learning mindset. Growth mindset is key.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English and Nepali.

Additional information

Compensation: Daayitwa will provide compensation on a monthly rate basis. The rate will be mutually agreed upon, commensurate with the level of the required deliverables, the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

If you're keen on this position, kindly complete the form below by 19th April 2026. To access the page, please click on the provided link and right-click to go to the link.

https://forms.gle/vmg4XhhN4FVQvHAx6

In the subject line, put“Job Title followed by your first and last name” (e.g., “Program coordinator–Sabina Nepali ) and attach the following documents. All documents must be compiled in a single file, in the same order, and saved in PDF format:

• Cover letter (one page max)
• CV
• Academic transcripts/certificate for most recent qualification

Deadline: 19th April 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The vacancy may be closed prior to the deadline if a suitable candidate is found. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Daayitwa is committed to promoting workforce diversity and actively encourages applications from individuals belonging to marginalized and discriminated groups, including women, Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi/Terai, and other minority communities. The organization values inclusive representation and strives to create a diverse and equitable working environment.