IIRR is one of the world’s leading rural development organizations, with over 65 years of community-led work globally. Our work is designed to empower rural communities to build resilient livelihoods, climate-smart food systems, and sustainable pathways out of poverty.
To date, IIRR’s programs have positively impacted more than 68 million lives, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to scalable, community-centered development that endures.
The EASETRADE Project
The EASETRADE MSME Digital Infrastructure Lending Project is a three-year inclusive finance and capacity development initiative aimed at empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a specific focus on young women entrepreneurs in rural areas. The project leverages digital infrastructure and lending facilities to enhance access to trade finance, digital literacy, technology adoption, and business skills. EASETRADE is designed to bridge the gap between small-scale entrepreneurs and financial services, enabling them to scale their businesses, improve market access, and ultimately contribute to economic growth and job creation.
2. Purpose of the Position
The Community Facilitator will serve as the primary link between the EASETRADE project and local MSME communities. They will lead the mobilization of participants and the delivery of grassroots-level capacity-building activities. To ensure deep local context and ownership, facilitators must be residents of the specific county to which they are assigned (Kiambu, Nyeri, Meru, or Nakuru).
3. Key Responsibilities (Job Description)
- Community Mobilization: Identify, sensitize, and recruit eligible MSMEs and young women entrepreneurs into the EASETRADE project.
- Validation & Verification: Conduct business validation and verification for participating MSMEs.
- Capacity Building: Facilitate training sessions on digital literacy, business management, market access, competitiveness, and navigating the regulatory business environment using the provided curriculum.
- Digital Tools Onboarding: Support MSMEs in adopting and using digital lending platforms and fintech tools to access trade finance.
- Financial Inclusion: Assist eligible MSMEs in accessing credit facilities.
- Stakeholder Liaison: Maintain strong working relationships with local county government officials, community leaders, and relevant business associations.
- Networking: Identify networking and collaboration platforms for young entrepreneurs to receive specialized training and further knowledge.
- Logistics: Liaise with community leaders to identify suitable training venues.
- Monitoring & Reporting: Collect data for project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), and prepare weekly and monthly field reports on progress and challenges.
- Mentorship: Provide ongoing support, mentorship, and coaching to young entrepreneurs as they apply project learnings to their businesses.
- Impact Documentation: Document success stories to communicate project impact for donor reporting.
- General Duties: Perform any other duties as allocated by the supervisor
4. Qualifications and Experience
- Education: A minimum of a Diploma in Community Development, Agribusiness, Business Management, or any other relevant field.
- Experience: At least 2 years of proven experience in community mobilization, field facilitation, or working with rural livelihoods/MSME projects.
- Language Skills: Proficiency in English and Kiswahili. Fluency in the local language of the respective county is essential for effective community engagement.
- Technical Skills: Basic computer proficiency (Microsoft Word and Excel) and experience with mobile-based data collection tools.
- Local Knowledge: A deep understanding of the economic landscape and socio-cultural dynamics of the target county.
5. Personal Competencies
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision in rural settings.
- A passion for rural development and the economic empowerment of women and youth.
6. Duration and Duty Station
- Duration: 12 months (Renewable based on performance and project funding).
- Duty Station: The facilitator will be based within their respective sub-counties in Kiambu, Meru, Nyeri, or Nakuru.
7. Application Process
Interested candidates who meet the above requirements and are residents of the named counties should submit their application (CV and Cover Letter as one document) by 12th January 2026.
Note: IIRR is an equal opportunity employer. Women and youth from the target counties are highly encouraged to apply.
