Business Mentor & Consultant

ABOUT THE FAST PROGRAM & INKOMOKO

The Fund for Alumni Start-ups in Transition (FAST) program is a Mastercard Foundation-supported high-impact initiative designed to support and empower the next generation of African entrepreneurs. Specifically, FAST targets early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs who are alumni of transformative networks such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, African Leadership Academy (ALA), Anzisha Prize, and the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).

Implemented in the region by Inkomoko, the program aims to accelerate youth-led enterprises transitioning from the “Idea” phase to launching profitable ventures and from the “Build” phase to scaling. The FAST program places a profound emphasis on inclusive growth, prioritizing young women, refugees, forcibly displaced individuals, and young people living with disabilities. These young founders operate across dynamic economic sectors, including Agrifood systems, technology, creative industries, digital, education, health, manufacturing, and others.

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking established entrepreneurs who are deeply motivated, passionate, and purpose-driven to guide these young innovators along their entrepreneurship journey. As a FAST Business Mentor, you will not just act as an advisor; you will serve as a strategic sounding board, leveraging your own real-world business experience to help high-potential youth navigate the complexities of early-stage growth.

This is a 6-month, part-time, fully remote role requiring a dedicated commitment of at least 10 hours per week.

 

CORE CONSULTANCY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Business Assessment & Needs Identification

• Engage in intensive, one-on-one virtual discovery meetings with assigned young entrepreneurs to assess their baseline business health and operational bottlenecks.
• Conduct a diagnostic evaluation of the venture’s current stage (Idea vs. Build stage) and identify areas requiring critical development.
• Formulate an initial Assessment Report highlighting strategic focus areas where your mentorship will yield the highest impact.

2. Hands-on Technical Assistance

Provide practical, tailored advisory support across critical business functions to assist founders in utilizing their FAST grant funding effectively:

• Business regulations: Support the entrepreneurs in navigating country-specific business regulations, including taxes and licenses.
• Business Modeling & Strategic Planning: Refine value propositions and develop actionable plans for long-term sustainability.
• Financial Management: Guide founders through basic budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and managing early-stage capital.
• Sales & Marketing: Aid in building target customer acquisition strategies, digital positioning, and localized revenue growth.
• Product & Market Development: Offer strategic insights on Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development, localized market research, and supply chain/inventory management.
• Investment Readiness: Prepare young founders to structure their operations to become attractive for follow-on funding.

3. Connection Facilitation

• Actively bridge connections between your assigned mentees and external industry experts, regional corporate networks, and potential ecosystem partners.
• Maintain a structured log of these introductions, updating the program team on the progress and outcomes of each network connection.

4. Group masterclass & Workshops (Optional / Separately Billed)

• Participate occasionally as an expert guest speaker or facilitator in cohort-wide webinars or workshops.
• Note: Leading these broader group learning experiences is optional and will be contracted and compensated under an independent billing structure separate from 1-on-1 mentor sessions.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES & TIMELINE

All deliverables must be completed and submitted directly to the Program Manager according to the schedule below:

• Tailored Mentorship Plan (End of Week 1): A customized roadmap for each assigned mentee detailing identified gaps, strategic goals, and execution steps for the 6-month period.
• Monthly Progress Reports (Monthly): Concise updates tracking milestone achievements, tracking metrics, business challenges, and suggested course corrections.
• Final Consultancy Report (End of Month 6): A comprehensive closing evaluation detailing the overall development of the enterprise, goals achieved, and explicit next-step recommendations for the entrepreneur’s continued growth.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Established Entrepreneurship Background: Must be a founder, co-founder, or prominent leader of an established, operating business. Real-world experience building and scaling a company is required.
• Passion for Youth Development: A demonstrable motivation to give back, coach, and champion young African leaders, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.
• Empathy & Cultural Agility: Prior experience or high comfort working with diverse, vulnerable populations—specifically youth, women, refugees, displaced communities, and people with disabilities.
• Regional Context: Deep familiarity with the socio-economic, business regulations, and market dynamics of the East & Horn of Africa region (specifically across the 7 target countries).
• Reliable Remote Infrastructure: Since this role is 100% remote, consultants must possess stable internet connectivity and the hardware required to conduct consistent weekly virtual meetings.
• Language: Fluency in English is required; knowledge of regional languages (such as Swahili, Amharic, Luganda, Kinyarwanda, or Arabic) is a major asset.

WHAT YOU’LL GET:

This consultancy is inside a mission-driven social enterprise, with an incredible team across Africa. By joining, you’ll access:

• The chance to create meaningful results for a high-impact organization at a moment of critical growth
• Incredible company culture – casual yet hard-working environment with plenty of autonomy
• Diverse colleagues and policies that show our commitment to inclusion
• Talented, passionate, and committed team of colleagues across Africa.

 

HOW TO APPLY

Interested consultants should submit their CV + a statement of motivation highlighting their experience coaching youth and a brief profile of their current enterprise.

Deadline: 15 June 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please apply now!

Inkomoko and the Mastercard Foundation are committed to absolute equity. We strongly encourage established women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and individuals from displaced or refugee backgrounds who meet the criteria to apply for this pool of mentors.