Job overview
Lead consultancy for incubator pilot cohort of SMEs in Non-Timber Forest Product Value Chains is available at AVSF Zambia in Lusaka, Mpika and Lavushimanda. Review the job description, requirements, closing date and application details below.
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Lead consultancy for the Matemo bio-economy incubator pilot cohort of SMEs in Non-Timber Forest Product Value Chains Organization: Agronomes & Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (AVSF Zambia) Duration of Consultancy : 70 days spread over 7 months Expected Starting Date : 1st September 2026 1. Project Goals and Background Agronomes & Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF) is a French NGO implementing a project entitled ‘Bush 2 Business (B2B) project in Zambia’s Mpika and Lavushimanda districts. This project, which is being funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) through it’s FEXTE fund, has the following objectives: 1. Community development and green jobs/income are created, particularly for women and youth, through better market access and value addition at community level; 2. A sustainable private sector related to biodiversity and forest-based non-timber products is promoted and supported along value-chains (SMEs of producers, off-takers and French companies); and 3. Investments in biodiversity and forest conservation contribute to the integrated landscape management and resilience towards climate changes. In order to secure sustained development, the project has supported the establishment of a bio-economy incubator and commercial-ecosystem platform for non-timber forest product (NTFP) value chains in Zambia, with an initial focus on honey and wild mushroom value chains in the project area. This platform is a is a Zambian not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, registered in April 2026 named Matemo. Matemo’s strategic positioning is at the demand end of NTFP value chains: building market demand, understanding commercial realities, and connecting community producer groups to commercial off-takers and buyers. Matemo operates through a two-track model that combines direct work with the demand side of the value chain (Track 1) and partner-mediated support to community-level producer groups (Track 2). AVSF is inviting applications for a consultant to lead implementation of Track 1: a structured incubation programme for startup entrepreneurs, adjacent-sector SMEs, and value chain service providers, designed to support them to become viable commercial actors within Zambia’s NTFP value chains. The programme will run an initial pilot cohort of approximately five participants over a four-to-six month cohort cycle, with the first cohort targeted to commence in September 2026. The pilot is explicitly framed as a learning exercise from which Matemo will refine its incubator design ahead of subsequent cohorts. 2. Purpose and objectives of the assignment The objective of the assignment is to lead the design finalisation and delivery of the first pilot cohort of the Matemo bio-economy incubator (Track 1a). Specifically, the assignment will: • Finalise the operational design of the incubator programme, building on the implementation plan and adapting it to the realities of the Zambian market and the candidate participant pool. • Lead the participant outreach campaign and the selection process, in coordination with the AVSF and the Matemo Board. • Deliver the pilot cohort through a mix of one-to-one online advisory, monthly in-person group sessions, external specialist inputs, and structured site visits. • Support each participant in developing a credible business plan and a twelve-month growth roadmap that they can take forward independently following programme completion. • Document the experience of the pilot cohort, including lessons learned, to inform Matemo’s incubator design for Year 2 and beyond. The pilot cohort is small by design (approximately five participants). The value of the programme is in the depth of individualised support, not in the scale of reach. Applicants should design their proposals accordingly. 3. Scope of work The assignment is structured around two phases. Applicants are invited to propose the exact balance of time and effort between the phases as part of their technical and financial proposals. 3.1 Phase 1 — Design finalisation In Phase 1, the consultant will work with AVSF and Matemo to finalise the operational design of the pilot incubator. Specific activities include: • Reviewing the existing implementation plan and other relevant Matemo materials (Strategic Business Plan, concept note, off-taker mapping outputs, B2B project diagnostic reports). • Finalising the cohort design parameters: size, duration, cadence, and the balance between online and in-person delivery, building on the design assumptions in the implementation plan. • Developing curriculum content and delivery materials for each of the five programme themes: business fundamentals; NTFP value chain context; sourcing, sustainability and fair trade; quality, standards and certification; and finance landscape and growth opportunities. • Designing the participant assessment approach, including the structured business plan and twelve-month growth roadmap that each participant will develop over the cohort cycle. • Finalising the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) indicator set for the incubator, building on the suggested indicators in Annex F of the implementation plan and reconciling them with the Bush2Business project logframe in coordination with Matemo and the B2B project team. • Identifying and securing an external specialist roster (at least four to six specialists) who will deliver topic-specific inputs into the programme. • Designing and leading the participant outreach and marketing campaign, in coordination with Matemo, to identify potential first-cohort participants across the three target categories (startup entrepreneurs, adjacent-sector SMEs, and value chain service providers). • Leading the selection process: shortlisting applications against the agreed eligibility and selection criteria, conducting structured interviews, and presenting cohort recommendations to the AVSF and Matemo for final selection (with independent Board review). • Producing a finalised design document at the end of Phase 1, which is the primary deliverable and the basis for Phase 2 delivery. 3.2 Phase 2 — Pilot cohort delivery In Phase 2, the consultant will deliver the pilot cohort through the agreed programme design. Specific activities include: • Cohort onboarding and a structured kickoff event setting expectations, milestones, and the working rhythm for the cohort cycle. • Weekly one-to-one online advisory sessions with each participant throughout the cohort cycle, with conversations grounded in each participant’s specific business situation rather than generic curriculum delivery. • Monthly in-person group sessions in Lusaka (where practical), covering the structured curriculum themes and bringing the cohort together for peer learning and joint problem-solving. • Identifying, briefing, and hosting external specialist sessions on specific topics — for example, organic certification, supermarket procurement, export logistics, or specific finance routes. • Coordinating structured site visits to producer groups in Muchinga and to established off-takers, where possible jointly with the B2B field team. • Supporting each participant to develop their structured business plan and twelve-month growth roadmap over the cohort cycle, with the lead consultant as the principal advisor on this process. • Conducting a mid-cycle review of cohort progress, identifying any participants requiring additional support or where engagement should be discontinued. • Delivering cohort graduation against the agreed graduation criteria (completion of business plan and roadmap, sustained engagement, and demonstrable operational progress). • Producing a programme closeout report and a lessons-learned note with recommendations for Year 2. • Briefing the AVSF and Matemo on graduates who, based on their business development trajectory, are appropriate candidates for Track 1b business linkage facilitation. 4. Deliverables and timeline The assignment will produce the following deliverables. Indicative timing is shown against the two phases. Applicants are encouraged to propose specific dates as part of their technical and financial proposals in line with the listed deliverables. Phase 1 will have the following deliverables: Finalized programme design document (cohort design, curriculum, methodology, selection process, MEL indicator set, operational arrangements); Cohort selection recommendations to Matemo, following outreach and application interviews; and Cohort kickoff and onboarding completed Phase 2 will have the following delliverables: Monthly progress reports for the duration of Phase 2; Mid-cycle review report; Participant business plans and twelve-month growth roadmaps (one per participant); Cohort graduation and programme closeout report; and Lessons learned note and recommendations next cohort 5. Consultant profile and requirements Proposals are invited from individual consultants and from corporate service providers based in Zambia or with established Zambian operations. The selected consultant or service provider must demonstrate the following: • Substantial experience — at least five years — in business advisory work with early-stage Zambian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including hands-on engagement with founders and owner-managers. • Demonstrated experience in delivering structured cohort-based programmes to small groups of entrepreneurs or SMEs, in incubation, accelerator, or comparable formats. • Familiarity with NTFP value chains in Zambia, or a credible plan for rapid sector acquisition through Matemo’s existing intelligence (the B2B project team, off-taker mapping, sector publications). • Comfort with hybrid delivery: a default cadence of weekly online interaction with participants, complemented by monthly in-person sessions in Lusaka where practical. • Strong written communication skills in English, including the ability to produce structured business plans, programme reports, and lessons-learned documentation to a professional standard. • Lusaka-based, or with a regular and reliable operational presence in Lusaka to deliver the in-person elements of the programme. Applicants from corporate service providers must clearly identify the named lead individual who will deliver the substantive work, together with any committed supporting team members. The lead individual is expected to be the principal interlocutor with participants throughout the engagement, and substitution after contract signing will be subject to AVSF and Matemo’s prior approval. Experience working with NGO, development sector, or social enterprise clients is desirable but not required. A demonstrated commercial orientation, and an appetite for honest engagement with the constraints of operating in the Zambian early-stage enterprise environment, are essential. 6. Proposal content and evaluation Interested candidates should submit proposals that include the following: • A brief cover letter (maximum one page) explaining the applicant’s interest in the assignment and suitability for it. • Evidence of relevant track record: at least two examples of comparable consultancy assignments, with a short description of the applicant’s role in each, and verifiable references. • A proposed approach (maximum four pages) covering: the applicant’s proposed approach to design finalization; the proposed delivery methodology for the pilot cohort; the proposed team composition (if applicable); proposed approach to risk and quality management; and any proposed variations from this Terms of Reference. • A detailed timeline showing key milestones across the assignment, including the applicant’s proposed balance of time and effort between Phase 1 (design finalization) and Phase 2 (cohort delivery). • A financial proposal (submitted as a separate document) showing a fixed total price for the whole assignment, inclusive of all costs and taxes. The financial proposal should be broken down by phase, and should clearly identify any expenses that fall outside the fixed price (for example, travel to Muchinga, external specialist fees, or participant-facing costs that Matemo would be expected to fund directly). • Contact details for at least two professional referees who can speak to the quality and reliability of the comparable work referenced above. Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria: • Quality of track record and demonstrated capability: 40% • Clarity and quality of the proposed approach and methodology: 30% • Value for money: 20% • References and overall fit: 10% Proposals should be submitted to the following email addresses: Email with title ‘Matemo Lead Consultant Track 1’ to c.bwalya@avsf.org and copy to k.mukoma@avsf.org and ophelie.robineau@expertisefrance.fr Deadline for applications: 21st August 2026Requirements
requirements Proposals are invited from individual consultants and from corporate service providers based in Zambia or with established Zambian operations. The selected consultant or service provider must demonstrate the following: • Substantial experience — at least five years — in business advisory work with early-stage Zambian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including hands-on engagement with founders and owner-managers. • Demonstrated experience in delivering structured cohort-based programmes to small groups of entrepreneurs or SMEs, in incubation, accelerator, or comparable formats. • Familiarity with NTFP value chains in Zambia, or a credible plan for rapid sector acquisition through Matemo’s existing intelligence (the B2B project team, off-taker mapping, sector publications). • Comfort with hybrid delivery: a default cadence of weekly online interaction with participants, complemented by monthly in-person sessions in Lusaka where practical. • Strong written communication skills in English, including the ability to produce structured business plans, programme reports, and lessons-learned documentation to a professional standard. • Lusaka-based, or with a regular and reliable operational presence in Lusaka to deliver the in-person elements of the programme. Applicants from corporate service providers must clearly identify the named lead individual who will deliver the substantive work, together with any committed supporting team members. The lead individual is expected to be the principal interlocutor with participants throughout the engagement, and substitution after contract signing will be subject to AVSF and Matemo’s prior approval. Experience working with NGO, development sector, or social enterprise clients is desirable but not required. A demonstrated commercial orientation, and an appetite for honest engagement with the constraints of operating in the Zambian early-stage enterprise environment, are essential. 6. Proposal content and evaluation IntExplore related jobs in Zambia
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