Do you want to become a Fashion & Textile Export Coach?

There will be an info session on this opportunity: 4 December 3:30 pm
The sessions will be streamed live on  https://www.facebook.com/shetradesgambia

If you are an entrepreneur and would like to apply for export advancement for your business instead, please have a look at this call for application.

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The Andandorr Export Advancement Programme is a joint effort collaboration between the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the She Trades Gambia project and the Youth Empowerment Programme Project (YEP). SheTrades in The Gambia is funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Enhanced Integrated Framework, and ITC. YEP is funded by the European Union (EU) through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

Through the Andandorr Export Advancement Programme, ITC and GIEPA aim to train women and youth entrepreneurs in two sectors (processed food & beverage; and fashion & apparel) to become export-ready and link the participating entrepreneurs to export opportunities. 

As part of the programme, ITC and GIEPA will run a 9-month programme for fashion & apparel export advisors-in-training. Fashion designers, like many creatives, learn in different ways. Conventional business-type training often confuses them. A new style of a curriculum was developed and piloted in Ethiopia and Kenya under the ITC SITA Mitreeki program. Through SheTrades Gambia and YEP, the new approach will be refined further and adapted to the context of The Gambia. This will enable GIEPA to implement it, for the most part alone, for many years to come. The programme aims to attract advisors who love teaching and are comfortable with creative thinking.

Through this programme, new export advisors will have the opportunity to participate in the following:

  • A training of trainers (ToT) programme on the global fashion industry, including export opportunities and channels for Gambian entrepreneurs, by an international sector expert.
  • A training of trainers programme on ‘teaching creatives’ providing new export advisors with the skills to deliver engaging training to fashion designers and others in the creative industries.
  • On-the-job training in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the ToTs, including opportunities to pass on the knowledge gained through coaching and advisory sessions with entrepreneurs, as well as the opportunity to teach classes on fashion export and business export readiness with the guidance of an international expert.

 

The Role of the Fashion & Apparel Export Adviser

The Coach will work under the direct supervision of the Lead Export Advisor at GIEPA and the overall supervision of SheTrades Gambia Project Manager and the YEP Project Coordinator. She/he must fulfill the following activities:

  • Participate in the training of trainers programme(s) delivered by the international expert
  • Carry out assessment of companies’ export needs through on-site visits of selected businesses in the fashion & apparel sector
  • Participate in classes and mentoring sessions delivered by the international expert
  • Prepare lessons and teach classes of entrepreneurs on topics relating to fashion exports with the guidance of GIEPA and the international expert
  • Lead coaching sessions for entrepreneurs with the guidance of GIEPA and the international expert
  • Provide technical advice & one-on-one support to prepare the entrepreneurs to help them advance their export potential
  • Prepare written progress reports on activities implemented and progress of supported entrepreneurs

Selection Criteria

Export advisers will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • Hold a minimum of bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
  • Have one (1) or more years of coaching / teaching experience. This can include informal teaching in the fashion sector. Experience in teaching creatives is an asset.
  • Interest in Gambian Arts and Culture
  • Prior knowledge of the fashion and apparel sector and familiarity with the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Gambia
  • Familiarity with social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) and shopping online
  • Experience with fashion exports, including to African, European, US, and African Diaspora markets, would be an advantage
  • Demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently
  • Excellent inter-personal communication skills
  • Excellent communication and written skills in English. Knowledge of local language is a plus.
  • Motivated and committed to completing the 9-month programme January 2021 to September 2021, available to commit approximately 8 hours per week to the programme throughout the 9-month period
  • Available for the training of trainers programme (approx. 7 days in January 2021).

 

Application Format

  • Cover letter explaining why you want to become an export adviser and stating your availability for the programme between January and September 2021
  • Applicants can choose the format of the cover letter and applications including a creative/visual format for this cover letter (e.g. through a video) are encouraged.
  • CV
  • Photocopy of identity documents
  • Photocopy of university degree/attestation and transcript
  • Photocopies of any other qualification/training

Please submit your application by email to SheTradesGambia@intracen.org and bsaidykhan@giepa.gm no later than 9 December 2020 at 11.59 pm.