Incubation Lead

Job Title:

Incubation Lead

Department:

Business Development / SME & Export Development

Reports to:

Head of Business Development / Chief Executive Officer

Location:

Kampala, Uganda

About the client

Our client is a specialized export financing institution established to support Uganda’s exporters through accessible, innovative, affordable and sustainable financial solutions. The institution bridges financing gaps faced by exporters, particularly within the agro-export, manufacturing, and energy sectors, driving Uganda’s economic transformation through trade.

Job Summary

The Incubation Lead will spearhead the development, mentorship, and growth of export-oriented enterprises within the organization’s incubation program. The role requires a hands-on professional skilled in pipeline generation, business grooming, scaling strategies (“mushrooming”), and training, ensuring participating businesses are prepared for financial support and market success.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify and generate a pipeline of high-potential SMEs and exporters for incubation and financing programs.
• Assess and groom businesses to strengthen operations, governance, and market readiness.
• Design and implement training programs and mentorship initiatives to improve business capacity, financial literacy, and export-readiness.
• Develop strategies to scale and “mushroom” businesses, including operational, financial, and market expansion planning.
• Collaborate with internal teams (credit, risk, marketing) to align incubation programs with financing solutions.
• Monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of incubated businesses, providing regular reports and actionable recommendations.
• Facilitate networking, partnerships, and linkages between incubated businesses and relevant stakeholders, including financiers, suppliers, and markets.
• Identify challenges and risks in the incubation portfolio and recommend mitigation strategies.

Experience, Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, or related field;
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in SME development, business incubation, or entrepreneurship programs.
• Proven track record in pipeline generation, business grooming, scaling, and capacity building/training.
• Strong knowledge of export-oriented business models is a plus.
• Excellent project management, mentoring, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability.
• Strong mentoring and coaching skills.
• Ability to identify and nurture high-potential enterprises.
• Results-oriented, proactive, and solution-driven.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
• Ability to monitor, evaluate, and report on business performance effectively.