Background

Chancen International is a non-profit financial institution providing ethical, fair, and responsible financing to help young Africans access quality tertiary education. Using an innovative Income Share Agreement (ISA) model, we cover students' tuition fees, allowing them to study without financial barriers. Graduates repay a portion of their income once employed, creating a sustainable funding cycle that supports future generations. By empowering young people with education, we enable their transition to meaningful employment, fostering economic mobility and strengthening communities.

Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, and operating in Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, Chancen International has helped over 10,000 young people access education leading to dignified work. Our focus on marginalized populations ensures these youth gain the skills needed to thrive and contribute to building strong economies and peaceful nations.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive working environment where each individual can flourish and achieve their full potential. Our actions are guided by our company values: Authenticity, Curiosity, Courage, Stewardship and Fairness.

Role Overview

Chancen International is seeking a Zambia-based consultant to provide in-country advisory, market intelligence and stakeholder engagement support for a feasibility study assessing the potential to launch an Income Share Agreement (ISA) programme in Zambia. An Income Share Agreement (ISA) is an ethical and innovative student financing model for tertiary education, where graduates repay a fixed share of their income once they are employed and earning above an agreed threshold.

The engagement will support feasibility and pilot design work for introducing an ISA model within Zambia's tertiary education and skills development landscape. It will examine student financing pathways, labour market demand, regulatory and market conditions, and the broader ecosystem required to support implementation. This includes understanding the roles and incentives of education and training providers, employers, government and regulatory bodies, industry associations, and other stakeholders that will influence the successful delivery and long-term sustainability of the model.

Success in this role requires a strong understanding of Zambia's education, skills development and labour market landscape, with the ability to navigate the local operating environment, build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and translate local context into practical insight for the study.

Working closely with the project team, the consultant will generate market intelligence, lead stakeholder engagement and provide local insight throughout the study. They will engage stakeholders to test assumptions, strengthen the evidence base, identify opportunities and risks, and ensure the feasibility assessment and recommendations are grounded in Zambia's regulatory, market and institutional context.

Key Responsibilities

Identify & engage priority stakeholders and facilitate consultations across the education, skills development, employment and student financing ecosystem.

Generate market intelligence through stakeholder interviews and ecosystem engagement.

Deliver local insight on regulatory, operational and market dynamics relevant to the feasibility study through reports, interviews and field research.

Analyse labour market demand, education pathways, student financing and implementation opportunities.

Identify and assess education providers using Chancen's due diligence methodology.

Validate emerging findings by applying local context and stakeholder perspectives, supported by relevant data and evidence.

Develop analysis, synthesise stakeholder insights and formulate recommendations for the feasibility study.

Preferred: Ability to facilitate access to and engagement with key stakeholders across government ( Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts,) TEVETA, industry bodies and development partners shaping youth employment and skills in Zambia.

Requirements

Candidate Profile

Education & Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Education, Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business, International Development or another relevant discipline.

A master's degree in a relevant field is preferred.

Professional training or qualifications in research, monitoring and evaluation, labour market analysis, education policy, development finance or project management would be advantageous.

Experience & Skills

Minimum 7–10 years' relevant professional experience in education, workforce development, youth employment, partnerships, business development, research, consulting, international development or related sectors.

Strong understanding of Zambia's education, skills development and labour market landscape.

Demonstrated experience engaging government, education institutions, employers, private sector organisations and development partners.

Experience delivering stakeholder engagement, ecosystem assessments, market studies, feasibility studies, strategy projects or applied research assignments.

Strong analytical, stakeholder management, communication and report-writing skills.

Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within an international project team.

Preferred Experience

Experience working with or alongside:

• Education and skills development programmes.
• TVET and tertiary education institutions.
• Youth employment and workforce development initiatives
• Student finance, education finance or outcomes-based financing programmes.
• Development finance institutions, impact investors or philanthropic organisations.
• Ecosystem mapping, feasibility studies, strategy consulting or donor-funded research projects.
• Senior stakeholders across government ministries, regulatory bodies, education providers, employers, industry associations and development organisations.

Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate with experience and aligned with the scope and duration of the consultancy.

• Identify & engage priority stakeholders and facilitate consultations across the education, skills development, employment and student financing ecosystem.
• Generate market intelligence through stakeholder interviews and ecosystem engagement.
• Deliver local insight on regulatory, operational and market dynamics relevant to the feasibility study through reports, interviews and field research.
• Analyse labour market demand, education pathways, student financing and implementation opportunities.
• Identify and assess education providers using Chancen's due diligence methodology.
• Validate emerging findings by applying local context and stakeholder perspectives, supported by relevant data and evidence.
• Develop analysis, synthesise stakeholder insights and formulate recommendations for the feasibility study.
• Ability to facilitate access to and engagement with key stakeholders across government ( Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts,) TEVETA, industry bodies and development partners shaping youth employment and skills in Zambia.

• Strong understanding of Zambia's education, skills development and labour market landscape.
• Demonstrated experience engaging government, education institutions, employers, private sector organisations and development partners.
• Experience delivering stakeholder engagement, ecosystem assessments, market studies, feasibility studies, strategy projects or applied research assignments.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management, communication and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within an international project team.

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business, International Development or another relevant discipline.
• A master's degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Professional training or qualifications in research, monitoring and evaluation, labour market analysis, education policy, development finance or project management would be advantageous.