Acumen East Africa Portfolio Associate Jobs in Nairobi
Acumen East Africa Portfolio Associate Jobs in Nairobi
Acumen seeks a Portfolio Associate to help build and manage our world-class investment portfolio of game-changing enterprises that impact the poor across East Africa.
About Acumen
Acumen is changing the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders and ideas. We invest patient capital in businesses whose products and services are enabling the poor to transform their lives.
Founded by Jacqueline Novogratz in 2001, Acumen has invested more than $114 million in 109 companies across Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the United States.
We are also developing a global community of emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills and determination to create a more inclusive world. In 2015, Acumen was named one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Not-for-Profit Companies.
East Africa
Acumen’s commitment to East Africa began in 2004. Core to our success is the ability to identify, resource, and build a world class portfolio that demonstrates the power of patient capital to solve the problems of poverty in East Africa and the world more broadly.
Equally important is to leverage our experience into insights that compel this ecosystem of funders, operators, and policy makers to catalyze a broader paradigm shift in the battle against poverty.
Over the years, Acumen East Africa has made investments across several sectors: healthcare, energy, water & sanitation, agricultural and education.
Our key focus now is in Agriculture and renewable energy with potential to expand into other sectors. We support entrepreneurs and business which are revolutionizing their sectors and pioneering new development paradigms. The office is staffed with a full-time team of professionals from diverse backgrounds.
In addition to its local focus on investing in companies, leaders and ideas, Acumen East Africa serves as a hub of global Acumen activity, a location where we often bring together partners, investees, team members and Fellows for a variety of events.
Responsibilities
As an East Africa Portfolio Associate, you will play a key role in the success, development and impact of Acumen’s portfolio in East Africa.
As part of your core function, you will grow our portfolio by identifying and developing a strong pipeline of investment opportunities; and provide management support to existing portfolio companies by building relationships, identifying key challenges and mobilizing resources. The East Africa Portfolio Associate reports to the Manager/Senior Portfolio Associate.
More specifically, you will:
Identify, cultivate and execute a pipeline of fresh investment opportunities providing critical services to the poor
Build an exhaustive network of relationships (including corporate, entrepreneur, NGO, academic, investor, advisory) to identify new pipeline opportunities for Acumen
Develop attractive opportunities by building relationships with promoters; conducting evaluations and analyses; thorough due diligence; and structure and execute investments
Prepare, present, and maintain detailed and compelling investment documentation for Acumen’s Investment Committee, and Board of Directors
Develop and implement a post-investment management strategy to add significant value to investee companies
Support the East Africa portfolio team in implementing post-investment management activities
Design and evaluate key metrics to measure the social and financial returns on investments.
Develop long-term relationships with external stakeholders including funders, advisors, thought leaders, sector and functional experts to provide business development and strategic post-investment management
across the Latin America Portfolio
Qualifications & Characteristics
Bachelor's degree; finance, business or related field preferred
Must have authorization to work in Kenya on a permanent basis
2-4 years of principal investing experience, including financial and operational due diligence of private companies. Understanding of early stage businesses and entrepreneurs is a plus. OR
2-4 years of management consulting or operational experience with a proven track record of delivering operational and management support to companies or internal units
Strong financial, modeling, and business analysis skills as demonstrated by prior experience is required
Solid operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
Strong communication skills and ability to be a "storyteller" of our work
Ideally be familiar with the social enterprise sector and leadership development programs
Significant commitment or experience serving the poor
Additional characteristics we’re looking for in all roles at Acumen:
Commitment to, and enthusiasm for, the organization’s mission and business model, and respect for our core values: generosity, accountability, humility, audacity, listening, leadership, integrity, respect Moral Imagination:
The humility to see the world as it is, and the audacity to imagine the world as it could be. It also includes but is not limited to the following:
Displaying high level of empathy in all relationships and encounters
Possessing deep self-awareness and ability to identify own strengths and weaknesses
Actively listening and focusing on hearing what others are saying
Good understanding of financial concepts and our investing model
Solid operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
Effectively collaborates with and across teams, seeks and provides constructive feedback
Exceptional relationship and interpersonal skills: courtesy, tact, patience and strong team orientation
Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
Ability to thrive when there is ambiguity, remain cool-headed when there are curve balls, and withstand the tests of a rapidly changing environment with resilience and resolve
Curious – always questioning, always probing, and never blindly accepting
A sense of humor (really)
Compensation
Acumen offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including full benefits.
Application Requirements
Please submit a resume and responses to the following questions:
Why are you on fire to work for Acumen? Be specific. (MAX: 200 words)
What are your top 2 skills relevant to this position, and how have they made you successful in the past? (MAX: 150 words)
The deadline for applications is 30th September 2018.
Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
For more information and job application details, see; Acumen East Africa Portfolio Associate Jobs in Nairobi
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