Jobs Kenya

Website: Website https://acumen.org

  • East Africa Senior Associate in Portfolio

    East Africa Senior Associate in Portfolio

    The Role
    The Senior Associate will source and evaluate new investment opportunities, conduct due diligence on high potential opportunities, and assist with structuring deal terms. The Senior Associate will use their investing skills to evaluate the growth and return potential of companies from both a financial and social impact perspective. They will also prepare analysis for presentation to Acumen East Africa’s Investment Committee (“IC”).
    The Senior Associate will develop research and analysis related to Acumen East Africa’s investment portfolio and its performance, fundraising and strategic partnership initiatives, and management of portfolio operations. They will contribute to actively building and cultivating Acumen EA networks in the impact investing communities and will contribute to developing insight and communication pieces for external audiences. They will also be responsible for coordinating relationships with select portfolio companies and represent Acumen in boards as a Director or Observer.
    The Senior Associate will have the responsibility of coordinating Acumen EA impact assessments, liaising with portfolio companies and the Sixty Decibels Team (“60-db”) as needed.
    Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
    Identifying investment opportunities and due diligence

    Identifying, cultivating, and reviewing a pipeline of early-stage investment opportunities providing critical services to communities in East Africa
    Conducting due diligence and investment analysis, including financial modeling, valuation review and structuring
    Preparing and presenting investment documentation for review to the Portfolio team before presenting it to Acumen East Africa Investment Committee

    Post Investment Support and Metric Evaluation

    Assess portfolio company needs related to post-investment support; design and implement post-investment interventions in coordination with senior team members.
    Design and evaluate key metrics to measure the social and financial returns on investments.
    Develop a network of advisors including funders, thought leaders, sector and functional experts to help with post investment support.
    Represent Acumen, on the boards of certain portfolio companies, in coordination with senior team members.

    Portfolio Operations

    Work with the Acumen EA team to: (i) Analyze and document data-driven explanations for portfolio decisions; (ii) Extract and document investment-specific and general insights; (iii) Analyze metrics data to identify patterns; and (iv) Channel that data to outputs for marketing and fundraising efforts.

    Impact Assessments

    Work as coordinator of relevant impact assessments undertaken by Acumen EA, liaising as needed, with relationship managers, portfolio companies and the 60-db team.  
    Coordinate the production of Social Impact reports, in coordination with senior team members and the 60-db team.

    Qualifications & Skills:

    6-8 years of experience in venture capital or private equity or investment management, including experience with financial and operational due diligence of early-stage businesses.
    Superior financial and business analysis skills.
    Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to present arguments and analysis to Acumen management, partners, and investees.
    Ability to take initiative with research and analysis and produce valuable results in conditions of uncertainty.
    Operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure.
    Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors; demonstrated commitment to tackling challenges of poverty is preferred.
    Bachelor’s Degree in actuarial science, business administration, economics, or any related field
    Self -reflective and aligned with Acumen values.
    Permanently authorized to work in Kenya.

    Apply via :

    boards.greenhouse.io

  • East Africa Energy Portfolio Manager

    East Africa Energy Portfolio Manager

    About The Role

    Your role is key to the success of our portfolio in East Africa. It will require understanding the patient capital model, the energy & agriculture sectors, finding disruptive companies with an edge, doing your due diligence, and investing… and then the hard work begins: adding value to their efforts so that they are more likely to break through the noise. Command of the numbers is essential. The edge is understanding how to partner with leaders to help build their business. You will report to the East Africa Director.

    You will be accountable to:

    Build a network—unless you already have one—to get in the deal flow (entrepreneurs, other investors, academics, advisors, and those who work in corporates, NGOs, and accelerators).
    Identify a pipeline of companies working to solve energy access & utility problems for low-income learners. Evaluate their model and market opportunity.
    Identify deals. Prepare deals for review. Structure and execute approved deals.
    Document deals. It’s not just paperwork, it’s foundational to investing to document and ensure documents are accessible to Acumen’s Investment Committee, Partners, and the Board.
    Assess how to add value to the companies Acumen has invested in (Is it strategy? Cash flow? Operations? Talent? Where should they focus and why? How can you help?).
    Monitor the social and financial impact of your investment.
    Identify Acumen community members who could represent Acumen at the board level and potentially serve on a board.
    Develop trusted relationships with portfolio company promoters, and potentially represent Acumen on portfolio company boards.
    Develop a network of talent that will add value to investee companies (e.g., sector and functional experts, thought leaders, advisors, partners).
    Build trusting relationships with investors, the donors that have created the opportunity.
    Manage the Education Advisory Committee
    Coach 1 – 2 junior team members in investing skills related to financial modelling, deal negotiation, being a good RM, and adding value.

    Qualifications:

    Commitment to the mission.
    Bachelor’s Degree; MBA preferable
    8 – 10 years of principal investing, including financial and operational due diligence of private companies.
    Understanding of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses.
    More than strong financial modelling… you can analyze a business and a market.
    Senior level networks in the private, public, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors working in Energy in East Africa preferred. Relationship with relevant grant makers and government a plus.
    Ability to communicate clearly, excellent writing and presentation skills.
    Ability to work collaboratively with people around the world
    Solid operational skills including problem solving and project management, can work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure.
    Permanently authorized to work in Kenya.
    Full spoken and written English is required. Swahili is also helpful.
    Flexibility to travel, primarily throughout East Africa, but international travel is also likely (20-30%)

    Additional characteristics we’re looking for in all roles at Acumen:

    Respect for our values: generosity, accountability, humility, audacity, listening, leadership, integrity, respect
    You’re always questioning, always probing, never blindly accepting
    A listener: you take the time to understand what someone is actually saying before you make up your mind.

    Compensation
    Acumen offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including benefits.

    Deadline
    Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

    Apply via :

    boards.greenhouse.io

  • Senior Portfolio Associate, Acumen East Africa

    Senior Portfolio Associate, Acumen East Africa

    The Role
    The Senior Associate will source and evaluate new investment opportunities, conduct due diligence on high potential opportunities, and assist with structuring deal terms. The Senior Associate will use their investing skills to evaluate the growth and return potential of companies from both a financial and social impact perspective. They will also prepare analysis for presentation to Acumen East Africa’s Investment Committee (“IC”).
    The Senior Associate will develop research and analysis related to Acumen East Africa’s investment portfolio and its performance, fundraising and strategic partnership initiatives, and management of portfolio operations. They will contribute to actively building and cultivating Acumen EA networks in the impact investing communities and will contribute to developing insight and communication pieces for external audiences. They will also be responsible for coordinating relationships with select portfolio companies and represent Acumen in boards as a Director or Observer.
    The Senior Associate will have the responsibility of coordinating Acumen EA impact assessments, liaising with portfolio companies and the Sixty Decibels Team (“60-db”) as needed.
    Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
    Identifying investment opportunities and due diligence

    Identifying, cultivating, and reviewing a pipeline of early-stage investment opportunities providing critical services to communities in East Africa
    Conducting due diligence and investment analysis, including financial modeling, valuation review and structuring
    Preparing and presenting investment documentation for review to the Portfolio team before presenting it to Acumen East Africa Investment Committee

    Post Investment Support and Metric Evaluation

    Assess portfolio company needs related to post-investment support; design and implement post-investment interventions in coordination with senior team members.
    Design and evaluate key metrics to measure the social and financial returns on investments.
    Develop a network of advisors including funders, thought leaders, sector and functional experts to help with post investment support.
    Represent Acumen, on the boards of certain portfolio companies, in coordination with senior team members.

    Portfolio Operations

    Work with the Acumen EA team to: (i) Analyze and document data-driven explanations for portfolio decisions; (ii) Extract and document investment-specific and general insights; (iii) Analyze metrics data to identify patterns; and (iv) Channel that data to outputs for marketing and fundraising efforts.

    Impact Assessments

    Work as coordinator of relevant impact assessments undertaken by Acumen EA, liaising as needed, with relationship managers, portfolio companies and the 60-db team.  
    Coordinate the production of Social Impact reports, in coordination with senior team members and the 60-db team.

    Qualifications & Skills:

    6-8 years of experience in venture capital or private equity or investment management, including experience with financial and operational due diligence of early-stage businesses.
    Superior financial and business analysis skills.
    Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to present arguments and analysis to Acumen management, partners, and investees.
    Ability to take initiative with research and analysis and produce valuable results in conditions of uncertainty.
    Operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure.
    Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors; demonstrated commitment to tackling challenges of poverty is preferred.
    Bachelor’s Degree in actuarial science, business administration, economics, or any related field
    Self -reflective and aligned with Acumen values.
    Permanently authorized to work in Kenya.

    Apply via :

    acumen.org

  • Local Entrepreneurship Consultant

    Local Entrepreneurship Consultant

    Acumen is looking for a consultant with 8+ years of experience related to grant-management strategy development, research, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and investing – ideally with networks in the East Africa social enterprise sphere. This role is remote, based in East Africa.
    Acumen
    We’re investors. A different kind of investor. We invest in people and companies working to solve problems for people living in poverty… essential products and services that bring more opportunities, more choices to millions. To date, Acumen has positively impacted 300 million lives by investing $132M in 136 innovative, early-stage companies in Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. But investing clearly isn’t just about capital. It’s about investing in people and we’ve been doing it for years. Connecting with emerging leaders in their own countries and engaging them in extended collective dialogue on what constitutes a “good society”, moral inquiry, and skill building.
    The Challenge
    East African social entrepreneurs have good ideas, experience, and network, but they don’t have access to the evolving investor focus areas and approaches. At the same time, investors looking for promising ventures are not always attuned to the unique realities and challenges local entrepreneurs face when trying to grow their businesses.  
    There are also some capacities that East African entrepreneurs need resources to develop, such as better understanding of their customers, operational models, profitability assumptions, key business drivers, capital requirements, and the ability to sell that vision with compelling financial and operational information to funders and partners. Last, many need introduction to networks that could help them grow their business.
     
    Likewise, investors in East Africa social enterprises need to know where to start if they are to adapt and begin exploring new approaches for sourcing pipeline and new instruments for investing that better fit the needs of local entrepreneurs.  
    We’re looking for someone to help us build a bridge, close the skills and information gap, and build a pipeline of investee companies across the region. 
    The Project
    This project is about understanding the needs of locally-owned energy and agricultural entrepreneurs in East Africa, and guiding investors toward new approaches based on our understanding of needs.
    Responsibilities
    The scope of work and expected deliverables:

    Undertake a lit review of research on needs of early-stage East African entrepreneurs and barriers to investment capital (initial list of research references provided by Acumen). 
    Develop hypotheses on needs, roadblocks, capital needs. Develop ideas to address those needs or get around those barriers (e.g., is there a new investor approach? Is there a capacity gap? ). Test hypotheses and preliminary solution sets with local entrepreneurs, and impact investors
    Build a roadmap for what investors should do differently to meet these needs in EA in the energy and agriculture sectors. The roadmap should answer questions like: 
    How can investors do valuations on these businesses?
    What kind of investment capital do locally-owned enterprises need?
    What are the revenue models that investors should be looking for?
    What kind of creative financial instruments might best meet the needs of locally-owned enterprises? SAFEs, convertible notes, returnable grants, etc.
    Armed with a roadmap, build a pipeline for Acumen of early-stage, locally-run companies in East Africa  (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda) detailing gaps. 
    Recommend what additional capacity building, technical assistance, training or mentoring companies need to build internal and investor readiness.  
    Take the road map “on the road”:
    Develop case studies and workshop modules that can be shared more broadly with other local entrepreneurs, investors, accelerators, incubators. 
    Partner with Acumen to co-convene investors interested in investing in locally-owned social enterprises. 

    Qualifications and Skills

    8+ years experience. Undergraduate degree required. Graduate degree preferred
    Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors, entrepreneurial ecosystems, strategy development
    Preliminary understanding of the energy and agriculture space across East Africa
    Have networks in the East Africa social enterprise sphere.
    Research toward an end: 
    experience in designing and conducting primary interviews with key stakeholders to understand needs and approaches
    Ability to scan the literature and pull out the implications. This is not an academic exercise, this is intended to influence the movement of capital. 
    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 teamwork
    Authorized to work in an East African Country. 

    Location
    This role will be remote, based in East Africa

    Apply via :

    acumen.org

  • Frontend and QA Engineer, Contractor

    Frontend and QA Engineer, Contractor

    About Acumen Academy
    Acumen Academy is the world’s school for social change. We offer off and online courses in how to make social change happen. We aim to unleash a new generation of social innovators and leaders with the determination and grit to build a more just, inclusive and sustainable world. We offer anyone with an internet connection, anywhere in the world, access to the practical tools, practices, resources and supportive community they need to achieve positive social change. With 700 Fellows and 500,000 course takers in 193 countries, the Acumen Academy community represents a new generation of social innovators and leaders committed to doing what’s right in a world that loves easy.
    Where You Come In
    Acumen Academy is looking for an experienced React developer with an honest passion for CSS, cross-browser compatibility, and smart unit, integration, and E2E testing. You understand and enjoy React but you’re the one people turn to when looking to understand the edges of CSS. You like being the QA person because you care about the details, writing smart tests where they matter, and understand—or like finding out—why the unexpected is happening in Safari and Edge.
    Accountabilities include: 

    Build robust frontend features and components in React and Gatsby
    Build new pages and templates
    Dive into our React app and clean-up any expensive, WET, or poorly architected CSS implementations
    Work with styled-components and CSS-in-JS ( We’re using Emotion.js in Gatsby )
    Lead unit, integration, and E2E tests, striving for 75% – 85% code converge
    Lead the team’s progressive web app strategy while stiving to improve Lighthouse scores with a root goal of increasing performance and usability for audiences with high latency and unstable internet connections
    Find and fix accessibility and cross-browser compatibility issues

    Skills

    Expert knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML
    Excellence in the details
    You understand React
    Strong knowledge of writing unit, integration, and end to end tests
    Strong knowledge of the major cross-browser compatibility issues and how to solve them
    Strong grasp of Progressive Web Apps and know how to make adjustments to meet Lighthouse standards
    Technical autodidact who wants to be that frontend expert everyone turns to You have a working grasp of GraphQL and RESTful APIs

    Qualifications

    3-5 years of enterprise-level web app development experience
    2 or more years of experience building React Apps
    Have professional knowledge of one or more testing frameworks
    Understand the nuances of testing React Apps
    Expert knowledge of Javascript, HTML, and CSS
    Detailed understanding of Progressive Web Apps and Google Lighthouse (or similar standard)
    Self reflective and aligned with Acumen values
    Permanently authorized to work in Nairobi
    Desire to work with a globally distributed team with remote options
    Bonus: working to strong understanding of Gatsby
    Bonus: Working knowledge of react native for mobile application development
    Bonus: working to strong understanding of CSS-in-JS, particularly Emotion
    Bonus:  working to strong grasp of GraphQL and RESTful APIs

  • East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    Job description
    Acumen is looking for an ambitious, entrepreneurial and data-savvy individual to join our global Lean DataSM team. This is an outstanding opportunity for a candidate with strong analytical skills, passion for understanding and accelerating social impact, and a proven commitment to global poverty alleviation.
    About Lean Data
    In addition to investing in companies, Acumen also works on initiatives that create wider change in the social sector. One of our leading initiatives is the development, execution and promotion of our cutting-edge social performance and customer insights data service called Lean Data. We built Lean Data to help companies more effectively listen to customers and to incorporate impact measurement and customer-centricity into business as usual.. Using low-cost technology and methods, Lean Data gathers high-quality data quickly and efficiently, directly from end-customers. To date, Acumen has spread Lean Data across the whole of its own portfolio and since 2016, we began implementing Lean Data for external clients such as Omidyar Network, DFID/CDC, Injaro, SEDF, The Gates Foundation and others.
    Who You Are
    You hardworking, smart & enterprenuerial and are excited to join a global team that is developing a bold new approach to data collection and impact measurement. You are the type of person who can quickly get your head around new business models and can cut through their complexity to isolate key business drivers and the levers for creating social impact. You will also have a good knowledge of the theory and application of research techniques and a hunger for creation of original knowledge. You will need to be a relationship-builder; a strong listener and will have the operational experience to consistently be a resource to our investment professionals and to our companies. You will also need to be a go-getter with excellent instincts for opportunities to bring in new clients across Africa. And above all else you’ll love getting into the weeds of data in order to generate new ideas and insights for the social sector!
    Responsibilities
    As the Lean Data Manager in our East Africa office you will lead our Lean Data work across Africa. To do so you will head a small team in Nairobi and work closely with the Associate Director of Lean Data (based in London) and the global Lean Data team. You will also be an integral partner and thought-leader in Acumen’s East Africa office, working to support the portfolio and leadership work there and to scale Lean Data across the region. As such this is definitely an opportunity with room for growth.
    Specifically, You Will

    Manage all Lean Data operations across Africa: includes managing a team of full-time and part-time Lean Data researchers and analysts, overseeing all data collection and analysis, developing clear processes, measuring team performance against KPIs, and ensuring quality of data.
    Manage all Lean Data projects across East and West Africa, including at Acumen investees and across Lean Data’s external clients.
    Synthesize data collected across all projects to create compelling presentations that guide businesses to make decisions based on the data.
    Lead business development for Lean Data across Africa, including with impact investing funds and foundations looking to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of their investees or projects.
    Contribute to the development of Lean Data through running R&D projects and experiments to increase the effectiveness of Lean Data in leading to business outcomes such as increased sales, customer satisfaction, and impact.
    Work with the local and global communications teams to help raise the visibility of Lean Data.
    Be a resource and support to the East Africa team; we’re a small team, so we all work across levels to deliver work. This also provides us with the best insights for how to improve efficiency, delivery, and effectiveness.

    Qualifications & Characteristics

    Minimum of 5 years of work experience; from a data-oriented position in a management consultancy, development consultancy, enterprise or equivalent.
    Bachelor’s Degree a minimum; Post-graduate degree preferred
    Demonstrated success analyzing data, as well as both providing advice and implementing change based on such results
    Experience with client and project management. Evidence of track record of growing sales would be highly valued.
    Experience or strong familiarity with the social enterprise and/or development sector
    Must be authorized to work in Kenya

    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
    Solid operational skills, problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
    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
    Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
    Curious – always questioning, always probing, and never blindly accepting
    Willingness to be part of an ‘all hands on deck’ culture; supporting one another and picking up the slack where others don’t have capacity
    A sense of humor (really)

    Compensation
    Acumen offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including full benefits.
    Deadline
    The deadline for this position is 21st October, 2018. Candidates are encouraged to apply early as we are accepting resumes on a rolling basis.
    How To Apply
    Please submit a resume. In lieu of a cover letter, also submit responses to the following questions:

    Why are you on fire about working for Acumen?
    Share with us a statistic or data point that excites you, and tell us why you’re so interested by it.
    Tell us about a time you took a risk at work, and what you learnt.

  • East Africa Portfolio Manager East Africa Portfolio Associate

    East Africa Portfolio Manager East Africa Portfolio Associate

    Job description
    Acumen seeks a committed Portfolio Manager to help build and manage an investment portfolio of game-changing enterprises that provide goods and services to the poor in East Africa.
    Responsibilities
    As Portfolio Manager, 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. In addition, you will play a critical role shaping Acumen’s portfolio strategy, management process, team and influence in East Africa. The Portfolio Manager reports to the East Africa Director/Associate Director for Portfolio.
    More Specifically, You Will

    Identify, cultivate and execute a pipeline of fresh investment opportunities providing critical services to the poor
    Identify pipeline: Build an exhaustive network of relationships (including corporate, entrepreneur, NGO, academic, investor, advisory) to identify new pipeline opportunities for Acumen.
    Conduct Investment Processes: Develop attractive opportunities by building relationships with promoters; conducting evaluations and analyses; thorough due diligence; and structure and execute investments
    Investment documentation: 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
    Assess portfolio company needs related to post investment support; design and implement post-investment management interventions in partnership with Global Post Investment Manager
    Serve in a senior relationship capacity for Acumen East Africa, developing close contact with portfolio company promoters, including representing Acumen on portfolio company Boards
    Design and evaluate and report on 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 East Africa Portfolio
    Team Leadership
    Manage 1-2 junior team members; coach and support them in developing investing skills related to financial modeling, relationship management, deal negotiation and post investment support
    Work in close partnership with the Associate Director of Portfolio and East Africa Director and across the global portfolio team to support sector-specific initiatives and share learning

    Qualifications & Characteristics

    Bachelor’s Degree is required; MBA preferable
    Strong financial, modeling and business analysis skills as demonstrated by prior experience is required
    Ideal candidates will demonstrate accomplishment through some of the following experiences:
    7-10 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
    7-10 years of management consulting or operational experience with a proven track record of delivering operational and management support to companies or internal units
    Significant commitment or experience with the social enterprise sector in East Africa
    Solid operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
    Superior team management skills; demonstrated success as a supervisor and coach to junior team members
    Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
    Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors
    A good understanding of our key sectors of focus.
    Authorization to work in Kenya is required

    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 here:

    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)

    Deadline
    The deadline for application is 30th September 2018. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis,

    go to method of application »

  • East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    Job description
    Acumen is looking for an ambitious, entrepreneurial and data-savvy individual to join our global Lean DataSM team. This is an outstanding opportunity for a candidate with strong analytical skills, passion for understanding and accelerating social impact, and a proven commitment to global poverty alleviation.
    About Lean Data
    In addition to investing in companies, Acumen also works on initiatives that create wider change in the social sector. One of our leading initiatives is the development, execution and promotion of our cutting-edge social performance and customer insights data service called Lean Data. We built Lean Data to help companies more effectively listen to customers and to incorporate impact measurement and customer-centricity into business as usual.. Using low-cost technology and methods, Lean Data gathers high-quality data quickly and efficiently, directly from end-customers. To date, Acumen has spread Lean Data across the whole of its own portfolio and since 2016, we began implementing Lean Data for external clients such as Omidyar Network, DFID/CDC, Injaro, SEDF, The Gates Foundation and others.
    Who You Are
    You hardworking, smart & enterprenuerial and are excited to join a global team that is developing a bold new approach to data collection and impact measurement. You are the type of person who can quickly get your head around new business models and can cut through their complexity to isolate key business drivers and the levers for creating social impact. You will also have a good knowledge of the theory and application of research techniques and a hunger for creation of original knowledge. You will need to be a relationship-builder; a strong listener and will have the operational experience to consistently be a resource to our investment professionals and to our companies. You will also need to be a go-getter with excellent instincts for opportunities to bring in new clients across Africa. And above all else you’ll love getting into the weeds of data in order to generate new ideas and insights for the social sector!
    Responsibilities
    As the Lean Data Manager in our East Africa office you will lead our Lean Data work across Africa. To do so you will head a small team in Nairobi and work closely with the Associate Director of Lean Data (based in London) and the global Lean Data team. You will also be an integral partner and thought-leader in Acumen’s East Africa office, working to support the portfolio and leadership work there and to scale Lean Data across the region. As such this is definitely an opportunity with room for growth.
    Specifically, You Will

    Manage all Lean Data operations across Africa: includes managing a team of full-time and part-time Lean Data researchers and analysts, overseeing all data collection and analysis, developing clear processes, measuring team performance against KPIs, and ensuring quality of data.
    Manage all Lean Data projects across East and West Africa, including at Acumen investees and across Lean Data’s external clients.
    Synthesize data collected across all projects to create compelling presentations that guide businesses to make decisions based on the data.
    Lead business development for Lean Data across Africa, including with impact investing funds and foundations looking to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of their investees or projects.
    Contribute to the development of Lean Data through running R&D projects and experiments to increase the effectiveness of Lean Data in leading to business outcomes such as increased sales, customer satisfaction, and impact.
    Work with the local and global communications teams to help raise the visibility of Lean Data.
    Be a resource and support to the East Africa team; we’re a small team, so we all work across levels to deliver work. This also provides us with the best insights for how to improve efficiency, delivery, and effectiveness.

    Qualifications & Characteristics

    Minimum of 5 years of work experience; from a data-oriented position in a management consultancy, development consultancy, enterprise or equivalent.
    Bachelor’s Degree a minimum; Post-graduate degree preferred
    Demonstrated success analyzing data, as well as both providing advice and implementing change based on such results
    Experience with client and project management. Evidence of track record of growing sales would be highly valued.
    Experience or strong familiarity with the social enterprise and/or development sector
    Must be authorized to work in Kenya

    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
    Solid operational skills, problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
    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
    Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
    Curious – always questioning, always probing, and never blindly accepting
    Willingness to be part of an ‘all hands on deck’ culture; supporting one another and picking up the slack where others don’t have capacity
    A sense of humor (really)

    Compensation
    Acumen offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including full benefits.
    Deadline
    The deadline for this position is 21st October, 2018. Candidates are encouraged to apply early as we are accepting resumes on a rolling basis.
    How To Apply
    Please submit a resume. In lieu of a cover letter, also submit responses to the following questions:

    Why are you on fire about working for Acumen?
    Share with us a statistic or data point that excites you, and tell us why you’re so interested by it.
    Tell us about a time you took a risk at work, and what you learnt.

  • East Africa Portfolio Manager East Africa Portfolio Associate

    East Africa Portfolio Manager East Africa Portfolio Associate

    Job description
    Acumen seeks a committed Portfolio Manager to help build and manage an investment portfolio of game-changing enterprises that provide goods and services to the poor in East Africa.
    Responsibilities
    As Portfolio Manager, 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. In addition, you will play a critical role shaping Acumen’s portfolio strategy, management process, team and influence in East Africa. The Portfolio Manager reports to the East Africa Director/Associate Director for Portfolio.
    More Specifically, You Will

    Identify, cultivate and execute a pipeline of fresh investment opportunities providing critical services to the poor
    Identify pipeline: Build an exhaustive network of relationships (including corporate, entrepreneur, NGO, academic, investor, advisory) to identify new pipeline opportunities for Acumen.
    Conduct Investment Processes: Develop attractive opportunities by building relationships with promoters; conducting evaluations and analyses; thorough due diligence; and structure and execute investments
    Investment documentation: 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
    Assess portfolio company needs related to post investment support; design and implement post-investment management interventions in partnership with Global Post Investment Manager
    Serve in a senior relationship capacity for Acumen East Africa, developing close contact with portfolio company promoters, including representing Acumen on portfolio company Boards
    Design and evaluate and report on 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 East Africa Portfolio
    Team Leadership
    Manage 1-2 junior team members; coach and support them in developing investing skills related to financial modeling, relationship management, deal negotiation and post investment support
    Work in close partnership with the Associate Director of Portfolio and East Africa Director and across the global portfolio team to support sector-specific initiatives and share learning

    Qualifications & Characteristics

    Bachelor’s Degree is required; MBA preferable
    Strong financial, modeling and business analysis skills as demonstrated by prior experience is required
    Ideal candidates will demonstrate accomplishment through some of the following experiences:
    7-10 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
    7-10 years of management consulting or operational experience with a proven track record of delivering operational and management support to companies or internal units
    Significant commitment or experience with the social enterprise sector in East Africa
    Solid operational skills including problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
    Superior team management skills; demonstrated success as a supervisor and coach to junior team members
    Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
    Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors
    A good understanding of our key sectors of focus.
    Authorization to work in Kenya is required

    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 here:

    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)

    Deadline
    The deadline for application is 30th September 2018. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis,

    go to method of application »

  • East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    East Africa Lean Data Manager (Re-Advertised)

    Job description
    Acumen is looking for an ambitious, entrepreneurial and data-savvy individual to join our global Lean DataSM team. This is an outstanding opportunity for a candidate with strong analytical skills, passion for understanding and accelerating social impact, and a proven commitment to global poverty alleviation.
    About Lean Data
    In addition to investing in companies, Acumen also works on initiatives that create wider change in the social sector. One of our leading initiatives is the development, execution and promotion of our cutting-edge social performance and customer insights data service called Lean Data. We built Lean Data to help companies more effectively listen to customers and to incorporate impact measurement and customer-centricity into business as usual.. Using low-cost technology and methods, Lean Data gathers high-quality data quickly and efficiently, directly from end-customers. To date, Acumen has spread Lean Data across the whole of its own portfolio and since 2016, we began implementing Lean Data for external clients such as Omidyar Network, DFID/CDC, Injaro, SEDF, The Gates Foundation and others.
    Who You Are
    You hardworking, smart & enterprenuerial and are excited to join a global team that is developing a bold new approach to data collection and impact measurement. You are the type of person who can quickly get your head around new business models and can cut through their complexity to isolate key business drivers and the levers for creating social impact. You will also have a good knowledge of the theory and application of research techniques and a hunger for creation of original knowledge. You will need to be a relationship-builder; a strong listener and will have the operational experience to consistently be a resource to our investment professionals and to our companies. You will also need to be a go-getter with excellent instincts for opportunities to bring in new clients across Africa. And above all else you’ll love getting into the weeds of data in order to generate new ideas and insights for the social sector!
    Responsibilities
    As the Lean Data Manager in our East Africa office you will lead our Lean Data work across Africa. To do so you will head a small team in Nairobi and work closely with the Associate Director of Lean Data (based in London) and the global Lean Data team. You will also be an integral partner and thought-leader in Acumen’s East Africa office, working to support the portfolio and leadership work there and to scale Lean Data across the region. As such this is definitely an opportunity with room for growth.
    Specifically, You Will

    Manage all Lean Data operations across Africa: includes managing a team of full-time and part-time Lean Data researchers and analysts, overseeing all data collection and analysis, developing clear processes, measuring team performance against KPIs, and ensuring quality of data.
    Manage all Lean Data projects across East and West Africa, including at Acumen investees and across Lean Data’s external clients.
    Synthesize data collected across all projects to create compelling presentations that guide businesses to make decisions based on the data.
    Lead business development for Lean Data across Africa, including with impact investing funds and foundations looking to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of their investees or projects.
    Contribute to the development of Lean Data through running R&D projects and experiments to increase the effectiveness of Lean Data in leading to business outcomes such as increased sales, customer satisfaction, and impact.
    Work with the local and global communications teams to help raise the visibility of Lean Data.
    Be a resource and support to the East Africa team; we’re a small team, so we all work across levels to deliver work. This also provides us with the best insights for how to improve efficiency, delivery, and effectiveness.

    Qualifications & Characteristics

    Minimum of 5 years of work experience; from a data-oriented position in a management consultancy, development consultancy, enterprise or equivalent.
    Bachelor’s Degree a minimum; Post-graduate degree preferred
    Demonstrated success analyzing data, as well as both providing advice and implementing change based on such results
    Experience with client and project management. Evidence of track record of growing sales would be highly valued.
    Experience or strong familiarity with the social enterprise and/or development sector
    Must be authorized to work in Kenya

    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
    Solid operational skills, problem solving and project management skills, including ability to work and deliver projects independently, proactively and under pressure
    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
    Strong communication skills and ability to be a “storyteller” of our work
    Curious – always questioning, always probing, and never blindly accepting
    Willingness to be part of an ‘all hands on deck’ culture; supporting one another and picking up the slack where others don’t have capacity
    A sense of humor (really)

    Compensation
    Acumen offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including full benefits.
    Deadline
    The deadline for this position is 21st October, 2018. Candidates are encouraged to apply early as we are accepting resumes on a rolling basis.
    How To Apply
    Please submit a resume. In lieu of a cover letter, also submit responses to the following questions:

    Why are you on fire about working for Acumen?
    Share with us a statistic or data point that excites you, and tell us why you’re so interested by it.
    Tell us about a time you took a risk at work, and what you learnt.