Summary
The Officer of Institutional Relations will be responsible for: building relationships with potential and existing donors and investors including foundations, private sector partners, multilateral institutions such as USAID, and local governments; leading regional partnerships; and connecting with other external audiences by effectively communicating the importance of Root Capital’s work and impact. In particular, this Officer will be responsible for developing and stewarding relationships associated with our work in sub-Saharan Africa. The Officer of Institutional Relations will be responsible for synthesizing information from different departments within Root Capital and for sharing that information in a compelling way through in-person meetings, presentations, proposals, reports, emails and other communiqués. They will play a key bridge role between Cambridge and our regional East Africa efforts. Additionally, the Officer will support program management on an as-needed basis, working alongside regional Lending and Advisory staff to ensure that partner expectations are met.
Responsibilities:
Fundraising and Partnership development (70%)
Build relationships with potential and existing donors and investors including foundations, private sector companies, multilaterals such as USAID, and local governments.
Cultivate funders by providing best-in-class relationship management, identifying areas of overlap between our work and the interests and motivations of prospective donors/investors. Respond to due diligence requests on Root Capital financials, impact metrics, projections, strategy etc.
Support compliance and stewardship of complex funding programs for regional activities, with a particular focus on government institutions and multilaterals such as USAID.
Manage day-to-day relationships with Root Capital’s with local and regional partners by coordinating across departments and offices and synthesizing information to communicate progress on Root Capital’s work.
Represent Root Capital and make presentations on our work at meetings and conferences with donors, investors, and other external audiences.
Lead planning and stewardship for donor trips and strategic partnership management and stewardship.
Participate in regional design of multi-stakeholder partnerships with department leadership.
Strategy and Business planning (20%)
Conduct research and analysis for internal knowledge sharing related to philanthropic and investor revenue strategy and planning.
Work with Investor Relations and Kenya-based team on the development of Root’s approach and vision for partnering with public and private sectors.
Organizational Responsibilities (10%)
Responsible for synthesizing information from different departments within Root Capital and for sharing that information in a compelling way through presentations, proposals, reports, emails and other forms of communications.
Contribute to Root Capital’s field building and thought leadership through partner engagement and regional events.
Qualifications and Experience:
Bachelor’s Degree required
Proven ability to create and maintain positive client/partner relationships, with 4-5 years of related experience. Experience in fundraising or client-facing roles preferred.
Superior written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively deliver complex, technical ideas in a compelling form to a variety of constituents including the philanthropic community, governmental representatives, economic development experts, corporate executives, academics, journalists, and other influential thought leaders.
Deep interest in and commitment to creating solutions concerning issues relating to rural livelihoods, small business development, social enterprise, and/or environmental stewardship Knowledge of and interest in financial markets, international development, and/or impact investing a plus.
Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to think creatively and work independently, while also being able to work collaboratively in teams and knowing when to seek support.
Flexibility and the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment while maintaining equanimity.
Ability to multi-task, while paying strong attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
Ability to manage complex relationships and hit deadlines.
Proposal writing and compliance reporting.
Knowledge of diverse donor stakeholders including multilaterals, corporates, and foundations.
Required to travel regionally.
