11:07 AM
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Post:West Africa Short Term Associates
Organization:Acumen West Africa,
Location: Accra, Ghana
Portfolio - Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana - Temporary
SHORT TERM ASSOCIATES – ACUMEN WEST AFRICA PORTFOLIOS (2 POSITIONS)
Acumen West Africa is looking for 2 Short Term Associates in Accra, Ghana. Our Short Term Associates
will help with our on-going sector strategy work.
AcumenAcumen started as an idea. 13 years later we have a proven model that combines the best of charity and investing to change the way the world tackles poverty.
Acumen is a non-profit venture fund with a vision to help build a world beyond poverty through investing in companies that deliver critical goods and services in water, health, housing, energy, agriculture, and education; leaders who are paving the way for new approaches to fighting poverty; and the spread of ideas that will give the world the knowledge and the understanding to change how the world tackles poverty.
Passion, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to tackling the issue of global poverty are just a few of the things that the staff at Acumen have in common. What we aim to accomplish with our work is no easy task, and we need dedicated, high-caliber people to reach our goals.
Acumen has invested more than $85 million of patient capital in more than 75 social enterprises in South Asia, East Africa and West Africa that have collectively impacted more than 100 million people. We have teams on the ground in India, Pakistan, Kenya, Ghana, and New York, and we aim to build strong local structures that are deeply interconnected to the global organization through shared goals.
West AfricaAcumen West Africa has a strong foundation and is ready to take our mission to the next level. 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 West 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.Function Description.
These associates will be able to use their business skills in researching and analyzing organizations and will get practical insights into a new approach in social investing. Identify gaps that have an impact on the BoP, with an eye towards potential investment opportunities within various sub-sectors. The sector mapping exercise will culminate in further development of Acumen Ghana's overall strategy within each of these sectors. The sector strategy & market analysis will focus primarily in four portfolio areas:
Agriculture –supporting enterprises aimed at improving smallholder farmers' access to better agriculture inputs, information, markets and equipment.
Health – Seek enterprises lowering cost and increasing access to products and services for low-income communities
Acumen also provides hands-on management support to enterprises in its portfolios, and Short-term associates will assist with specific projects addressing challenges of portfolio companies. Some deliverables in the past have included financial models, competitor analysis, marketing strategies, and an exploration of export opportunities.
Desired Qualifications and Experience
- Candidate must have an MBA degree (or PhD) or similar graduate-level degree
- Experience in financial analysis and modeling, particularly in venture capital or private equity
- Management consulting experience
- Commitment to Acumen's mission
- International work experience
- Academic training or work experience focused on health, water, housing, or energy
- Ability to take initiative with research and analysis
- Capacity to work with teams in different countries/cultures
- Capability to present investment ideas in memoranda to senior management and advisors
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:o Displaying high level of empathy in all relationships and encounterso Possessing deep self-awareness and ability to identify own strengths and weaknesseso 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)
Duration
The Short Term Associate begins on September 1, 2013The internship duration is a minimum of 8 weeks and up to 12 weeks CompensationGHC 900/month, (approximately $450/month).
Additional Information
- Applicants are responsible for covering the cost and for making arrangements for their travel, visa and lodging to and during their stay in Ghana.
- Acumen Ghana office will assist the applicants with supporting documentation for the visa application and will cover all domestic work-related travel costs.LocationAcumen West Africa office, Accra, Ghana
To Apply
Deadline to apply is 17th August.
Interested candidates should submit a cv/resume and cover letter via our applicant tracking system
How to Apply
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1376258233353
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