Investment Associate Job at Accion Venture Lab
Accion Venture Lab is an Accion-sponsored initiative to invest in and
support seed-stage financial inclusion enterprises, catalyzing
innovation in financial inclusion and enhancing the way financial
services are delivered to the poor. Venture Lab focuses on companies
that are post-R&D but have
not yet proved their concept or achieved
meaningful revenue traction, filling the support void for seed-stage
companies. Venture Lab focuses on investment opportunities in Latin
America, Africa and India but remains globally opportunistic, leveraging
Accion’s global footprint and 50-year experience investing in and
building financial services business in emerging markets.
Accion Venture Lab is recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Investment Associate - West Africa
Locations: Nigeria
Job Descriptions
- We are currently recruiting an Investment Associate, who will be based in West Africa (Accra or Lagos).
- S/he will report to the Senior Investment Officer of Africa for
Venture Lab and will support all aspects of Venture Lab, including
deal sourcing, analysis/diligence, transaction closing/process
management, and post-investment support to investee companies.
- The role will be highly entrepreneurial, spanning emerging
market venture investing, consulting/management, and entrepreneurship,
with a focus on cutting edge innovation in financial inclusion.
- We are particularly interested in candidates with experience
living and working in West Africa, working with social enterprises,
venture capital investing, or financial inclusion and technology
businesses.
- We are looking for someone available to start by November 2016.
Responsibilities
- Venture Investing: Provide support on the identification and
assessment of new investment opportunities, including completing
prescreening analysis, conducting background research and financial
modeling, and collecting/analyzing diligence documents.
- Operational Support: Assist with the management of deal
roster/deal log on Salesforce, coordination of documentation and data
rooms (as necessary), process improvements to enhance internal
effectiveness and productivity, and liaising with internal and external
partners on matters such as financial reporting, budgeting, legal
compliance, and HR.
- Create, track and analyze internal metrics related to investment performance and social impact.
- Knowledge Sharing: Research and development of thought pieces
around key themes or sectors, sharing learnings within Accion and via
blogs / social media.
- Lead prospecting and strategy formulation for our global
investments (with the potential to “own” on a region of interest),
including market research, sourcing, building referral network, defining
engagement model, and liaising with in-country-based Accion staff
- Portfolio Support: Provide portfolio management support to
investee enterprises, including (as applicable) creation of a business
plan, financial modeling, strategy, lead generation/prioritization,
introductions/connections, fundraising, and leveraging Accion resources
and expertise to benefit the investee.
Qualifications
- Minimum 3 years relevant experience across technology,
management consulting, venture capital, private equity, investment
banking, and/or marketing.
- Bachelor's Degree required; MBA preferred.
- Domain expertise in financial products or services (in
particular for the underserved), especially innovative or disruptive
technology, products or delivery channels preferred.
- Exceptional written and oral communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to communicate data and insights in a structured fashion.
- Fluency or familiarity with West Africa. Experience working
and/or living in the region is a plus. Language skills beyond English
are a plus.
- Demonstrated versatility, with the ability to work seamlessly between headquarters and the field.
- Willingness to embody our values of excellence, respect and passion for social change.
- Passion for entrepreneurship and market-based solutions to poverty.
- Strong strategy, research and analysis skills and intrinsic
business acumen. Advanced computer/web skills including
Word/Excel/Powerpoint, Salesforce, and social media preferred.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic, high performing team environment
and ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse
backgrounds.
- Experience working in or with start-ups or growth-stage enterprises.
- Outstanding relationship management skills and ability to earn
the respect of Accion colleagues, investors and enterprises. Existing
network within impact investing, VC or financial inclusion a plus.
How to Apply
interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply