Business Analysis & Quant Associate at Komaza Kenya

About this Role

This core purpose of this role is to build Komaza’s financial model to serve three vital functions: (i) informing company strategy; (ii) supporting our 2018 equity financing; and (iii) guiding design of a financing innovation to securitize our forestry assets. We spent last year building a financial model to raise a significant Series A; we need an Excel wizard to continue refining this model for more demanding applications. This project demands more than snazzy formulas - we need a business-savvy critical thinker to also research the core input assumptions. While you will be directly responsible for all heavy lifting on the execution of this project, we’re fundamentally looking for an experienced thought partner to “own” this project and lead the R&D process to develop a knock-your-socks-off economic model with sound assumptions to inform high-level strategy & financing decisions.

What you will do

• Develop and refine the mechanics of our model, comprising all steps of our vertically-integrated business. Build functionalities for sensitivity & scenario analysis, outputting long-term financial statement forecasts. Develop modules to analyze financing strategies, specifically to design our innovative forestry financing mechanism.
• Interview & collaborate with internal teammates to model our operations, both at current scale, and forecasting future economics with expansion and program model innovations.
• Identify knowledge gaps around sensitive drivers for further business/industry research.
• Research key input drivers (e.g. CAPEX/OPEX & productivity rates of several wood processing options). Much of this data is hard to find, so you’ll need to get creative and roll up your sleeves to get it -- scour the internet; identify & interview other companies and experts; engage external consultants as needed; etc.
• Write crisp-yet-comprehensive memos justifying key input assumptions, elaborating on likely up/downside scenarios, and implications to inform company growth strategy.
• Produce the full suite of investor materials to understand and interpret our model.

What you have

• Bachelor’s in a relevant field, plus MBA or equivalent experience from a top firm.
• 4-6 years of work experience in private equity, corporate finance, or investment banking.
• Superb analytical, quantitative, and conceptual skills, with experience applying those towards understanding business models and appropriate financing strategies.
• Significant experience with complex financial modeling and analysis.
• Significant experience conducting industry/business research, with a focus on complex supply chains, manufacturing, and other physical operations.
• Excellent organizational, critical thinking, attention to detail, and communication skills.
• Experience liaising with external advisors & competitors to glean key insights & data.
• Ability to present complex information in an insightful and structured manner. Experience developing well structured, crisp-yet-comprehensive slide decks & memos.

You’re also

• Self-directed, intellectually curious, and comfortable working through ambiguity by creating logical frameworks and taking educated guesses to fill in the gaps.
• Laser-focused on delivering successful outcomes, and sufficiently flexible, scrappy, and driven to do whatever necessary to get the job done.
• Highly collaborative & skilled at soliciting efficient input from teammates and stakeholders.
• Passionate about Komaza’s mission and vision -- to lift rural farmers out of poverty by rapid scaling of our disruptive micro-forestry business model.

What we offer

This role offers competitive salary and benefits relative to other fast-growth startups in East Africa (enough to live well, save, and splurge)... but you’ll get paid far less than you could earn working for a big bank or consulting firm. On the plus side: this role is based in stunningly beautiful Kilifi, Kenya; you’ll be working with a team of highly-motivated and fun people; and you’ll be making a unique and high-impact contribution to the world by developing the critical financial models to raise tens of millions of dollars to plant many millions of trees with smallholder farmers. We seek candidates who can make a commitment for at least 1 year to see this specific project through to completion, with a strong preference for candidates keen for 2+ years of exciting high-impact work, with the potential for further career growth at Komaza.