Principal Portfolio at Virtual HR

Job description

Reporting to the Managing Partners, the Portfolio Principal will be part of Portfolio Operations team that will be directly responsible for supporting current and prospective portfolio companies to ensure the investment plan is being executed to create value by delivering growth.

The Portfolio Principal will also be expected to serve as a member of the board of directors on various portfolio companies, and may from time to time need to act as an interim CEO in portfolio companies.

Principal Accountabilities:

Leadership:

• Be critical part of portfolio management function
• Board participation on Board of Directors and Board Committees portfolio companies, ensuring that the management are following the investment plan and strategy
• Responsibility for leading the strategy of the business, with the ability to facilitate at strategy meetings
• Supervise the hiring of management of portfolio companies
• Ensure the constitution of appropriate and effective Boards
• Ensure timely performance appraisals of senior management

Portfolio Management:

• Provide portfolio oversight across the whole portfolio
• Review and advise on valuation reports
• Actively lead in management and board meetings, and contribute with industry, sector and deal knowledge
• Monitor and address portfolio performance including periodic updates and strategic reviews
• Work directly with portfolio company management to lead a variety of projects and long-term strategy; potential progression to senior management roles in portfolio companies if appropriate
• Oversee company operations to insure production efficiency, product and service quality, and cost effective management of resources
• Provide general management experience with a record of achieving and maintaining profitability in difficult operating environments. Must have a bias toward hands on management and a sense of urgency
• Hold management accountable for tracking against financial/KPI performance and lead short-term projects

Advise on growth opportunities for portfolio companies:

• Leverage on industry, in-country and international networks to identify appropriate independent Board members for portfolio companies
• Supervise implementation of Environmental and Social Action Plans (ESAP) for all portfolio companies
• Use extensive knowledge of the competitive landscape to ensure risks due to rivalry and new market entrants are mitigated
• Identify company-specific and market risks, and ensure they are mitigated
• Where the PSC doesn’t have the capacity or capability, he will identify external resources that would supplement (with appropriate approvals).

Mergers and Acquisition:

• Leverage on local and regional networks to identify and pursue acquisition targets for portfolio companies where appropriate
• Contribute to the pre-acquisition due diligence team and provide detailed and insightful analysis of the primary risks and opportunities of a target company.
• Establish a relationship with management and gain their confidence in order to facilitate the deals
• Supervise development of Board skills matrix
• Contribute (with Investment Team) to the development of the 100 day, 1 and 5 year plans

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, engineering or related field preferably augmented with an MBA/CFA or CPA qualification
• 10 - 15 years’ hands-on commercial operational business role such as COO, CEO preceded by a senior finance, investments or consulting role
• Exemplary commercial judgement & understanding of operating companies and financial concepts
• Ability to work through board committees such as the Audit, RemCO and FinCO
• Understanding of commercial operations, logistics, distribution, purchasing/procurement and costing especially for FMCG
• Experience as an entrepreneur or business manager, or show successful track record in personal investment making decisions
• Extensive past experience in turning around ailing companies
• A solid understanding of accounting and financial statement analysis
• Track record of developing strategies and leadership teams, and ability to leverage professional network to support portfolio company and enhance value