Head Of Enterprise Development at Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)

The Role

1. As the AECF grows its programs and portfolio, we are seeking a Head of Enterprise Development to drive the growth and scaling of our portfolio companies, bringing onboard global understanding of the triggers of growth for small and growing businesses, pathways to success, building systems, and processes to enhance competitiveness, sustainability and ensuring the resilience of their operations and revenues.
2. The Head of Enterprise Development will report to the Director of Portfolio Management and lead the enterprise development/ advisory team to support portfolio companies as well as unlock the institution’s capacity to deliver towards becoming a learning and the go-to institution for SGB development in Africa.
3. The role will have access to a wide range of resources and a team (in-house and consultants) that will look to you for leadership, coaching, mentoring, training, and support for career development.

Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Development for Portfolio Companies

1. Provide strategic leadership for AECF’s technical advisory services – both structure and model.
2. Oversee needs assessment of AECF and non-AECF portfolio companies and map out their development needs across the various stages of growth and position
3. AECF technical advisory services to address their growth and scaling challenges.
4. Design and implement technical assistance initiatives to address the development needs of companies to foster innovation and product development, increase access to new or improved inputs, identify market opportunities, improve market linkages, and access capital.
5. Develop tools, processes, and systems for efficient and effective service delivery, including curriculum or training content for self-paced courses and workshops.
6. Ensure resources available are deployed to address the most pressing needs that will best unlock the growth potential of companies through a balanced approach of in-house and outsourced capacity.
7. Coordinate technical assistance service delivery for AECF and non-AECF portfolio companies, build a system to track requests for technical assistance, deployment of services, adoption, and implementation of acquired skills and tools, effectiveness, and impact of the service and manage a healthy database of technical assistance experts/consultants aligned to the needs of companies.

Institutional Capacity Development

1. Design and lead the implementation of AECF Technical Assistance Facility for companies outside of AECF
2. Portfolio and further develop a healthy pipeline of the non-AECF portfolio in agribusiness, renewable energy, and climate adaptation and mitigation to benefit from the said facility.
3. Facilitate training or technical assistance intervention in key areas of business growth including financial management, business strategy, marketing, and sales, to reduce the risk profile of companies and increase both social and financial returns.
4. Continuously fundraise for the AECF technical assistance facility to provide access to services for
5. SMEs across sub-Saharan Africa.
6. Design and implement a capacity strengthening framework that assures AECF’s professional approach towards building the required technical skills for effective program delivery.
7. Lead the creation and oversight of active networks of organizations that are looking to build the capacity of Africa-led institutions to better deliver their mandate, including international organizations, industry partners, and academic institutions.
8. Monitor and report on institutional capacity development, embedding performance monitoring and evaluation of initiatives towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery across the institution.

Requirements

1. Have ten (10) years’ experience in enterprise development, technical assistance, management consulting, or private sector development.
2. Hold a Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, and/or related fields of study.
3. Demonstrate technical knowledge of SME development as evidenced by successful work delivery of technical assistance and advisory services to a range of agribusiness and renewable energy companies in sub-Saharan Africa.
4. Demonstrate technical knowledge for institutional capacity development, either as an in-house or external resource.
5. Provide evidence of technical assistance delivery and design of creative solutions for growth and financing constraints for SMEs.
6. Have sound analytical, organizational, project management, and negotiation skills and the ability to conduct training and workshops/seminars.
7. Be a visionary leader with great interpersonal skills to build an efficient delivery, impeccable integrity, and good judgement.
8. Suitable candidates should:
9. Have strong written and interpersonal communication skills in both English (French will be an added advantage) with an ability to interact with a very broad spectrum of stakeholders.