Career Opportunities at Msingi - Cedar Consulting Ltd

Key Responsibilities of the Manager

• Establish and coordinate quality client base including programs management;
• Scout and craft valuable partnerships with organizations with view of generating quality pipeline and a possibility of outsourcing identified services;
• Maintain a quality assurance mechanism on the targeting, application and client admission process;
• Identify and prioritize focus sectors/thematic areas where KCIC can drive impact at scale;
• Nurture early stage enterprises through product development, customer acquisition and revenue generation support;
• Maintain mentorship and networking through engaging experts, potential investors, and business contacts;
• Offer relevant training, technical assistance (TA) and other facilities needed to scale start-ups;
• Develop a relationship management strategy for exited/graduated clients;
• Maintain existing and develop new investor networks;
• Enhance client early stage growth, readiness and access to appropriate financing;
• Lead in forums dealing with entrepreneurship and Clean tech customer follow-ups;
• Assess skills gaps and planning competency levels that drive business
• Mentor and coach other members of staff;
• Prepare, organize and coordinate on-site client service review meetings; and
• Guide Proper document processes and procedures as it relates to clients in order to ensure consistent delivery of services.

Key Competencies of the Manager

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant business experience;
• Entrepreneurial mind-set/approach;
• Commitment, drive and creativity;
• Significant local knowledge and networks with a demonstrated ability to grasp and adapt to the Kenyan early-stage investing and entrepreneurial context;
• Leadership skills and team player;
• Good negotiation and presentation skills; and
• Experience in providing client service support in the context of clean tech start-ups .

Person specifications and Qualifications

• Masters’ degree in business/entrepreneurship;
• A relevant Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university; and
• Training and exposure in clean tech

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Responsibilities of the Finance Manager

Investment Readiness

• Provide financial analysis, accounting and business model review support to clients in the context of supporting climate technology innovators;
• Oversee markets feasibility studies and CIC investment roadmaps;
• Development of financial and statistical investment models to support investment in green tech innovations;
• In charge of the investment readiness development program:
• Educate and inform startups about the fundraising journey;
• Use a mix of high touch, online and in-person delivery models to teach business model articulation and build investment collateral;
• Analysis of each participating client and a need assessment carried out to decide what gaps need to be filled to make them “Investment Ready”;
• A review of the business plan with an investor’s mindset;
• Preparation of revenue generation models and Financial models that capture different business cycles (sensitivity analysis/assumptions);
• Preparation of the Investor pitch / slide deck ;
• Justifiable request/ask on funding;
• Coaching on “Selling” strategy;
• Exit strategies ;
• Organization of a mock Pitch Night and the eventual Pitch Night;
• Run high quality showcase events for exposure to investors, funders and sector experts; and
• Create useful connections across the value chain.
• Liaising with early stage investment fund managers to facilitate financing to KCIC’s innovations;
• Provide guidance in interacting with potential SME innovators to originate new
• investments for the CIC;
• Attract growth equity and venture capital by proactively developing CIC’s pipeline of investors/financiers;
• Oversee provision of late stage liquidity services to supported incubates;
• Source and support investor programs including peer-to-peer learning;
• Identify economic and industry trends, and customer demands;
• Advice on capital management, and financing options;
• Establishing and evaluating profit plans; and
• Develop strategy for follow-on financing for “successful” POC Cases.
• Grants Administration
• Responsible for overseeing and ensuring the effective management of all grant activities in the Proof of Concept (POC) funding;
• Strict adherence to the POC eligibility & evaluation criteria;
• Educate project and project support staff on donor requirements, operational issues, regulations, policies/procedures, as it relates to financial management of assigned projects; and
• Ensure funds are disbursed in accordance with the signed Grant Agreement.
• Lead and consolidate budget preparation and budget modifications;
• Work closely with project site teams on preparing amendments to an existing Grant Agreement for approval;
• Monitor project expenditure on a monthly basis and track budget versus actual project data;
• Evaluate internal control issues affecting project implementation and troubleshoot;
• Conduct risk assessment reviews for projects proposed for POC grant award/ engage experts to evaluate a POC application
• Ensure timely and effective grant disbursement and management.

Key Competencies of the Finance Manager

• Minimum 8 years’ of relevant experience and knowledge in clean-tech entrepreneurship sector, new venture initiation or lean start-up methodology with 5 years’ in a management/leadership capacity;
• Commitment, drive and self-motivation, with a passion for ‘this space’ and desire to help scale this businesses;
• Ability to work with independence, ambiguity and flexibility;
• Significant local knowledge and networks;
• Effective written and oral communication and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to think strategically and creatively;
• Good negotiation, mentorship and coaching skills; and
• Ability to work both as part of a team and independently.

Person specifications and Qualifications

• Post Graduate Degree in Business related areas;
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting or business related degree; and Professional Certification in Accounting or Financial Analysis certification such as CPA, ACCA, CISA, ICM, GARP or CFA.

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Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the CEO, your role will include:

Strategy and Planning

• Working with the Board and senior management team to further develop and update periodically Msingi’s overall strategy and long range implementation plans, as well as supporting the development of its Annual Operating Plans (AOPs).
• Supporting key corporate communications on Msingi’s strategy – such as strategy summaries, introduction documents and related content for Msingi’s website, etc. Developing partnerships as needed with external entities to support strategy development. This may include partnerships with key international comparator initiatives, or with independent senior advisers.

New Funder Engagement

• Inputting to Msingi’s funding strategy and supporting the engagement of the Board and senior management team on this. This will involve clarifying Msingi’s long term funding requirements and identifying the type of funders to be targeted.
• You will work closely with Gatsby, which is responsible for initiating Msingi’s funding strategy in collaboration with the Board and senior management in the organisation’s early years.
• Leading on the development of more detailed funding proposals and supporting the negotiation of final agreements and terms with new funders. Given Msingi is a rapidly growing organisation, the scope of this role is likely to evolve, with the areas of responsibility above being updated in line with operational requirements.

The role will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, but is likely to require occasional travel across East Africa and internationally.

Required Experience and Personal Qualities

You will be a senior individual with a good understanding of flexible markets development initiatives, and experience working both in the private sector and with donors.

Experience Preferred

• A minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience, with a focus on strategy, corporate planning and fundraising roles.
• A university degree (ideally a Masters) from a recognised institution. Working within high quality market systems or M4P programmes.
• Working in or with the private sector, and understanding business fundamentals and commercial analysis.
• Working directly with large donors within international development.
• Fundraising, partnership building or business development – including presenting and selling a vision, developing proposals, supporting negotiations, identifying and mitigating relationship risks, and finalising agreements.
• Working with or in East African markets.
• Engaging and managing a complex range of senior stakeholders across different
  cultures and geographies.
• Working in a highly dynamic organisational environment.

Personal Qualities Preferred

• An ability to think strategically and critically – bringing strong analytical skills and imagination to solving problems with substantial complexity and ambiguity.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate complex issues with clarity and structure, and to deliver documents to the highest levels of professionalism.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence: a genuine teamplayer with strong listening, negotiating and persuasive skills, and the ability to gain the trust and confidence of external and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong commitment to quality and attention to detail.
• The ability to work independently, prioritising effectively across a portfolio of activities.
• A keenness and ability to be flexible, versatile and learn quickly in new or changing environments.
• Values driven, demonstrating integrity and firm ethical standards.
• A strong understanding and passion for issues and dynamics affecting East African economic development.