Job Vacancy at Kenya Climate Innovation Center

Job description

Job Summary

The jobholder is responsible for incubating early stage and growth stage innovations, prudent management of Proof of Concept (POC) funding and clients’ access to early stage and growth stage funding.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide financial analysis, accounting and business model review support to clients in the context of supporting climate technology innovators;
• Oversee market feasibility studies and KCIC 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”;
• Review of the clients’ business plans 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;
• Manage the clients exit strategies;
• Run high quality showcase events for exposure to investors, funders and sector experts;
• 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 KCIC;
• Attract growth equity and venture capital by proactively developing KCIC'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 to clients;
• 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.
• Work closely with director client services on preparing amendments to an existing POC Agreement for approval;
• Conduct risk assessment reviews for clients proposed for POC grant award
• Ensure timely and effective POC funding disbursement and management.
• Implementation of Early Stage Financing Mechanism (ESFM)
• The ESFM addresses the seed stage financing gap by providing the bridge between early stage KCIC like support and concessional and commercial financing. Investments are mainly driven by strategic objectives to catalyze the market and the financial imperative for the ESFM to demonstrate a commercial investment model.
• The ESFM provides funding in debt, equity and hybrid instruments on a case-by-case basis to bridge the gap faced by early stage companies when raising funding.
• The manager will be responsible for overseeing all activities revolving around ESFM funding which include but not limited to:
• Scoping for potential investment opportunities;
• Ensuring adherence to eligibility and evaluation criteria including proper due diligence process;
• Ensuring proper approvals are obtained before disbursements; and
• Provision of necessary support to the investee companies;

Key Competencies

• Minimum 6 years of relevant experience and knowledge in clean-tech entrepreneurship sector, new venture initiation or lean start-up methodology with 4 years in a management/leadership capacity;
• Commitment, drive and self-motivation, with a passion for ‘clean tech space’ and desire to help scale up Clean Tech businesses;
• Ability to work with independence 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.

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.