ABOUT US

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), a program of the Aspen Institute, is a global network of intermediary organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction and evidence of the role of SGBs in job creation, stimulating long-term economic growth, and producing environmental and social benefits. Ultimately, we believe that SGBs can help lift countries out of poverty and form the basis of a better development paradigm.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

ANDE is recruiting an entrepreneurial leader in the small business, impact investing and sustainable development sector in West Africa to be the Regional Chapter Head to lead and grow the influence of the SGB sector within the region. The ANDE network has a strong presence of both local and global members active in the region. This leader will focus on strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Anglophone countries in West Africa and fostering greater exchange between Francophone and Anglophone West Africa. ANDE has plans for an eventual launch of a new chapter focused on Francophone West and North Africa, currently being incubated from within the West Africa chapter. The team includes an Operations Coordinator in Nigeria and a Consultant for Francophone Engagement in Senegal.

The West Africa Regional Chapter Head is the heart of the organization in the region and must successfully function at many different levels. It is one of the most challenging roles in the organization and one of the most rewarding for its direct impact on strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping members deliver effective services to SGBs across the region. The right person will be a skilled convener, connector and facilitator who knows how to find the right people to make things happen. This could mean helping an investor find local accelerators who might have pipeline businesses ready for investment, to convening conversations on metrics and impact measurement among a dozen local member organizations, to hosting a roundtable on the role of development finance institutions and banks in serving the small business sector. Expertise in at least one area of ANDE member’s work (incubation, acceleration, early stage investing, government policy etc.) is essential, with a curiosity to learn the rest on the job.

This role will report to the Regional Director for Africa and will be supported by regional and global functional staff on communications, finance, fundraising, program management and strategy and be able to seek the advice of a regional advisory committee of local members. The salary for this role is $36,000 - $40,000 per year. ANDE is looking for the new Chapter Head for West Africa to be based out of the region, with a preference for Nigeria, where the largest concentration of ANDE members are present.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Membership: Strengthen engagement with existing members, understand their needs and connect them to each other. Lead recruitment of new members to the network. Establishing and facilitating connections and collaboration among ANDE members in the region and globally.
• Development: In collaboration with senior leadership, contributing to and executing a business strategy aligned with ANDE’s global and regional strategies, maintaining and building strong relationships with a wide range of donors and partners, and developing and delivering upon a robust pipeline of new programmatic and resource development opportunities.
• Program: Coaching and supervising program teams for the successful delivery of results; ensuring timely submission of high-quality internal and donor reports and the use of program management tools and supervision of program staff to complete grant funded deliverables.
• Representation: Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, including government ministries, private sector companies, business associations, and civil society organizations, and developing relevant partnerships; representing ANDE to a wide array of audiences; providing thought leadership to the small and growing business sector within the region.
• Finance: Preparing, reviewing, and approving expenditures to ensure compliance with regional and donor financial requirements, and ANDE procurement/finance policies.
• Governance: The West Africa Advisory Committee provides strategic advice to the regional chapter. In collaboration with the Regional Director, lead the West Africa Steering Committee by recruiting, managing, and engaging with members drawn from the ANDE Network.
• Communications and advocacy: Overseeing and contributing to regional communications and advocacy strategies and campaigns, including engaging with senior-level decision-makers in government and among other key stakeholders.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience.
• Proven ability to fundraise and work with donor organizations and professionally manage and represent an organization.
• 2-3 years of management experience relating to the development and implementation of grant funded projects with responsibility for all aspects of operations, including HR, Finance, and Procurement.
• Is entrepreneurial and inspirational, with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain high-performing teams in stressful contexts.
• Experience working in small business entrepreneurship, impact investing, and/or international development is required.
• A deep sense of mission in wanting to help support small businesses across the region through engaging with an ecosystem of intermediaries.
• Be able to represent ANDE in the region to a wide range of stakeholders, including senior-level government officials and donors.
• Experience working with international donor funding is strongly preferred, with prior budget development and management experience required.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.
• Excellent communicator with prior public speaking experience preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required, French language skills highly preferred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Externally this position is being recruited as the West Africa Regional Chapter Head.

The role will be based in West Africa, with a preference for Nigeria, and is only open to candidates who have work authorization in the region.