AGA KHAN FOUNDATION U.S.A.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Title: Enterprise Development Officer
Organization: Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Reports to: Director of Programs & Investment
ABOUT AGA KHAN FOUNDATION U.S.A. (AKF USA)
Established in 1981, AKF USA is a private, non-denominational, non-profit international development organization committed to alleviating poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy, primarily in Africa and Asia. Its mission is to strengthen the capacity of grassroots communities to solve their own problems and to promote opportunities that lead to long-term improvements in their income, health, education and the sustainability of local institutions and the environment. The Foundation supports community-based programs in the areas of health, education, rural development and civil society. Aga Khan Foundation is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org), a group of 11 private development agencies working to empower communities and individuals, often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities, especially in Africa and Asia.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Enterprise Development Officer will serve as the technical lead on program design, business development, and grant management for the AKF USA enterprise development portfolio. The current portfolio has a strong agricultural focus, including promoting food security and enhancing rural agriculture value chains, with the intention to expand the portfolio to include programs and investments to support a broader range of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in frontier markets, including business support services, access to finance, market development, and investment vehicles.
The position offers the opportunity to blend traditional grant-funded development projects with investments. Enterprise Development is an evolving portfolio within AKF USA, and the Officer will be responsible for merging current programs with new approaches and strategies while simultaneously cultivating new partnerships and programmatic areas within the portfolio.
The Officer will work closely with a dynamic nine-member Programs team, as well as the Impact Investing, Resource Development, and Communications teams on integrated work streams. (S)he will also work with a variety of AKDN stakeholders to translate knowledge from the field into successful grant proposals and investment applications and build capabilities within field offices for improved program design and implementation.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
For activities related to enterprise development, access to finance, and market development:
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
A graduate degree or equivalent experience in business administration, finance, international development or relations, economics, and/or a minimum of seven years of relevant experience. Applicants should have professional experience in grants management in an international organization and an interest in impact investing. Preferred candidates will have extensive experience in market and/or rural development, access to finance (both micro and SME), SME accelerators or business development services, and/or other forms of consulting or operational experience with SMEs in emerging and frontier markets.
Applicants should have proposal writing experience, as well as significant project management experience, for projects funded by US Government donors. Applicants should also possess strong client orientation, team-focused leadership skills, and experience working in multi-cultural environments. Those with experience in finance or investment will receive special consideration. This is a dynamic team that relies on staff to be self-motivated, team players who are flexible and able to work effectively across office departments and overseas offices. The successful applicant must have superial verbal and written communication skills. Fluency in English is required, and fluency or near-fluent proficiency in French is desired.
TO APPLY
Apply though www.akdn.org/careercenter or send a cover letter, resume, three references, and a 3-5 year salary history to humanresources.akfusa@akdn.org by 11:59 P.M. PST on May 28, 2014. Please place “Enterprise Development Officer – May 2014” in the subject line. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.