Job Opportunities at Founders Factory Africa (FFA)

Role Overview

• Founders Factory Africa is looking for an executive with experience in early stage venture capital to grow and manage our network of VCs and other capital providers, leading fundraising support for a portfolio of over 50 companies. Building on an existing network of investors, you will be charged with introducing Founders Factory and its portfolio to the network, helping secure funding and providing strategic fundraising advice to our founders. While current participants in our Build and Scale programmes will be your core focus you will also be expected to provide support to our programme alumni who will be undertaking later stage rounds.
• You will manage a team of investment readiness managers who will support you in preparing companies for a raise and in outreach to investors and you will collaborate with the broader Investment and Portfolio teams to prioritise efforts and define strategies.
• Internally, you will liaise with our communications and events team to ensure investor network outreach and development is supported by appropriate materials and opportunities to interact. You will also have input into our sourcing and investment process by providing a view on fundraising potential and relevant issues for companies being considered by our Investment Committee. This is a key role in the organisation and one that is set for substantial growth as our portfolio is projected to expand to over 150 companies within the next five years.
• The ideal candidate has a deep existing network and a disposition for sales. The role combines investor relations with community engagement, and requires a strategic approach to both in order to succeed.

Responsibilities/Accountability

• Building and qualifying a deep investor network, both across the continent and globally
• Securing funding for the portfolio
• Creating systems, tools, and practices that enable our portfolio ventures to successfully raise funding
• Make direct introductions and help founders strategically engage with potential investors
• Providing our founders with innovative solutions and strategic advice to assist them in closing their funding rounds
• Manage the fundraise calendar, in conjunction with Head of Portfolio
• Providing input into the investment process via a fundraising lens
• Representing Founders Factory Africa and our companies at industry events

Success in this role means:

• Ensuring our companies are sufficiently funded to enact their business plans and developing an investor network which is both informed of, and receptive to, the companies that Founders Factory Africa supports through its Build and Scale programmes.

Experience/Skills required:

• Have at least five (5) years of experience building networks and rapport in the alternative investments and a demonstrable track record of raising capital.
• Ideally, have a sound understanding of the early-stage venture capital market and the ability to speak credibly about our portfolio to a broad range of investors, including angels, family offices, venture capital funds, and institutions.
• Executives with a background in VC investor relations and/or alternative assets placement agents will be a good fit.

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Responsibilities

• Identifying market trends and creating theses about what opportunities we should pursue
• Brainstorming, designing, and testing new business concepts
• Conducting qualitative research using methods such as qualitative interviews, experience mapping, service blueprints, and user journeys
• Conducting quantitative validation studies such as smoke tests
• Running workshops with the wider Factory team and entrepreneurs
• Collaborating with our corporate partners to leverage their expertise and assets as part of the Venture Design process
• Constantly experimenting with new technologies and tools to drive innovation and creativity
• Presenting new concepts to partners and other stakeholders
• Working with the rest of the design and product teams to act as thought leaders and to establish a POV for Venture Design at Founders Factory Africa

Requirements

• Have a deep understanding of what makes a great business and how to commercialise opportunities
• Have extensive experience developing new products, services, and businesses models
• Be able to identify opportunities by looking at user needs and broader market trends
• Have a proven track record of taking ideas and bringing them to life across a range of industries
• Have a sense of how to identify key risks and validate hypotheses
• Have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal
• Have worked with a variety of products and industries in your career
• Thrive in uncertainty
• Be a self-starter and comfortable working with little direction or oversight.