Full-Time 2018 Growth and Investment Strategy Consultant
Job Description
Location: Positions are based in Mexico City, Mexico, Managua, Nicaragua, Bogotá, Colombia, Santiago, Chile. Consultant office locations are determined depending on client city and applicant preference.
ABOUT AGORA PARTNERSHIPS
Agora Partnerships’ purpose is to accelerate the shift to a sustainable economy by unleashing the potential of entrepreneurs who are building purpose-driven companies that create social and environmental impact throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Agora Partnerships accomplishes this through the Agora Accelerator, a four-month consulting program designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to grow their businesses and their impact. Since 2011, the Agora Accelerator has served 156 companies from 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and has catalyzed more than US$69 million in investment. Learn more at www.agorapartnerships.org.
We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to solve the world’s greatest challenges, such as climate change, poverty, inequality, and others as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, too many entrepreneurs face nearly insurmountable odds. We are committed to leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs by finding innovative ways to drive investment and support into the people and ideas that will make our world a better place. Agora has partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank and other funders to support 140 high-potential companies over the next three years (2016-2018).
THE POSITION
As a (Senior) Consultant you will be an integral member of Agora’s Accelerator Team, providing growth and investment strategy consulting to a portfolio of three to five growth-stage social enterprises in Latin America per accelerator cycle (two cycles per year). The companies we support are growing and seeking capital, often in areas of sustainable agriculture, clean energy, ethical fashion, health, education, and technology for impact. Not only will you be a Consultant, but you will be an advisor, strategist, connector, community builder, friend and executor to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs access the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to grow their businesses. Additionally, your work will be critical for building efficient early-stage capital markets and helping impact investors address their barriers.
Consultants form the core of the Agora Accelerator program, advising companies on growth and investment strategy. Operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, Consultants work under the direction of the Accelerator Manager and have significant responsibility, autonomy, and opportunity to lead consulting engagements and contribute to the growth of Agora.
Agora will hire 3-4 Consultants and 1-2 Senior Consultants to join the team. While the positions are similar in that both consult with Accelerator companies, Senior Consultants have additional responsibilities: contributing to the strategic direction of the Accelerator, developing an active field presence in the local ecosystem, and leading strategic initiatives related to partnership development, earned revenue, new program design, mentoring, and entrepreneur recruiting. Senior Consultant and Consultant role designation will be determined during the selection process based on experience and qualification of each candidate. Note that within this position description the two positions may be generally referred to as Consultant.
TIMELINE
This is a 11-month (Consultant) to 12-month (Senior Consultant) contract position starting January 2018. The Accelerator is delivered across two cycles annually, each cycle serving 25 to 30 companies. The first cycle occurs February through May and the second occurs July to October each year.
Consultants will join our team for orientation, training, and the 2018 Cycle 1 Entrepreneur Retreat from early January to early February in Mexico City or Managua. After the Retreat, Consultants will transition to their office locations to oversee consulting with their Cycle 1 client portfolio (February-June). The second Accelerator cycle will begin with a Retreat in July 2018 followed by Cycle 2 consulting (July-October) with a new set of companies.
KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Consultant’s primary role is to lead growth and investment strategy consulting with growing social businesses in Latin America. Consultants also support strategic initiatives.
1. Strategy Consultant
The Consultant will work closely with the leadership teams of three to five companies in the Agora Accelerator, helping them to refine their business models, prepare for growth, and raise outside capital. The role is designed for passionate change-makers who want to lead strategic consulting with social businesses and co-create investable opportunities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Consultants work with their portfolio companies to create a customized consulting approach, founded on Agora’s consulting methodology, in order to address the specific challenges of each company. While the consulting is a mix of virtual and in-person interaction, a major effort is made to match Consultants to companies located nearby. Consultants also have a modest travel stipend to visit portfolio companies.
Major Consultant responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
¥ Consultant Training: During training, Agora seeks to leverage the experience of Consultants who engage in leading activities on team building, peer skills training, and knowledge sharing.
¥ Entrepreneur Retreat: The Retreat brings together entrepreneurs, consultants, investors, and mentors to learn and collaborate at the beginning of each Accelerator cycle. Consultants develop content, support execution, and build relationships with portfolio companies during the Retreat.
¥ Strategy Consulting: Consultants manage consulting relationships with portfolio companies including diagnostic, business consulting, and investment preparedness. In the diagnostic phase, consultants understand each client’s history, business model, and challenges to be able to customize the consulting process to meet client needs. During the business model refinement phase, consultants hold weekly consulting sessions with each company to co-create strategic solutions and develop growth and investment deliverables.
¥ Investment Preparedness: The ultimate goal of the Accelerator is to facilitate access to capital. After working with each company to create investment deliverables, Consultants support companies with investor matchmaking and planning investor meetings at industry events.
2. Strategic Initiatives Lead
Consultants have opportunities to take on leadership roles and contribute to strategic initiatives within Agora alongside Accelerator team members. Strategic initiatives vary in nature, and may include the following:
¥ Partnerships: Building country-level partnerships to expand Agora’s presence and impact;
¥ Consulting: Developing new consulting services and improving the Agora consulting methodology;
¥ Funding initiatives: Reporting on companies to funders and supporting Agora investment initiatives;
¥ Client Relationships: Leading relationships with past, current, and future Agora companies; and,
¥ Recruiting and Selection: Recruiting and then selecting top entrepreneurs for future Accelerator cycles.
¥ Additional projects may relate to financial innovation, investor network engagement, marketing and communications, impact measurement, or alumni consulting services.
Senior Consultants will be expected to take leadership in one or more strategic initiatives, while Consultants will be expected to play supporting roles.
QUALIFICATIONS
We seek outstanding candidates with the finance, investment, and consulting skills necessary to help high-potential companies in Latin America grow their businesses and impact. Required qualifications include:
¥ Five to seven years of work experience related to management consulting, capital advisory or investment services, venture capital, financial analysis, and/or business design and strategy;
¥ Postgraduate degree in business, finance, economics, international development, or related field or equivalent professional experience;
¥ Experience building business plans, financial models, pitch decks, and growth strategies;
¥ Experience consulting with, advising, or working for start-up businesses in emerging markets;
¥ Experience working in social entrepreneurship or impact investing ecosystems a plus;
¥ International work experience, especially in Latin America, a plus; and,
¥ Fluency in English and professional working proficiency in Spanish. Candidates without English fluency and Spanish proficiency will not be considered.
We are seeking passionate leaders to support social entrepreneurs. Ideal candidates exhibit Agora’s core values of agency, empathy, curiosity, and perseverance. Though there is no one “ideal” professional profile for this position, we seek the following personal characteristics in a candidate:
¥ Strong interpersonal skills and intercultural competency;
¥ Adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, ability to work in an entrepreneurial organization;
¥ Strong work ethic, ability to self-manage and execute on multiple projects at once;
¥ Excitement for and ability to work on teams and collaborate;
¥ Attention to detail and time management skills; and,
¥ Sense of joy and humor.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Agora Partnerships provides Consultants the following:
¥ Monthly stipend of $1,750 (Consultant) to $2,250 (Senior Consultant) to cover cost of living; as a Consulting Fellowship and professional development opportunity this is a stipend-based position;
¥ Comfortable workspace in a local co-working office;
¥ Air travel, airport transfers, baggage fees and lodging associated with training and Retreat;
¥ Air travel and modest stipend supporting portfolio company visits;
¥ International travel emergency medical insurance when outside home country;
¥ Reimbursement of any travel visa fees incurred;
¥ Access to Agora Partnerships’ professional networks (e.g. ANDE, Sistema B, Impact Hub); opportunities to attend industry conferences (with travel and attendance covered);
¥ Access to networking events, an extensive network of professionals, and industry experts; and,
¥ Fifteen days paid vacation time plus locally recognized national holidays.
Various opportunities within Agora exist for Consultants to continue past the initial contract period based on mutual interest. Typically, 1 to 2 Consultants are promoted and continue with the Agora Accelerator team after the initial Consulting Fellowship.