Investment Vehicles Value Creation Lead – Abidjan (Full Time)

Who we are?

Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP) aims to enable innovative, scalable, and profitable enterprises to build prosperity. Our mission is “to foster entrepreneurial solutions for prosperity.” We believe that sustainable transformation requires an entrepreneurial approach to deploy scalable and innovative solutions to foster prosperity. ESP enables people, firms, institutions, and nations to articulate, implement and disseminate solutions to their economic challenges.

Created in January 2011 in Washington DC, ESP through its principals boasts more than 19 years of experience. The firm operates today across the continent through two regional offices: one in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, covering West Africa, and a second in Kigali, Rwanda, for East, Central and Southern Africa operations; ESP has conducted programs and consultancy assignments in over 15 countries in Africa and is expanding its presence.

ESP’s approach is to provide Intelligent CapitalTM—the right combination of insights and capital—to address critical societal issues. We provide advisory services to diverse clients, including entrepreneurs, SMEs, businesses, governments and development partners in Africa. We support innovative models and provide leadership training and entrepreneurial boot camps.

ESP is organized into two practice areas to deliver on varied aspects of our mission.

Scale – Entrepreneurial workshops, seminars, competitions and platforms to foster the emergence and development of current and future leaders with real potential for transforming societies in developing countries. Inspiration, incubation, and acceleration programs offered across enterprise’ lifecycle with financing via various vehicles.

Insights – Consulting services aimed at creating and implementing innovative solutions for sustainable development through the competitiveness of value chains, business strategies, leadership and change mentality. We combine the best of a global expertise, a local perspective, and structuring initiatives for the financing of SMEs such as la « Finance S’Engage™! » and data such as “Data for Growth”.

Passion, agility, collaboration, and equity are just a few of the elements shared by all team members. What we aim to accomplish with our work is ambitious, and we need dedicated, high-caliber individuals to achieve our goals.

Position Overview

The Investment Vehicles Value Creation Lead will be responsible for driving the technical assistance (TA) provided to our investment vehicles (IVs), ensuring qualitative support at scale. They will identify and manage relationships with relevant business development service providers (BDSPs) to deliver specialized services to the IVs when needed. This role will also involve taking a leading part in managing the overall relationship between I&P and the IVs, becoming the preferred contact person for all IV capacity building initiatives. Additionally, the successful candidate will oversee a portion of the value creation (VC) team.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the provision of TA to IVs, ensuring high-quality and scalable support
• Identify and manage relationships with BDSPs to provide specific services to IVs as required
• Take a leading role in managing the relationship between I&P and the IVs, becoming the go-to contact for all IV capacity building matters
• Oversee a portion of the VC team and contribute to its overall leadership and direction

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in finance, business administration, or a related field
• 7-10 years of experience in capital investment, venture capital, or financial advisory
• Entrepreneurial mindset (e.g., having participated in setting up an investment fund)
• Proven experience in managing value creation for an investment fund (such as leading a TA facility)
• Expertise in strategic and operational financial analysis
• Experience in contributing to due diligence processes (for SMEs and/or funds)
• Strong relationship management skills, particularly with high-level stakeholders
• Fluency in English and French

This role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to impactful entrepreneurship development initiatives in Africa, working with a dynamic team and diverse partners. The ideal candidate will bring a passion for economic development, a strategic mindset, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.

We offer

• An opportunity to become part of a highly professional, motivated and dynamic team;
• A unique opportunity of having strong impact in building the African entrepreneurial sector;
• An entrepreneurial adventure to be lived on a daily basis;
• An unparalleled personal and professional growth as our longer-term objective is to train / Help the next generation of entrepreneurs;
• A structuring and expanding initiative;
• High level contacts;
• A good opportunity to challenge and grow with a competitive rewarding package.

Are you passionate about developing Africa through entrepreneurship? Click this link to apply now and join our team dedicated to driving economic growth across the continent.