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 fifteen 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.”

Position Overview

Within the Scale team, the Value Creation team focuses particularly on supporting and creating value for entrepreneurs through hands-on support, tools, and connections.

ESP is currently undergoing a period of organizational growth, with new complex programs being added to our portfolio regularly and implemented in several countries. As a key member of the Scale team, you will take the lead on managing all the financial aspects of our portfolio of programs, in collaboration with the programs’ teams and the clients.

We are looking for a young and self-driven professional with a passion for entrepreneurship development and experience in financial performance management.

If, in addition, you have excellent interpersonal and business skills, are a self-starter and have an outstanding work ethic, we would love to hear from you!

Duties and Responsibilities

We are looking for an ambitious and motivated professional to play a key role in improving the financial performance of our programs. Specifically, you will:

1. Budgets and forecasts

• Lead the development of proposed budgets and financial proposals during the Business development phase of the programs.
• Develop and adjust operational budgets for starting programs based on the proposals and the activity plan.
• Lead the development of annual budgets and quarterly forecasts.
• Support the project teams with local monthly cash-flow requests.

2. Financial project management, analysis, and performance

• Identify and manage Programs’ expenses: obtain necessary validation, monitor budget, and collaborate with the Finance team for Cash Management Forecast
• Accurate billing: Manage terms & conditions of contract for accurate billing and optimized billing plan.
• Cash Collection: collaborate with the Finance Team and the Program’s sponsor for cash collection.
• Program PNL report: develop effective analytical structure to track all expenses related to the Program
• Financial analysis: develop tools for profitability and performance analysis of the programs and provide action plan to optimize performance.
• Track and ensure that payables and receivables are known, recorded in the system, and received or disbursed in time.
• Support strategic decisions making through initiative-taking insights sharing.
• Reporting
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholder to understand reporting requirements.
• Develop and maintain flexible Analytical structure for complex reporting.
• Set in place processes and tools to ensure that ESP meet the reporting requirements of its different clients and is compliant with contractual requirements.
• Prepare and submit financial reporting, in collaboration with the project teams and the finance teams to ensure accurate and on-time cash collection.

3. Financial risk management and continuous improvement

• Identify and assess potential financial risks associated with projects and propose mitigation measures.
• Develop and regularly run simulations to proactively identify risks that could prevent ESP from achieving its financial targets and propose mitigation measures.
• Develop and continuously improve our financial management processes and tools and contribute to develop a strong financial culture among ESP teams.

You will get the opportunity to work in collaboration with a diverse and experienced team across different geographies and areas of expertise.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in the fields of Economics, Business Administration, financial management, accounting, or others related field.
• Minimum ofSeven years’ experience in the field of financial management of complex international projects, with large donors and institutions.
• Strong financial analysis and financial modeling skills.
• Proficiency in computer tools, especially Excel, and accounting software.
• Professional or extra-professional experience on the African continent/knowledge of the realities of the continent.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team while meeting deadlines.
• Fluent in English and French.

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 daily.
• 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.

Apply now by sending your CV to:  esptalent@espartners.co  with the reference Programs Finance Officer.