Position: Business Development Manager - Marketing

Location: New York, NY

Organization: Acumen Fund is a global non-profit venture capital fund, focused on supporting the delivery of critical services – water, health, housing, energy – at affordable prices to the four billion people earning less than four dollars a day in India, Pakistan, and East Africa.  Acumen Fund seeks to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor.  Acumen Fund has successfully impacted over 10 million lives so far, through over $30 million invested in South Asia and Africa. Its country offices in India, Pakistan and Kenya work closely with the New York team to identify and support local social enterprises.   Through our investments we address problems of poverty using market based approaches, demonstrating that there is a role for patient capital, intensive management assistance, and knowledge sharing at the base of the pyramid.  Since 2001, Acumen Fund has functioned under a philanthropic capital model, raising donations to fund investments in enterprises that deliver health, water, housing or energy to the poor.

Description: Acumen Fund’s Business Development team is responsible for raising philanthropic capital for Acumen Fund and for managing relationships across our extended community of Partners (donors), Advisors and supporters.

Acumen Fund is looking to create a step change in terms of awareness, excitement, and membership in our community of supporters and advocates – from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, and someday millions of people who believe that markets and entrepreneurship have a central role to play in the global fight on poverty.

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Position: Pakistan Portfolio Manager

Location: Karachi, Pakistan

Organization: Acumen Fund is a global non-profit venture capital fund, focused on supporting the delivery of critical services – water, health, housing, energy – at affordable prices to the four billion people earning less than four dollars a day in India, Pakistan, and East Africa.  Acumen Fund seeks to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor.  Acumen Fund has successfully impacted over 10 million lives so far, through over $30 million invested in South Asia and Africa. Its country offices in India, Pakistan and Kenya work closely with the New York team to identify and support local social enterprises.   Through our investments we address problems of poverty using market based approaches, demonstrating that there is a role for patient capital, intensive management assistance, and knowledge sharing at the base of the pyramid.  Since 2001, Acumen Fund has functioned under a philanthropic capital model, raising donations to fund investments in enterprises that deliver health, water, housing or energy to the poor.  In 2008, we launched an invested capital fund that will operate side by side with our philanthropic fund, making investments in enterprises that support the poor.

Description: The Pakistan Portfolio Manager will play a senior role within Acumen Fund Pakistan office, working closely with the Pakistan Country Director to develop and manage Acumen Fund’s investment portfolio in Pakistan.

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Position: Search and Selection Associate

Location: New York

Organization: Founded in 1997, Endeavor works with High-Impact Entrepreneurs in Latin America, the Middle East, South Africa, and India. High-Impact Entrepreneurs are operating for-profit businesses with enormous growth potential. Endeavor supports these entrepreneurs by providing access to mentors, strategic advice, management talent, capital, and inspiration. In turn, these entrepreneurs create jobs and wealth in their countries. To date, Endeavor has selected 406 High-Impact Entrepreneurs running 266 companies. These entrepreneurs have created over 86,000 jobs and, in 2007, $2.51BB in revenues.

Description: As a Search & Selection Associate, this person will be involved in a core part of Endeavor's model for identifying high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Together with the Search & Selection Director and a small (2 person) S&S team, he/she will oversee and coordinate Endeavor’s globally-managed, locally-run Search & Selection process to screen and select new Endeavor Entrepreneurs. Based in Endeavor's New York Headquarters, the individual will be working with staff and entrepreneurs throughout Latin America, South Africa, the MENA region, and India.

For more information, including how to apply, please see the attached job description.

Position: Summer Associates (varied roles)

Locations: Multiple

• New York, NY
• Karachi, Pakistan
• Hyderabad, India
• Nairobi, Kenya
  

Organization: Acumen Fund is a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. We seek to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor. Our investments focus on delivering affordable, critical goods and services – like health, water, housing and energy – through innovative, market-oriented approaches.

Description: Acumen Fund seeks Summer Associates for roles in the New York, Karachi, Hyderabad and Nairobi offices.  There are openings in the following offices/roles for 2009:

• Portfolio Associates - New York (2)
• Portfolio Associates - Pakistan (3-4)
• Portfolio Associates - India (2-3)
• Portfolio Associates - East Africa (3)
  
• Knowledge & Communications Associate - New York (1)
• Business Development and Communications Associate - Pakistan (1)

Full information, including position descriptions and instructions on how to apply, can be found on the Work with Acumen page of the Acumen Fund web site.

Application deadline is February 20, 2009.

It was a high profile news day for the development-through-enterprise community today.  First, a report was published at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland entitled The Next Billions: Unleashing Business Potential in Untapped Markets.  The report was produced by the Boston Consulting Group; Francisco and I were able to see an early version - we encourage everyone to check it out.

Is there much new here?  Yes and no.  There's not much in the way of new data, nor is there much as far as new analysis (if you've been following NextBillion.net at all, most of the points in here are old hat.)  Still, for a report to come out at the World Economic Forum about the BoP and specifically, the "next billions" is huge.  Important people go to Davos.  They listen.  Then they go back home and, in theory, they act.  So this is a huge day for the development through enterprise world.  I got an e-mail from one colleague calling it a "stop the presses" moment.  As we have no actual presses here at NextBillion, perhaps not literally, but you get the idea.

The other big news story of the day was a great op-ed written by Iqbal Quadir in the Wall Street Journal.  Entitled "Foreign Aid, Bad Governments: Helping entrepreneurs is the right approach," Quadir argues that the Cold War model of direct aid is broken and, instead, we should focus on lowering trade barriers and funding transformative small and medium enterprises.

Couldn't agree more.

Francisco and I will chew on these over the weekend and hope to have something more substantive by way of analysis for Monday.  In the meantime, happy reading.

Position: Capital Markets Manager

Location: New York

Organization: Acumen Fund is a global non-profit venture capital fund, focused on supporting the delivery of critical services – water, health, housing, energy – at affordable prices to the four billion people earning less than four dollars a day in India, Pakistan, and East Africa.  Acumen Fund seeks to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor.  Acumen Fund has successfully impacted over 10 million lives so far, through over $30 million invested in South Asia and Africa. Its country offices in India, Pakistan and Kenya work closely with the New York team to identify and support local social enterprises.   Through our investments we address problems of poverty using market based approaches, demonstrating that there is a role for patient capital, intensive management assistance, and knowledge sharing at the base of the pyramid.  Since 2001, Acumen Fund has functioned under a philanthropic capital model, raising donations to fund investments in enterprises that deliver health, water, housing or energy to the poor.  In 2008, we launched an invested capital fund that will operate side by side with our philanthropic fund, making investments in enterprises that support the poor.

Description: The Capital Markets Manager will report to the Director of Capital Markets and will hold primary responsibility for the major functioning aspects of our new fund, Acumen Capital Markets, including assessing investment opportunities, disciplined fund management, transaction execution, portfolio construction/financial modeling and controls/budgeting.  Strong candidates will have an interest in both private for-profit and not-for-profit opportunities.

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Position: Senior Portfolio Fellow

Location: New York

Organization: Acumen Fund is a global non-profit venture capital fund, focused on supporting the delivery of critical services – water, health, housing, energy – at affordable prices to the four billion people earning less than four dollars a day in India, Pakistan, and East Africa.  Acumen Fund seeks to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor.  Acumen Fund has successfully impacted over 10 million lives so far, through over $30 million invested in South Asia and Africa. Its country offices in India, Pakistan and Kenya work closely with the New York team to identify and support local social enterprises.   Through our investments we address problems of poverty using market based approaches, demonstrating that there is a role for patient capital, intensive management assistance, and knowledge sharing at the base of the pyramid.  Since 2001, Acumen Fund has functioned under a philanthropic capital model, raising donations to fund investments in enterprises that deliver health, water, housing or energy to the poor.  In 2008, we launched an invested capital fund that will operate side by side with our philanthropic fund, making investments in enterprises that support the poor.

Description: The Senior Portfolio Fellow will report to the Chief Investment Officer and will focus his or her attention assessing investment opportunities, transaction execution, management assistance/investment management and coaching/mentoring.

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Position: Vice President of Business Development and External Affairs

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts with travel up to 35 percent of the time

Organization: Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that provides credit and financial education to grassroots organizations—such as farmer and artisan associations as well as private businesses—in developing countries that have socially and environmentally responsible practices.  Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital currently has field offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Kenya.  By offering loans and financial training to small and growing businesses in rural areas of the developing world, Root Capital aims to fill the "missing middle" of finance—serving organizations caught in the gap between microfinance and traditional banking.  Root Capital’s support enables borrowers to take advantage of good business opportunities and rising demand for their products by providing loans and technical assistance needed to grow operations, invest in infrastructure, or manage cashless periods before harvest time.

Description: Reporting directly to the Founder/CEO, the Vice President will lead the business development and external affairs functions both strategically and operationally.  The Vice President’s specific responsibilities will include fundraising, representing Root Capital externally, developing internal management and information systems to help make Root Capital’s fundraising more effective, broadening its donor and investor base, and increasing revenues.  S/he will manage an eight-member team that includes individual and institutional fundraisers, marketing and communications professionals, and impact assessment staff.  The ideal candidate will be creative and resourceful, with an established reputation in impact investing, social enterprise, international economic development, financial services, and/or corporate social responsibility.

See the attached job description for more details, including information on how to apply.  More information on working with Root Capital can be found on their web site.

Position: Development Director

Location: Washington, DC

Organization: Agora Partnerships is a non profit, social mission organization dedicated to providing talented entrepreneurs in developing countries with the tools, networks, and financing necessary to launch successful, socially responsible businesses - the kind that can fight poverty, provided needed goods and services, and help build a sustainable society. Agora has launched operations in Nicaragua and is preparing to scale regionally.

Description: Agora Partnerships is hiring a Development Director to help the organization increase its impact and expand throughout Central America. Agora Partnerships is a non-profit organization that provides strategy, networks, and access to growth capital to small business entrepreneurs in the developing world capable of creating positive change in their communities. The organization currently focuses on Nicaragua and is expanding throughout Central America and Mexico. Ideal candidates will be entrepreneurial self-starters with excellent interpersonal and communications skills. They will have competitive drive and passion to help competitive small enterprises in the developing world succeed. The position will be part of the senior management team and will play an integral role developing and implementing Agora’s expansion strategy. As Agora has a small staff, we are looking for a high performing individual who has the skills and temperament to work independently and help Agora grow.

For more information, including how to apply, see the attached job description (PDF).

Position: Enterprise Development Specialists

Location: Africa (various countries)

Organization: CARANA Corporation, a contractor for USAID, designs and directs innovative economic growth strategies to help countries and businesses compete globally, reducing poverty and raising living standards around the world. For almost 25 years, we have specialized in market-led solutions to development challenges in more than 80 countries, packaging our expertise with on-the-ground resources for continuing, cost-effective results.

Description: CARANA has an immediate need for short and long-term Enterprise Development Specialists for current and pending projects in Africa.  CARANA’s Enterprise Development initiatives in Africa emphasize value chain development and market linkage strategies, targeting industries that are trying to grow their market share in U.S., European and regional markets.  These initiatives target industries that have significant potential for generating jobs and reducing poverty in the region. We have current opportunities for consultants with experience in the following areas:

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Santa Clara University is known in social entrepreneurial circles for its work helping to organize and judge the Tech Museum Awards – a showcase for social entrepreneurs, mostly from developing countries. Less well-known about the school is the Global Social Benefit Incubator, run by SCU's Center for Science, Technology, and Society and a host of Silicon Valley volunteers.

The GSBI, under the guidance of Professor Jim Koch, selects 15-20 enterprises from developing countries and provides an 8-month mentoring process. The mentoring culminates with an intensive 10-day process in Santa Clara, where entrepreneurs work with their mentors, other experts, and each other to prepare themselves to succeed upon their return home.  Applications for the fully-funded 2009 class of entrepreneurs are available now over at Social Edge.

Note: The first application exercise is due this Friday, January 16 - don't delay, start your application today!

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Like Rob mentioned in his post yesterday, I do think this is the year of ANDE. More precisely, I believe that thanks to forums like ANDE this will be a year in which companies and intermediaries serving low income markets will start to work in a more collaborative and coherent way, leveraging each other's innovations, successes and failures, and finding effective distribution mechanisms so that a more effective "knowledge brokerage" across boundaries is possible.

This may be the first step in building global supply chains for products aimed at low income markets, connecting the dots between existing supply (known to work at addressing specific needs) and existing demand. As far as the supply side is concerned, it is easy to see that most of the business models highlighted in BoP/ social enterprise literature, conferences and forums like this one are usually concerned with the design and commercialization of products and services that address very specific needs of the poor. Kickstart or IDE are examples in the case of irrigation. They have both developed products that work and serve their purpose in the context of small scale agriculture.

The quality and effectiveness of their products have been commented time and again; stats and success stories of their use abound. However, neither KickStart nor IDE have reached a truly global scale, the way, say, iPods have. Lack of demand for their products is not the reason, of course -- whether The Next 4 Billion or Aneel Karnani is right about the size of the markets at the base of the pyramid. Demand exists. The reason is that the marketing and distribution infrastructure to make a global reach and scale possible is not (yet) in place for the markets at the base of the pyramid. In other words there isn't someone that, like a retail outlet, aggregates products of several manufacturers (those that address needs like water management or energy or health), markets and makes them available and accessible to local communities.   

This is the opportunity that PowerMundo identified. Mike Callahan, its founder, traveled extensively through the poorest regions of Peru after learning that a vast portion of the population lacked electricity and/or used expensive, dirty and unhealthy fossil fuels for cooking and lighting.

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