About AECF
AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a leading non-profit development organization supporting innovative agribusiness and renewable energy enterprises to reduce rural poverty, promote resilient communities, and create jobs.
We catalyze the private sector by surfacing and commercializing new ideas, business models, and technologies designed to increase agricultural productivity, improve farmer incomes, expand clean energy access, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve resilience to the effects of climate change. We finance high-risk businesses that struggle to access commercial funding. We are committed to working in frontier markets, fragile contexts, and high-risk economies where few mainstream financing institutions dare to go.
Over 17 years, we have supported 536 businesses in 27 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, impacted more than 36 million lives, created over 35,000 direct jobs, and leveraged US$840 million in matching funds.
About the role
The Chief of Staff and Associate Director Strategy will be responsible for supporting the development and execution of the organization’s overall strategic vision. This includes identifying key growth areas, overseeing market analysis, and ensuring alignment between programs and the AECF’s long-term goals, often collaborating closely with senior leadership to drive impactful initiatives across the sub-Saharan region. This will require extensive experience in private sector development, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of African markets and challenges.
This is a strategic role that requires an analytical and structured thinker to provide support and strategy thought partnership to the CEO. The incumbent will be the connector and conduit between senior leadership, employees, and key stakeholders to help support the CEO’s organizational mandate of achieving our strategic objectives.
The role will report to the CEO.
Key responsibilities
Thought partner
- Support high-stakes decision-making by conducting scenario analysis and evaluating strategic trade-offs.
- Act as a strategic thought partner and thought provider to the CEO and be a sounding board to the ExCO team.
- Develop a good understanding of current business and sectoral issues and be able to provide timely insights, analysis and advice to the CEO.
- Curate strategic insights from industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive intelligence
- Coordinate and partner with others to drive an effective cadence of functional operating meetings, including ExCO, townhalls, and strategy reviews.
- Play an active role in the development and implementation of tools and resources to improve efficiency across all AECF’s processes, systems, programs and initiatives.
- Support the CEO’s participation in internal and external high-stake meetings and stakeholder engagements.
- Identify areas of change for better delivery and support change management plans.
- Lead periodic comprehensive reviews of the corporate strategy to ensure AECF can incorporate emerging trends and lessons and iterate as necessary while actively managing any issues that could affect its successful implementation.
- Design, prioritize and lead the implementation of key strategic initiatives and special projects, working closely with a wide range of cross-functional partners (Sectoral Teams, Operations Team, Donors, etc.).
- Work closely with the executive team to develop, iterate, and pursue the execution of strategic priorities to realize our organizational strategic goals.
- Establish a clear rhythm of business across the organization to ensure the realization of the strategy in alignment with the organization’s values of innovation, collaboration, excellence and valuing people.
- Lead and support the executive team in aligning the communication of strategic priorities and direction to all staff and stakeholders.
- Help develop and drive an innovative plan, establishing clear processes for generating and implementing new and relevant ideas.
- Act as a liaison between the CEO, leadership team, and key internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepare briefing materials for the CEO’s meetings, ensuring they are well-informed and strategically positioned.
- Represent the CEO in meetings, ensuring consistent messaging and strategic alignment.
Strategy advisory and planning
- Lead periodic comprehensive reviews of the corporate strategy to ensure AECF can incorporate emerging trends and lessons and iterate as necessary while actively managing any issues that could affect its successful implementation.
- Design, prioritize and lead the implementation of key strategic initiatives and special projects, working closely with a wide range of cross-functional partners (Sectoral Teams, Operations Team, Donors, etc.).
- Work closely with the executive team to develop, iterate, and pursue the execution of strategic priorities to realize our organizational strategic goals.
- Establish a clear rhythm of business across the organization to ensure the realization of the strategy in alignment with the organization’s values of innovation, collaboration, excellence and valuing people.
- Lead and support the executive team in aligning the communication of strategic priorities and direction to all staff and stakeholders.
- Help develop and drive an innovative plan, establishing clear processes for generating and implementing new and relevant ideas.
Communication and stakeholder engagement
- Act as a liaison between the CEO, leadership team, and key internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepare briefing materials for the CEO’s meetings, ensuring they are well-informed and strategically positioned.
- Represent the CEO in meetings, ensuring consistent messaging and strategic alignment.
Required qualifications, experience and attributes
- A master’s degree in business administration or a related field.
- +10 years of experience in strategy consulting, strategy/business intelligence, or international development.
- An ability to “take the lead” rather than waiting to receive the lead and still collaborate. An ability to speak up when disagreeing and share your knowledge and perspective.
- Successfully served as Chief of Staff or Strategy Lead in a mid-sized organization within the impact investing space.
- You’re solutions-oriented, using data to drive decisions and turning ideas into actionable initiatives that resonate with stakeholders.
- You thrive in fast-paced environments, expertly managing multiple projects while focusing on priorities and deadlines.
- An excellent communicator, both in writing and speaking, with fluency in English. Knowing French would be a fantastic plus.
- Highly organized and analytical, with a talent for strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Great at building strong, collaborative relationships with senior leaders, peers, and team members at all levels.
- Enjoys managing teams toward outcomes that matter. Leads with clarity and trust.
- Self-reflective and aligned with AECF values.
How to apply
The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered based on merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
AECF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).
See the full job description on our website. If you believe you meet the criteria for the role, register and apply on https://recruitment.aecfafrica.org . To be considered, your application must be received by: 19th March 2025.
For more information, please visit our careers page on www.aecfafrica.org
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.