Portfolio Manager at Semicolon Village Limited

Location: Yaba, Lagos

Scope

• The Start-Ups Portfolio Manager (Portfolio Manager) is a critical member of our family, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• The Portfolio Manager will be involved in both the design and implementation of the organization’s Venture Building (Idea-to-MVP and Growth Lab) programs.
• S/he will offer comprehensive organizational support to start-ups in our Venture Building portfolio.
• The Portfolio Manager will provide strategic thinking and guidance to each start-up in the Venture Building portfolio on policies, procedures, processes, and implementation to ensure that they are aligned with strategic priorities.
• S/he will provide direct short-term and long-term planning and business management guidance as required, to ensure portfolio companies are ready for the next growth phase.

Primary Relationships:

• Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
• Manages external relationships with: Early Stage Investors, Partners/Donors, Banks

Principal Responsibilities and Accountabilities
The role will include, but will not be limited to the following areas:

Strategic Development:

• Support organizational development, including setting up management and accountability systems.
• Distill strategy into an operations blueprint; define operational performance goals; align resources and activities; and ensure accountability for and fulfillment of organizational and stakeholder objectives
• Carry out regular risk assessments for the companies and advise the CEO on appropriate actions to mitigate risks.
• Assist the portfolio companies in the business planning process
• Guide companies to operationalize the funding and organizational models determined
• Provide support in developing the sales and marketing strategy in respect of offerings.

Operational Excellence:

• Create and institutionalize an efficient project monitoring and reporting system for the Venture Building unit.
• Guide portfolio companies in creating an efficient project monitoring and reporting system to ensure achievement of objectives, deadlines, and regulatory requirements.
• Institute a Total Quality Management (TQM) culture in portfolio companies by identifying, developing, and implementing processes and setting standards of excellence.
• Provide quarterly progress reports, recommend solutions where applicable and ensure that they are implemented.
• Work closely with the company’s lawyers to provide portfolio companies legal support where necessary.
• Set operational performance goals for portfolio companies and hold managers accountable.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures and practices that are in line with global best practice

Financial Management:

• Provide effective and efficient management and development of core functions and teams, to ensure financial and operational integrity.
• Work with accountant to develop internal systems for monitoring and ensuring the accuracy of all financial data
• Ensure statutory compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and provide advice and assistance on all financial regulatory issues.
• Guide and contribute to the preparation of financial reports, budgets, and financial models.
• Contribute to the relationships the Accountant develops with portfolio companies.
• Ensure there is appropriate segregation of duties for all finance-related activities

Staff Development:

• Lead, coach, and mentor the founders to ensure customer focus and high standards of delivery.
• Ensure that all output from the founders meets Semicolon’s high standards of delivery..
• Develop a learning culture by sharing best practices and successes between the portfolio companies.
• Identify and provide ongoing formal/informal capacity development opportunities.
• Monitor, manage and report on the performance of portfolio companies and their founders, including setting monthly objectives and timelines.
• Conduct frequent plan reviews

Job Competencies and Capabilities
Essential Qualifications & Experience:

• Master’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, or any related discipline from a reputable institution, or equivalent professional qualifications in Accounting and Finance.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic partner to the CEO of portfolio companies on financial, human resources, administrative, operational, and other related issues.
• Successful track record of operational engagement across multiple functions, including finance, administration, HR, and/or IT, with evidence of consistent results.
• Direct experience in setting up business operations and systems, and developing and implementing operational processes and procedures
• Demonstrated experience working in a complex or pioneering environment and in facilitating change management

Desired Qualifications & Experience:

• Experience in one or more of our organization’s strategic areas.
• 5 years work experience.
• Project management experience with relevant certification

Competencies
The Portfolio Manager will possess the following:

Strategic Capability:

• A strong analytical mind and ability to grasp and shape strategy quickly.
• Creative problem-solving skills to shape and operate within an evolving organizational architecture.
• A clear focus on organizational goals, amid multiple competing demands, and a capacity to prioritize effectively in order to realize these.
• Highly numerate with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to produce concise, well-structured, and very high-quality reports and presentations.
• A strong appreciation for and knowledge of social issues particularly the Nigerian case – youth unemployment, education, agriculture, health, entrepreneurship, etc.
• The ability to cultivate relationships with Semicolon’s partners and investor communities

Driving for Results:

• A results-driven approach with the confidence and resilience to assume a leadership role, ask challenging questions and pursue excellence in a demanding environment.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects.
• A proactive approach, taking ownership and responsibility across a diverse range of projects.
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement in processes and systems.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environment

Leading Teams:

• Ability to lead, coach, mentor, and inspire teams to ensure customer focus and high standards of delivery.
• The propensity to work collaboratively and to inspire team members to achieve results
• Organization-building mindset with the ability to influence and motivate people

Building Relationships and Using Influence:

• Excellent presentation and communication skills to represent our organization to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Effective influencing, negotiating, and relationship-building skills.
• Gravitas, credibility, and ability to initiate and develop strategic partnerships and alliances

Personal Attributes:

• Commitment to the social innovation agenda and a passion for Semicolon’s strategic objectives.
• Highly professional, organized, and efficient; able to multi-task effectively and prioritize work based on minimal direction and multiple competing priorities.
• Innovative and enterprising approach that is quick to search out alternative solutions to needs or problems.
• Discreet and respects confidentiality, with a high degree of integrity and resilience

Essential Job Functions:

• Provide thought leadership and overall guidance to internal teams.
• Collaborate with sales in engaging with customers and delivering appropriate proposals.
• Facilitate team discussions, prioritization, and governance to ensure efficient and effective decision-making.
• Lead business process mapping to identify the business drivers for the selection of technology solutions.
• Define and revise the target business process model and long-term organizational goals and priorities.
• Guide presentation of business plans and strategies for business cases.
• Coordinate with portfolio companies to develop business cases for new projects.
• Develop and implement a risk management plan.
• Work with the portfolio companies to analyze complex business problems and assess needs and opportunities that can be solved or enabled using technology.
• Share knowledge and develop founders’ capacities to strengthen understanding of best practices and stay current with industry trends.
• Take up other tasks as may be assigned.