Fresh Jobs at Semicolon

Location: Yaba, Lagos

Scope

• A product designer plays an important role during all stages of product development. S/he should be skilled at translating the goal of the product into a functional user experience and nurturing that experience as the product matures through different stages of the product life cycle.
• Our Ideal Product Designer is a tech-driven individual with strength in UI / UX design, product design, and Graphic design, alongside interaction design, and information architecture, etc.
• You will work on various products we develop for our users, tech founders and clients. You will work with other designers and cross-functional team members and will rely heavily on both qualitative and quantitative data to make informed decisions.
• You will be focused on the needs of the users. You will be responsible for defining product specifications, creating digital and print designs/drawings, and designing fully functional products. You should have an eye for color and shape and be able to translate requirements into practical product features.
• Ultimately, you will help us build products that address pain points, are easy to use, and visually appealing to our potential customers.

Responsibilities

• By partnering with cross-functional teams and customers, you will turn your insights into delightful products in a creative environment that requires proven leadership skills and the ability to execute a creative vision.

Your Responsibilities in details:

• Identify opportunities for new products
• Analyze how a new product ties in with market needs and consumer preference
• Prototype and design fully functional products.
• Test functionality of new products.
• Execute day-to-day tasks around Information Architecture, Interaction design, Visual Design, Branding, Illustration.
• Create digital and print designs; for branding, brand awareness, and product positioning on both traditional and digital media/platforms.
• Analyze briefs from internal teams and external partners and factor them in when setting design requirements.
• Improve the design of existing products
• Gather feedback from product users
• Provide assistance to product engineers when needed.
• Research and recommend new tools and technologies by staying abreast of the latest trends and techniques
• Other Design duties as assigned.

Requirements

• BSc / MSc in any discipline, preferably Product Design, Manufacturing Design Engineering, or a relevant field.
• 5 years + industry-standard experience as a Product Designer or in a similar role
• Ability to use a variety of design tools including but not limited to; Figma, Sketch, Illustrator, Photoshop, Coreldraw, etc, and prototyping software.
• Knowledge of and ability to use modeling software.
• Proven experience in the various phases of the product life cycle, design process, including user research, copywriting, wireframing, prototyping, Illustration, visual design, branding, interaction design, and usability testing.
• Knowledge of industrial design.
• A well-rounded portfolio of client work, demonstrating a strong understanding of client objectives.
• Ability to effectively communicate and persuade around design concepts.
• Passion for design; not satisfied with the status quo and always thinking of ways to improve
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Dynamic, creative personality, effective at engaging and influencing a various audience
• Time-management and adaptability
• An intuitive eye for customer needs beyond the obvious
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional team members
• Ability to collect and interpret both qualitative and quantitative feedback
• Other requirements as specific to the organizational model.

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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.

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Our organization is a workspace located at Yaba Lagos. We are looking for a qualified Community Manager to join our team, essentially, to help us achieve two key aims:

• Fill the workspace with appropriate customers/clients- using Sales, Marketing, PR, and communications Skills

• Manage the place- using quality customer service, customer Retention, and PR skills

If you are a tech-savvy professional, experienced in social media, PR, and promotional events, Communications, Sales, and Operational Management, we would like to meet you. Our ideal candidate has exceptional oral and written communication skills and is able to develop engaging content. You should be a ‘people person' with great customer service skills and the ability to moderate online and offline conversations with our community. Ultimately, you should be able to act as the face and voice of our brand and manage all community communications.

Responsibilities

• Be versatile, with practicable knowledge and ability in Sales, Marketing, PR, and Communications to ensure brand consistency.

• Carry out and supervise all operational processes.

• Be vibrant and energetic.

• Have a keen interest in staying up-to-date on new products and features.

• Organize and participate in events to build community and boost brand awareness

• Build relationships with customers, potential customers, industry professionals, and journalists

• Stay up-to-date with digital technology trends

• Set and implement social media and communication campaigns to align with marketing strategies

• Provide engaging text, image, and video content for social media accounts

• Respond to comments and customer queries in a timely manner

• Monitor and report on feedback and online reviews.

• Perform other duties as required and as specific to the organization.

Requirements

• BSc degree in Marketing or a relevant field

• Good Digital Marketing-Savvy individual

• Minimum of 2 years proven work experience, at least, 1 year as a Community Manager or in a similar role .

• Experience launching community initiatives (e.g. building an online forum, launching an ambassador program, creating an event series, and writing email newsletters)

• Ability to identify and track relevant community metrics (e.g. renewed subscription at the workspace, one-time customers who return to use the facility, etc)

• Excellent verbal communication skills

• Excellent writing skills

• Hands-on experience with social media management for brands

• Ability to interpret website traffic and online customer engagement metrics

• Knowledge of online marketing and marketing channels

• Attention to detail and ability to multitask.

• Good operational and people management skills.