Deputy Chief Of Staff / Business Strategy Associate

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a highly skilled Deputy Chief of Staff (DCoS) /  Business Strategy Associate (BSA) to join our team and work closely with leadership to build and execute Delta40’s strategy.  The Business Strategy Associate will report to the Chief of Staff and will have the opportunity to work with different teams within the platform.  The DCoS / BSA is a highly dynamic role - one day you may be preparing materials for investor updates, another you may be in the  field supporting our portfolio companies, and the next you may be writing a thought leadership piece on the venture studio model. This role will be adaptive based on the needs of the organization and the skills/interests of the candidate. More specifically, BSA will conduct research to inform strategic decisions, scope and execute strategic initiatives/projects, advance key partnerships and support leadership.  Business Strategy Associates will use rigorous, data driven insights to make project recommendations and will own projects through the entire process from project scoping and execution to post project reflection. .  

To succeed in this role, the ideal BSA candidate will have experience working in an entrepreneurial environment in Africa, strong project management and business analysis skills, excellent communication skills, and ability to execute and manage multiple competing priorities.  All venture studio team members must also be committed to a mission-driven, collaborative, open and high performing team culture within the studio.

This position will be based in the Delta40 office in Nairobi, Kenya, and will work closely with our team and partners across Africa.  Some domestic and pan-African travel may be required.

Key Responsibilities

As the Delta40 Venture Studio is new, this role may change as the needs of the organization change. To begin, this role  will have the following responsibilities:

• Leadership and Stakeholder Support - Strategic Projects, Investor Relations, New Programs,  and Strategic Support (50%)

Provide ongoing strategic support to leadership, key partners, and stakeholders:

• Work closely with the Chief of Staff to assess new program opportunities and strategic initiatives

• Join meetings, document and send follow up as appropriate with key partners

• Create content for key partners and stakeholders as needed to raise capital, increase awareness about the venture studio and deepen relationships with investors, partners and potential employees

• Conduct market research and analysis to evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of new programs

• Support the Chief of Staff in managing relationships with existing investors and cultivating relationships with potential investors including preparing materials for investor meetings and communications and researching and identifying potential opportunities for investment

• Conduct research to identify potential investment opportunities and market trends

• Support the development of external venture studio materials and communication strategy

• Assist in developing and owning thought leadership and communications materials for the broader ecosystem

• Various tasks and responsibilities that may arise on an as-needed basis to assist the Chief of Staff in effectively managing day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives

• Research & Business Analysis (15%)

Conduct business relevant research and provide quantitative analysis on data sets to inform strategic decisions within the studio:

• Support with the development of the overall venture studio strategy

• Conduct rigorous, but efficient primary and secondary research on topics strategically relevant to the venture studio

• Provide quantitative and qualitative analysis

• Synthesise and communicate insights to inform strategy

• Write white papers, summaries and reports, as needed

• Project  Management (15%)

Scope and execute strategic projects to support and accelerate the development, growth and impact of the venture studio, including:

• Scope projects with input from key stakeholders

• Create project plans and budgets

• Coordinate cross-functional teams to drive project execution and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Lead and/or oversee execution of project plan and measure progress towards goals

• Drive rigorous, high velocity project decisions with appropriate team members/stakeholders as needed.  Conduct analysis of different strategic decisions or pathways and present to leadership with recommendations

• Document project progress and learnings through retrospectives to evaluate impact

• Ensure ongoing execution of project or initiative at end of contract

• Administrative Support (20%)

• • Admin support as needed and appropriate based on candidate and team priorities
    • Provide high-level administrative support to the Managing Partner, including calendar management, travel arrangements, and expense reporting.
    • Assist in preparing correspondence, presentations, and reports for internal and external stakeholders.
    • Coordinate meetings, events, and conferences, ensuring smooth execution and follow-up.
    • Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Required Experience

• Demonstrated passion for our mission to build high impact, commercially scalable ventures in Energy, Agriculture and Mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa to address some of Africa’s greatest income inequality and climate issues
• Leadership experience in a professional, educational or community setting
• 2-3+ years of management consulting experience preferred, or  start-up, business research, business analysis, project management experience
• Strong professional verbal, written, visual communication and presentation skills
• Experience analysing qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategy and decision making
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to a strong team culture and build and maintain strong working relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• Must be comfortable self-managing multiple priorities and partners concurrently, thrive in the face of change and uncertainty, and be motivated to drive projects forward
• Highly adaptable and dynamic able to take on and own new initiatives
• Positive, encouraging, collaborative attitude.
• Strong references and demonstration of high performance and reliability
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• Legal authorization to work in Kenya required

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in the energy, agriculture or mobility sectors
• Experience working in an entrepreneurial environment in Africa