Ashesi University College: Executive Director

The Ghana Climate Innovation Center (GCIC) is being established at Ashesi and will support Ghana’s economic development, job creation and industrial competitiveness through support to clean technology businesses and industries, some of the most promising and important sectors of the 21st century.

Through provision of financing and non-financial services, the GCIC will support local entrepreneurs that develop innovative technologies and business models in areas such as clean energy, climate resilient agriculture, clean water and sanitation. The GCIC will also provide a platform to create international business-to-business linkages, enhance knowledge sharing and facilitate trade. As part of a global network of Climate Innovation Centers, the GCIC will learn and share from best international experiences on supporting clean technology industries. Background on the infoDev Climate Technology Program is available here, and the business plan for the GCIC is available here.

The GCIC will become the focal point of innovative commercial development of profitable climate-related business in Ghana and potentially West Africa. The GCIC is supported by the World Bank and the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands.  The GCIC will be established by a consortium led by Ashesi University College and including SNV Ghana, Ernst and Young and the United Nations University.

Job Description

Job Title: Executive Director – Ghana Climate Innovation Center

Services to be provided by the GCIC

•   Entrepreneurship and Venture Acceleration, including advisory services; mentoring and business training; access to start-up facilities; and a women’s entrepreneurship program.
•   Access to Finance, including proposal evaluation; proof of concept grants (up to USD 50,000); access to a related Seed Capital Facility; and access to commercial investors and banks.
•   Market Growth and Access through the production of market studies and reports on climate technology markets and trends.
•   Technology and Product Development, principally by facilitating access to technical services, design, prototyping and testing.
•   Policy & Regulatory Support through research and policy advocacy.

Job Description

•   The GCIC seeks an Executive Director to establish the Center and sustainably manage its activities to meet its aspirational objectives. The successful candidate will be the chief executive of the Center and will report directly to the President of Ashesi University College.

•   The Executive Director will be responsible for developing and executing the GCIC strategy, recruiting and managing a team, developing and managing a diverse set of partnerships, continuously adapting and refining the GCIC service offering and sustainability model, overseeing the planning and administration of the GCIC, and directing all activities which support the GCIC’s growth and mission. The Executive Director will be the face of the GCIC, accountable for the GCIC’s successful implementation, public relations, and for achieving and measuring progress towards development objectives to which the GCIC contributes.

•   To this end, the GCIC is looking for candidates with outstanding leadership and managerial capabilities, results-oriented mind-set, entrepreneurial drive and demonstrated understanding of issues relating to entrepreneurship support. In addition to her or his thorough understanding of the local entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, candidates should demonstrate that they can motivate and lead teams and engender trust amongst all relevant stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

•   Set and implement the overall strategic direction for the GCIC to meet its objectives and deliver on its targets.
•   Ensure high quality delivery of the full range of GCIC advisory, technical, policy and financing services for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) including as a liaison to sources of financing through syndicating commercial investors and bank financing.
•   Successfully recruit and manage staff on a day to day basis ensuring performance against agreed objectives with regular reviews and development.
•   Brand and promote the GCIC to ensure high visibility and a positive image of the center, the World Bank (InfoDev) and its sponsors.
•   Act as spokesperson for the GCIC in discussions with stakeholders and donors, in conferences and other relevant forums as well as at media events.
•   Lead the effort in business development to increase funding for GCIC activities and sustainability of the GCIC.
•   Maintain strong and effective relations with the government of Ghana, donors to the center, relevant stakeholders and industry associations to ensure continuous dialogue on relevant policy areas.
•   Ensure compliance to legal and fiduciary requirements of the government of Ghana and the finance and procurement procedures of the World Bank.
•   Prudently manage finances and other resources, including helping incubated businesses manage their resources where necessary.
•   Report to the GCIC Advisory Committee on a regular basis as required by the Governance policy.
•   Build an evidence base of results and lead the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in accordance with the M&E requirements of the GCIC, showcasing successful enterprises.

Working Conditions

•   The job may require working outside office hours to meet deadlines and address operational emergencies in some cases.
•   The job will require on-site visits to GCIC clients located from across Ghana. This may happen on a regular basis.
•   International and domestic travel may occur from time to time, including to interact with the global network of CICs.

Qualification Required & Experience

Requirements

•   A Masters’ degree in a relevant field is preferable. However, a Bachelors’ degree with substantial track record of excellent executive management capability will be considered.
•   Ten (10) or more years’ experience in managing projects especially at the early stages of project development.
•   Entrepreneurial experience in having successfully started and/or run a business preferably in the clean tech sector will be considered a strong advantage.
•   Demonstrated understanding of issues relating to enterprise development. It will be an advantage to have been involved in the management of a seed fund, business incubator, accelerator, or SME support organisation.
•   Experience in fundraising will be considered a strong plus.
•   Demonstrated rigorous understanding of the local context including the business and investment climate in Ghana and the Sub-Saharan Region in the private and public sectors and ability to interact with key stakeholders, from both public and private sectors.
•   Experience in budgeting and financial management of small organizations.
•   Evidence of networking ability. It will be an advantage to have established networks with the business community in Ghana and the Sub-Saharan Region at large.
•   Excellent team player with management experience in leading a lean, highly motivated, expert team with evidence of past results in relation to start-up organizations.
•   Proven interpersonal and leadership skills, results-oriented mindset including ability to motivate and lead teams and engender trust amongst clients, employees and partners.
•   Demonstrated passion, interest, knowledge and understanding about the dynamics of climate change.
•   Strong mentoring, communications and personnel management skills.
•   Comfortable working with companies that operate in the climate technology space, at various levels of technological sophistication.
•   Ability to utilize appropriate software packages and technologies such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Adobe Acrobat, as per the demands of the job.
•   Ability to multi-task under tight deadlines.
•   Must be fluent in spoken and written English. French as a second language is a plus.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Apply by sending your Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae to:

[email protected]

Closing Date: 29 December, 2016