Investment Manager

Job Posting Organization:
Airbel Ventures is the impact investing arm of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which was launched in July 202

• The organization aims to bridge the gap between humanitarian needs and private-sector innovation by investing in seed-stage businesses across Africa and parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Airbel Ventures focuses on sectors such as climate, health, education, and economic opportunities, with the goal of reaching more people faster and at a lower cost in humanitarian contexts. As a separate entity wholly owned by the IRC, it is governed by a Board and an Investment Committee, ensuring that its operations align with the IRC's mission and values. The organization operates in multiple countries, leveraging its expertise to create impactful investments that can drive positive change in underserved communities.

Job Overview:
The Investment Manager at Airbel Ventures will play a pivotal role in sourcing, evaluating, and managing investments in early-stage companies that are expected to deliver both strong social impact and financial returns. This position reports directly to the Managing Partner of Airbel Ventures and collaborates closely with IRC's Country Programs and technical teams to enhance the traction of portfolio companies within humanitarian markets. The Investment Manager is also expected to strategically leverage AI tools to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of research and analysis processes, ensuring that all AI-generated content is meticulously reviewed for accuracy, quality, and alignment with the IRC's overarching mission and values. This role is crucial in fostering relationships with startups and investors, conducting thorough due diligence, and supporting portfolio companies post-investment to maximize their impact in humanitarian contexts.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Investment Manager will be responsible for a variety of key functions, including:

• Deal Sourcing: Identifying and cultivating relationships with relevant startups, accelerators, incubators, and investors across Africa to create a robust pipeline of potential investments.
• Due Diligence: Leading comprehensive due diligence processes that encompass market analysis, financial modeling, impact assessment, and risk evaluation. This includes developing Investment Memos (IMs) to present findings and recommendations to the Investment Committee.
• Portfolio Management: Providing ongoing support to portfolio companies after investment, which includes offering strategic guidance, assisting with fundraising efforts, conducting impact assessments, and building traction and use cases in humanitarian markets in collaboration with IRC's Country Programs and technical teams.
• Strategy Development: Contributing to the refinement of investment theses and deepening sector mapping across Airbel Ventures' focus sectors, sub-sectors, and verticals.
• Partnerships & Ecosystem Engagement: Representing Airbel Ventures at regional investor networks, events, and conferences to enhance visibility and foster partnerships within the African venture ecosystem.
• Internal Stakeholder Engagement: Managing relationships with relevant IRC internal stakeholders throughout the entire investment cycle and post-investment phases, particularly when building use cases and traction in humanitarian contexts.
• Additional Support: Assisting the Managing Partner with fundraising efforts, overall portfolio strategy, and broader internal stakeholder engagement within the IRC.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess the right to work in Kenya and have 6 to 8 years of experience in venture capital, impact investing, development finance, or management consulting, with a strong background in impact investing projects. They should have experience managing due diligence processes from sourcing to closing and should be well-versed in the African startup ecosystems, with established networks within this space. Candidates should demonstrate excellent financial analysis skills, including proficiency in financial modeling, as well as strong analytical, verbal, and written communication skills. A demonstrated interest in impact investing and innovation for underserved or frontier markets is essential, along with the ability to work across diverse sectors and geographies. An entrepreneurial mindset, high independence, and the ability to thrive in an early-stage team environment are also critical. Furthermore, candidates should be adept at driving execution while navigating multiple internal stakeholder segments within a large global NGO and should be comfortable leveraging AI tools strategically in research and analysis.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in finance, business, economics, or a related field is preferred for this position. This educational background will provide the necessary theoretical foundation and analytical skills required to excel in the role of Investment Manager at Airbel Ventures.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have a minimum of 6 to 8 years of relevant work experience. This experience should ideally encompass venture capital, impact investing, development finance, or management consulting, with a specific focus on projects related to impact investing. Candidates should have a proven track record of managing due diligence processes from initial sourcing through to closing, as well as experience within the African startup ecosystems, which includes having existing networks across this landscape.

Languages:
While the job posting does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential given the international nature of the organization and the need for effective communication with diverse stakeholders. Additional languages relevant to the regions in which Airbel Ventures operates may be considered advantageous but are not explicitly stated as requirements.

Additional Notes:
The working environment for this position is a standard office setting based in Nairobi, Kenya, with some regional and international travel required to engage with startups, investor networks, and ecosystem events across Africa. The IRC prioritizes candidates who are based in Kenya and possess the right to work in the country; however, exceptional candidates from other countries where the IRC has a registered office may also be considered. The IRC is committed to equal opportunity employment and evaluates all applicants based on merit, without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. All IRC workers are expected to adhere to the core values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct, which include Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability.