Job Description

The MEST Incubator is looking for an incubator fellow for a 3 month assignment supporting software startups in Accra, Ghana . Our Incubator is home to over fifteen (and growing!) funded early stage technology startups, comprised of graduates from our award­winning training program that recruits exceptional talent from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa (meltwater.org/incubator).

The African technology ecosystem is evolving at a blistering pace, and we’re looking for someone who is excited to dive into uncharted waters and help our teams write the playbook on how to build and scale world­class technology companies from Africa.

You’ll be supported by the local team in Africa and San Francisco and report directly to the General Manager of the MEST Incubator.

There are no easy answers to the challenges our founders face, and in many cases, we’ll be looking to you to help our teams define success and work towards that outcome. Are you up for the challenge? Come join us.

THIS IS WHAT YOU'LL BE WORKING ON

Work closely with 3 to 5 assigned portfolio companies to scope and prioritize projects, understand user needs, and translate them into effective sales methodologies.

1. Coach these companies on sales methods and how to do what­ when?
2. Work together with these companies to create an overall sales pipelines for

these companies and reduce inefficiencies in the sales cycle.

1. Understand customer success and translate into effective product/service

feedback.

1. On an incubator level,create a sales/customer framework which will

grow.

1. Liaise between company and incubator management.This will include

making sure that reports and KPIs are reported accurately and on time.

NICE TO HAVE

While not strictly required, we’d be particularly excited if you:

• Have an enviable rolodex of warm relationships at numerous companies
• Are familiar with or have a very active interest in how technology

entrepreneurship is evolving in Africa or other fast moving emerging markets.

• Have a background in product management, digital marketing or sales
• Have experience in the following spaces: consumer mobile apps, ecommerce

platforms, agriculture

MEST MAKING WAVES & HEADLINES

• MEST entrepreneurs have developed solutions addressing local & global markets, received outside follow­on funding from global investors, and have gained admittance to top accelerator programs such as Y­Combinator, 500 Startups and TechStars.
• MEST entrepreneurs have also been selected by President Obama to represent at the U.S.­Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. and have also been named Mandela Washington Fellows, a flagship program of Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
• MEST itself is regarded as “one of the largest private investments in Ghanaian economic development” by DFID and has received recognition from Forbes, AlJazeera, CNN, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, BBC, and MarketWatch. MEST was also recently recognized as Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Africa.
• Corporate strategic partners include the likes of SAP, Samsung, Vodafone and Facebook’s internet.org — all of which have a shared interest in bolstering the emerging tech ecosystem in Africa as means to economic growth.

About the company

Established in Ghana in 2008, MEST offers aspiring African entrepreneurs a fully sponsored a twelve month, intensive full­time program. Sourced from top graduates in Ghana, Nigeria & Kenya, 30+ of these Entrepreneurs­In­Training (EITs) are selected each year and receive comprehensive training across the spectrum of skills required to build successful tech businesses, including computer programming, software development, product management, finance, marketing, sales and leadership best practices.

After completion of the program, the EITs have the opportunity to pitch a concept. Winning teams receive a seed round from the MEST incubator to pursue their idea.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS

Interested in teaching entrepreneurs the core importance of understanding customers, increasing sales and engaging with the entire customer pipelines. You should ideally have 1 ­ 2 years of experience of sales whilst working on the different angles of acquisition, engagement and success.

NICE TO HAVE

While not strictly required, we’d be particularly excited if you:

• Have an enviable rolodex of warm relationships at numerous companies
• Are familiar with or have a very active interest in how technology

entrepreneurship is evolving in Africa or other fast moving emerging markets.

• Have a background in product management, digital marketing or sales
• Have experience in the following spaces: consumer mobile apps, ecommerce

platforms, agriculture