Acumen is looking for someone with a minimum of 10 years of experience to execute the next three-year strategy for Southeast Asia, including overseeing existing programs, expanding into two new regions, overseeing alumni offerings across all programs and continuing to build on our robust community of Partners and supporters of Acumen in the region. This is an annual, renewable contract.

About Acumen
Acumen is an international nonprofit that solves problems of poverty through three distinct strategies. We invest patient capital (long-term philanthropy-backed investment) in companies that solve tough problems of poverty. We build alliances across sectors to scale solutions. And, from the lessons gained through our work, we are building “the world’s school for social change” to equip a generation with the tools, knowledge, and moral imagination required to take on tough problems. To date, Acumen has invested $145M in 140 companies that, in turn, have impacted the lives of more than 450M individuals across 19 nations; and we continue to expand our reach.

About Acumen Academy
Acumen Academy is unique. It’s a place where people from around the world go to find skills, tools, and a deeper exploration of character. It is a community created for and by individuals who are focused on building what the world could be rather than lamenting what is. Our hope is that anyone focused on making change comes to see Academy as the place to learn and contribute.

Acumen Academy offers a) immersive leadership programs b) an action and impact oriented global community bound by shared values (known as The Foundry) c) free online instructional resources created for entrepreneurial leaders that are available to anyone with an internet connection.

The Foundry is the gathering place for alumni of our Fellowship and Accelerator programs. There, Foundry members gain access to a community of supportive peers, mentorship, and opportunities to access social and financial capital.

The Role
The Acumen Academy South East Asia community is already 109 Foundry Members strong and has a network of Funders and supporters. Your role will be on an annual, renewable contract basis and will execute the next 3-year strategy for the region, which includes overseeing existing programs, expanding into two new regions, overseeing alumni offerings across all programs and continuing to build on our robust community of Partners and supporters of Acumen in the region. You must be willing and able to represent Acumen’s brand in the region. The person who was in this role previously, under the same renewable contract, is no going on to lead another initiative for Acumen.

Accountabilities :

Manage existing relationship and cultivate news ones with Partners in Southeast Asia

• Own the fundraising target for SEA and fundraise for two new programs in the region
• Prospect and cultivate institutional donor leads who have come through internal fundraising team
• Pitch & close institutional donors interested in Acumen Academy offerings
• Act as primary touch point for all Acumen Partners (Funders) in the region
• Build partner relationships through check-ins, in-person meetings and regular communication
• Identify opportunities to engage partners and deepen relationships
• Manage partner expectations by aligning partners with Acumen’s mission and strategy

Launch program in two new countries in the Region

• Launch our Fellowship in two new regions
• Hire and train local leadership for these two new programs
• Provide high-touch accompaniment in the start-up phase of the program

Oversee Existing Program in Vietnam

• Develop and manage Acumen’s relationship with Fulbright University Vietnam
• Understand expectations and manage relationship with Acumen Partner / Funder in Vietnam
• Support Acumen Center program management team with program recruitment and selection

Oversee Foundry support services for Southeast Asia

• Launch regional foundry initiatives
• Build partnerships with local opportunities relevant for foundry members
• Work closely with Acumen Global Foundry team to execute global foundry initiatives in SEA

This role will report to Acumen Academy Director, Bavidra Mohan.

Skills and Qualifications:
Ideal candidates will bring the right skills and values as well as a commitment to Acumen’s mission of solving problems of poverty, and a passion for leadership development.

• Minimum of 10 years’ work experience preferably in education, leadership development or fellowship, training, fundraising, entrepreneurship and experience establishing new ventures in new markets.
• Ability to understand our program and explain it in a compelling way.
• Ability to establish relationships with funders, likely in countries where you’re not, ability to share with them the value of our program in seek of social and financial support.
• Ability to lay out costs and a budget for respective country programs (with internal support from Acumen).
• Experience hiring a team, preferably in different countries than where you are located.
• Ability to onboard that team and orient them to our values.
• Ability to work efficiently against tight deadlines
• Familiarity and exposure to the field of social enterprise and poverty alleviation preferred
• A graduate/master’s degree in a related field (i.e. education, psychology, leadership, etc...)
• Experience in group facilitation/training or classroom teaching
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Self reflective and aligned with Acumen values
• Authorized to work in Malaysia. Located in KL.

Location :
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

#LI-ACU1