Acumen is seeking a driven and action oriented Chief of Staff with a minimum of 10 years of experience to join our OCEO Team. This role is based in our New York office which operates under a hybrid model, with three days in the office: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Although this role is not “always on” it is “often on.''

About Acumen
We’re investors. A different kind of investor. We invest in people and companies working to solve problems for people living in poverty, investing in essential products and services that bring more opportunities, more choices to millions. To date, Acumen has positively impacted 501 million lives by investing $154M of patient capital in 167 innovative, early-stage companies in Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. Through Acumen Capital Partners, we are responsible for nearly $243 million in assets under management via our returnable pooled investment funds which have impacted 32 million people and offset 18 million tons of carbon. But investing clearly isn’t just about capital. It’s about investing in people. We’ve been investing in people for years through Acumen Academy. Connecting with over 1,600 emerging leaders in their own countries and engaging them in extended collective dialogue on what constitutes a “good society”, moral inquiry and skill building.

About the role
In this role you’ll serve as Chief of Staff for the CEO: coordinating and managing the engagement model for the CEO in order to ensure rapid decision making, coordinated execution, and visibility to key initiatives within the company. Your goal is to enable the leadership team to operate at a high level of performance. Accountabilities include :

Facilitate successful implementation of the organization’s operating model

• Provide an on-going feedback mechanism for operating effectiveness of the organization to include identifying gaps in accountability and ownership across the organization on key strategic objectives. Facilitate CEO and senior team leadership visibility and engagement, with follow up when required.
• Partner with the senior leadership team to ensure communication flow across verticals. Create the agenda for the weekly Management Committee (MC) that ensures inspection of critical strategic initiatives while providing a forum for rapid decision making.
• Help strategically manage the CEO’s time working with the Executive Assistant and Executive Leadership team to identify when the CEO’s input on key decisions is most needed. Coordinate pre-read materials and analysis for meetings where decisions are expected, and drive follow-up where required.
• Act as a thought partner to the CEO identifying areas they should direct their focus, making sure the right things are being talked about at the right times, and ensuring there is alignment across the team.
• Coordinate work and activity that supports planning for quarterly board meetings including creation of agendas and contents for all board materials. Organize location and all logistics for the meetings.

Oversee implementation of communication strategy for the CEO

• In partnership with both the Chief of Marketing and Communications and Director of Communications to the CEO, provide input to the communications strategy for the CEO consistent with the organization’s annual communication objectives and priorities of the CEO.
• In partnership with Marketing and Communications participate in the design of internal communications for the CEO, including all team calls, town halls, and periodic organizational updates across multiple platforms and mediums.

Funder and Strategic Relationship management

• Work with CEO and senior leadership team to identify key strategic relationships to be developed and/or maintained, and coordinate outreach, scheduling and creation of agendas for meetings and follow up as required.
• In partnership with the Chief of Development and Partnerships, develop and oversee implementation of relationship management for existing and potential major donors to the organization, ensuring periodic touchpoints from the CEO where required and follow up as needed.
• Support CEO in preparations for external board meetings to include summary of board materials and briefs on other participating board members.

Travel for the CEO

• Work with senior leadership teams to organize CEO’s travel agendas and accompany CEO on select strategic trips to facilitate logistics for meetings, preparation and follow up. CEO travels 50-60% of the time..
• Design and manage all logistics for the annual board trip to one of the regions. Accompany board and senior leadership to manage all meetings and travel issues for a group as large as fifteen.

Skills & Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years of work experience with a BA, BS, or equivalent in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA preferred but not required.
• Management experience preferred, including staff and budget responsibility
• An activator; action-oriented and driven; solutions oriented
• Strong influencing skills; comfortable negotiating and driving timely decisions
• Diplomatic with high levels of professional confidence and business acumen
• Strong leadership skills with proven ability to influence and garner support for objectives
• Prior experience in a program management role
• Demonstrated effective communication skills and strong executive presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build strong relationships
• Self reflective and aligned with Acumen’s Values
• Authorized to work in the U.S., must be based in New York

Deadline to apply
Apply as early as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until June 19, 2024

The salary range for this role in New York is $90,000 to $128,00 USD plus a performance-based bonus.This range represents the present low and high end of pay range of our Associate Director Band. Actual compensation will vary based on various factors including but not limited to experience. Acumen has equal pay, so pay is determined through comparison to a cohort of employees in the market at the same level of accountability.

#LI-ACU1