Chief Executive Officer at Southern African Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (SAVCA)

About the job
The SAVCA CEO provides the association with strategic management, leadership and oversight of the operational aspects to ensure SAVCA meets its objectives and is representative of its members and the broader ecosystem within the public domain.

This role requires an individual who understands the importance of prioritising the profiling of SAVCA and the industry above self-promotion, who can build trusting relationships, is able to creatively solve problems, is a good leader who is humble enough to get their hands dirty and understands how to balance immediate needs with long term goals.

Principal Responsibilities:

Strategy development and execution

• Develop the SAVCA strategy and annual performance measurements (KPIs), with the support of the SAVCA Board.
• Translate the strategy into executional business plans, and lead the SAVCA Executive team to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Monitor progress against the business plans and report quarterly to the Board on progress made.
• Devise corrective actions, where necessary, to discuss with the Board for approval.

Member services

• Establish and maintain positive relationships with SAVCA members.
• Provide support and advice to members where appropriate.
• Oversee the execution of the member value proposition.
• Support the attraction of new members to SAVCA, whilst retaining existing members.

Regulatory advocacy

• With the support of the Head of Regulatory Affairs, ensure developments in legal, regulatory and tax matters are monitored, the position of the industry determined, recommendations submitted and members are informed.
• Advocate to improve the enabling environment for the industry in Southern Africa, especially in relation to regulation, taxation and education on the industry.
• Through participation in different government, industry and other forums, positively influence regulatory and policy aspects.

Marketing and communications

• Facilitate the development and implementation of communications and marketing plans to build and enhance the image of SAVCA and of the industry.
• Build the profile of SAVCA and the industry through media engagements in line with marketing and communication plans.
• Participate in events and forums (formally and informally) to influence the image of SAVCA and of the industry.
• Represent the profession within Africa and internationally.
• Ensure the good image and reputation of SAVCA is maintained.

Relationship building

• Develop and sustain relationships with a range of stakeholders where there is mutual benefit to promote the industry.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with African and other industry bodies/associations that support private market development and promotion.
• With the support from the SAVCA Executive, ensure member/stakeholder queries are dealt with efficiently.
• Determine who SAVCA should partner with, to achieve the association’s objectives and form mutually beneficial partnerships.

Research and publications

• Ensure SAVCA reports are published in line with the association’s policies and standards, within budgets and timelines, and are communicated accordingly to relevant stakeholders.
• Identify new research that will support the strategy and objectives of SAVCA, for the Board’s consideration.
• Where relevant, partner with stakeholders to support or produce research and publications.

Training/Capacity building

• Identify industry training and capacity building needs.
• Offer a training calendar that meet SAVCA and member goals based on the needs identified. This will include the requirements for continuous professional development.
• Ensure all training and capacity building offerings meet SAVCA standards and is an additional source of revenue for SAVCA.
• Develop training offerings that will serve the local investment community and upskill their understanding of private equity and venture capital.

Events

• Offer a series of events that will create meaningful networking opportunities for SAVCA members and industry stakeholders. This may include, amongst others, the annual private equity and venture capital conferences, research report launches, member meetings, etc.
• Ensure all events meet SAVCA standards and is aligned with SAVCA’s objectives.

Financial management and governance

• With the support of the Treasurer, develop an annual budget for sign-off by the Board, based on SAVCA’s strategic objectives and operational requirements.
• Monitor SAVCA’s financial position to ensure expenses are controlled within the financial plan/budget and provide quarterly reports to the Board.
• Make appropriate and timely decisions related to the financial sustainability of SAVCA.
• Ensure SAVCA meets all legislative/accounting requirements which includes financial reporting, annual audit, adherence to the MOI, etc.
• Ensure the Board has all the information necessary to properly exercise its responsibilities.

Operational and team management

• With the support of the Head of Operations, develop and implement relevant policies and procedures, and identify opportunities for efficiencies.
• Support the sub-committees of the Board and other advisory committees of the association to ensure objectives are met.
• Oversee operations of SAVCA, with the support from the SAVCA Executive team.
• Manage individual and team performance of the SAVCA Executive team to ensure set objectives are achieved.
• Set the tone for a high-performance culture and offer team members development opportunities.
• Ensure that SAVCA is optimally resourced (staff complement and infrastructure), with adequate contingency plans in place.

Education and Experience:

• Graduate degree in Business, Finance or related.
• Minimum of 10 years Senior Management experience.
• A good understanding of private equity and venture capital, or the savings and investment industry in Southern Africa is preferred.
• Strong interest in developing the venture capital and private equity sector.
• Ability to lead and manage a diverse team.
• Effective organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and multi-task.
• Strong marketing, presentational and public speaking skills.
• Strong project management and relationship building skills.
• Ability to manage and prioritise different stakeholders.
• Integrity, autonomy, self-confidence, and energy.
• Flexibility to travel locally and internationally, when required.
• Ability to work in a challenging environment.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office Suite and virtual communication tools.
• Comfortable with reporting to the Chair and the Board.

Applications closes: 20th, May 2022.