Job Purpose
The Venture Development lead is responsible for driving the ideation, development, and scaling of social enterprises within Amref Ethiopia, with the overarching goal of creating sustainable solutions to address social challenges while generating positive impact and revenue. This role involves, conducting market research, establishing strategic partnerships, and overseeing the design and implementation of innovative ventures that advance the organization's mission to Identify, test and launch viable product or services as social enterprise to increase and diversify revenue and generate unrestricted income, while fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Venture Development Lead will work closely with the lead, Strategy and Transformation and or Country director in identifying opportunities, designing business models, implement business ventures, and managing operations of the enterprises to ensure the success and impact of the ventures while upholding the values and principles of Amref Health Africa.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Venture Identification, Feasibility & Development
- Conduct market research and sector analysis to identify and prioritize viable products, services, and venture opportunities aligned with Amref鈥檚 mission.
- Develop feasibility studies, business cases, and comprehensive business plans for selected ventures.
- Design strong venture business models including pricing, revenue streams, operational models, and scalability pathways.
- Establish venture selection criteria and lead decision-making on ventures to be incubated or piloted.
- Ensure ventures are designed for sustainability, scalability, and measurable health/social impact.
- Provide technical leadership on venture design using market validation, lean startup, and human-centered design methodologies.
- Lead the full lifecycle of venture development from concept generation to pilot readiness.
2. Venture Implementation, Portfolio Management & Scaling
- Lead the end-to-end implementation and launch of approved pilot ventures, ensuring delivery within defined timelines and targets.
- Monitor and evaluate pilot ventures to assess performance, impact, scalability, and operational feasibility.
- Develop and manage portfolio performance systems including KPIs, impact indicators, and financial performance tracking tools.
- Conduct regular portfolio reviews and implement corrective actions to strengthen venture performance.
- Provide strategic advisory and technical assistance to ventures on business growth, product-market fit, and go-to-market execution.
- Support integration of successful ventures into Amref鈥檚 broader operational and delivery structures.
- Identify and manage venture risks, ensuring effective mitigation strategies throughout implementation and scaling phases.
3. Investment Mobilization, Partnerships & Compliance
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with investors, donors, DFIs, private sector partners, accelerators, and innovation ecosystems.
- Lead fundraising and resource mobilization initiatives to secure financing and strategic support for ventures.
- Prepare ventures for investment through governance strengthening, financial modeling, investor documentation, and pitch readiness.
- Develop investment documentation including due diligence reports, investment memos, and venture performance profiles.
- Support structuring of investment and financing models (equity, debt, grants, blended finance).
- Ensure full compliance of ventures with legal, regulatory, and operational requirements in the country of operation.
- Develop compliance-driven business models that protect Amref Ventures from legal and reputational risks.
- Represent Amref Ventures in ecosystem platforms, investment forums, and strategic partnership engagements.