How to apply for Director of Venture Building, Export Manufacturing

About Africa Jobs Fund

The Africa Jobs Fund is a unique organization that funds and supports ventures in export manufacturing and international labor mobility with a clear mission: to increase incomes for Africans. Unlike traditional investors, they take a hands-on venture-building approach, meaning you'll be directly involved in creating and scaling companies from the ground up. This is an opportunity to drive systemic change by creating formal factory jobs at scale across the continent.

About the role

As Director of Venture Building for Export Manufacturing, you will lead the end-to-end creation and scaling of export manufacturing companies across Africa. This involves identifying high-potential opportunities, recruiting founders, structuring investments, and providing operational support to ensure these ventures create formal jobs and boost worker incomes. You'll also manage a team of venture-builders, ensuring quality and pace across the portfolio while engaging with buyers and operators on the ground.

A typical day

A typical day might involve assessing a new export opportunity in East Africa through calls with local buyers and operators, then reviewing a deal structure with your team of venture-builders. Later, you might coach a founder on scaling production or troubleshoot a supply chain issue, all while ensuring the portfolio stays on track to create jobs and increase incomes.

Who Africa Jobs Fund is looking for

• Proven founder or senior operating experience in manufacturing, ideally export-oriented, with direct P&L responsibility and a track record of scaling operations.
• 8+ years of experience in relevant sectors, with a strong network and understanding of African markets and export dynamics.
• Demonstrated ability to move fast in a small, non-bureaucratic environment, comfortable with ambiguity and wearing multiple hats.
• Experience managing teams and reviewing deal structures, with a knack for cost-effectiveness analysis and maintaining quality across multiple ventures.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific export manufacturing ventures you've founded or operated, including metrics like jobs created, revenue growth, or export volumes.
• Emphasize your experience in Africa: name countries, local partners, and how you navigated regulatory or logistical challenges unique to the continent.
• Show your ability to structure investments and assess cost-effectiveness by providing examples of deals you've led or supported.
• Demonstrate your venture-building mindset by describing how you've identified opportunities, recruited founders, and scaled companies from scratch.
• Tailor your resume to show comfort with fast-paced, minimal-bureaucracy environments—avoid listing corporate roles that suggest a slow, process-heavy background.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Your hands-on experience in export manufacturing and why you're passionate about creating formal jobs in Africa.", 'A specific example of a venture you built or scaled, including the impact on worker incomes and job creation.', "Your approach to assessing sectors and geographies for export potential, with a concrete example of a market you've analyzed.", "How you've managed venture-builders or teams to maintain quality and pace in a small, agile setting."]

Research before applying

• Research the Africa Jobs Fund's existing portfolio and investment thesis to understand their focus areas and success stories.
• Look into current trends in African export manufacturing, including key sectors, countries, and challenges like infrastructure and trade policies.
• Identify recent news or reports about job creation in African manufacturing and how organizations like the Africa Jobs Fund are addressing it.
• Understand the venture-building model: how it differs from traditional VC, and what it means to be involved end-to-end.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through a manufacturing venture you founded or led—what was your role, and what were the outcomes in terms of jobs and exports?
• How do you assess a sector or geography for export manufacturing potential? What data and stakeholders do you engage?
• Describe a time you structured an investment or deal. What were the key considerations and how did you ensure cost-effectiveness?
• How do you manage a portfolio of ventures while maintaining quality and pace? Give an example of a challenge you faced and how you resolved it.
• Why are you interested in the Africa Jobs Fund's venture-building model, and how does your background align with our mission?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on high-level strategy without demonstrating hands-on operational experience in manufacturing.
• Underestimating the importance of Africa-specific context—avoid generic statements about emerging markets without concrete examples.
• Presenting a slow, corporate approach that conflicts with the fund's fast-paced, minimal-bureaucracy culture.