Advisory Intern

About Us

Agriculture is the key to unlocking a better future for billions of people. But while rural families sustain the world, they struggle to sustain themselves. At the same time, they face increasingly urgent challenges, from volatile crop prices to extreme weather.

Root Capital is a social impact investor that provides financing and training to agricultural enterprises so that they can transform rural communities. We work with enterprises in the “missing middle” of agricultural finance: those whose credit needs are too big for microfinance and too small or risky for commercial banks.

Since 1999, we have loaned over $2B to more than 800 businesses and we have trained more than 1,800—improving the lives of 10 million people. As these agricultural businesses succeed and scale, they become engines of impact for their local communities, raising incomes, creating jobs, uplifting women and young people, preserving vulnerable ecosystems, and building rural prosperity.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Root Capital has more than 180 employees operating in more than a dozen countries in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and has associated offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, Ghana, and Kenya.

Position Overview

Start Date: Immediately

The Advisory department provides customized capacity strengthening services along our impact pathways in areas including climate action, gender equity, bankability, and jobs for the next generation. Advisory is critical to achieving the organization’s mission of building prosperous rural communities through our credit and capacity model.

The Intern will be placed in the Advisory Department and will work closely with the internal advisory team comprising of the Head of Advisory, Senior Associate and Business Management Advisory Coordinator, to capture data; provide a support function with generating reports from various data sources and internal systems, data review and analysis; administrative tasks including scheduling and attending meetings, taking minutes, developing templates and trackers and making logistical arrangements for the wider team of 40+ Advisors across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC & Ghana.

Main Independent Contractor Deliverables

In close coordination with the Senior Associate, Advisory – Africa perform the following:

Purpose

• Identify and assess suitable vendors that can provide transport and accommodation to Advisors across Africa.
• Draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the vendors and have them signed.
• Gather all the supporting documents for vendors and save them in Box i.e. Bank details form, MOU.
• Draft relevant templates and trackers to support administrative functions within the Advisory department.
• Compile success stories generated from the work done by the Advisors across Africa.

Engagement

• Communicate with vendors regarding any changes related to the logistics of the Advisory activities.
• Notify relevant stakeholders (Advisors, collaborators) of Advisory activities by ensuring the Advisory calendars are up to date.
• Provide relevant updates to the Advisors via the WhatsApp group whilst ensuring information shared on the WhatsApp group is not in breach of the data protection guidelines.

Delivery

• Make bookings with verified and approved vendors for flights, accommodation, workshops/ training venues and road transport for Advisors in Africa.
• Consolidate all vendors in a database.
• Review the Global Box Folder monthly to ensure it’s updated with Advisors’ information.
• Schedule monthly Advisory department meetings, write minutes and share with participants.
• Schedule weekly Advisory coordinators meetings, write minutes and share with participants.
• Generate relevant data reports from internal systems i.e. Salesforce as requested by the internal Advisory team.
• Validate & analyze data from internal systems i.e. Salesforce and DoForms and as requested by the internal Advisory team.
• Transfer of Advisory files and folders from the Regional folders to the Global folders on Box.

Required Skills and Experience

• Recent Graduate in Business Management, Socai Science or a related field.
• Eager to learn and work.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to multitask and to cope well under pressure.
• Deep belief in and dedication to the mission of Root Capital, with a passion for promoting inclusive and sustainable economic development and rural resilience in low- and middle-income countries.
• Enthusiasm for thriving in diverse, multicultural settings, with a strong preference for experience in global and multi-location work environments.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the ability to build a respectful and inclusive work environment.
• Proactive approach to problem-solving with demonstrated decision-making capabilities.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to a dynamic environment.
• Skilled in effectively working and communicating within remote teams.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance.
• Authorized to work in Kenya.
• Flexibility to travel locally or regionally is required according to the nature of the role, including the possibility of visiting clients in rural areas.