About Persistent

Persistent is Africas Climate Venture Builder. Since our inception in 2012, we have partnered with entrepreneurs to build early-stage climate businesses through a combination of investment and Persistents unique customized Venture Building. Our work supports innovators driving Africas Energy, Resource and Agricultural Transitions.

Your role

We are looking for an exceptionally entrepreneurial person bringing some intial experience in investment and research to play a key role as an Intern in pipeline development, investment and research. Your contribution will be in tandem with Persistent’s investment strategy and value proposition to investors, partners, and the wider industry.

Your responsibilities

You will:

• Provide support to the investment team in evaluating new investment opportunities in the pipeline based on our investment thesis
• Provide support to the team on ongoing portfolio management including and investor reporting, including assessment of key performance and impact indicators
• Conduct research on the climate-positive sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, including in the renewable/off-grid energy sector, AgTech (Agricultural Technology), Circular Economy, e-mobility, carbon tech, climate tech, clean cooking, cooling, water, ESG, and impact, among others.
• Drafting of screening and Investment Committee memos.

Your profile

• Excellent investment, and research skills as well as exceptional writing skills particularly in the creation of investment and research papers and reports. Experience working with Word and Excel relevant to the above. Experience in leveraging AI to do so is a plus.
• Experience working in a climate-positive or renewable energy investment fund, impact investor, or other related organization is a plus.
• Educational background in business administration, economics, accounting, finance, investment or related field, or equivalent demonstrated grounding in accounting principles and financial analysis.
• Solid grasp of accounting principles and working knowledge of financial modelling and analysis (e.g. building or interpreting three-statement models).
• Self-starter and all-rounder: You are willing to take bold steps to achieve the success of Persistent and our portfolio entrepreneurs. You are not afraid to get your hands dirty and do not consider even basic venture-building tasks beneath you
• Building relationships and representing: You are able to build trustful relationships with peers, key partners, and stakeholders on the ground
• You are a team player with an analytical mindset and strong problem-solving abilities
• Location: You are based in Africa (preferably can legally live and work in Kenya or Nigeria)

• Provide support to the investment team in evaluating new investment opportunities in the pipeline based on our investment thesis
• Provide support to the team on ongoing portfolio management including and investor reporting, including assessment of key performance and impact indicators
• Conduct research on the climate-positive sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, including in the renewable/off-grid energy sector, AgTech (Agricultural Technology), Circular Economy, e-mobility, carbon tech, climate tech, clean cooking, cooling, water, ESG, and impact, among others.
• Drafting of screening and Investment Committee memos.

• Investment skills
• Research skills
• Exceptional writing skills
• Experience working with Word and Excel
• Financial modelling and analysis
• Analytical mindset
• Problem-solving abilities
• Relationship-building

• Educational background in business administration, economics, accounting, finance, investment or related field, or equivalent demonstrated grounding in accounting principles and financial analysis.
• Solid grasp of accounting principles and working knowledge of financial modelling and analysis (e.g. building or interpreting three-statement models).
• Self-starter and all-rounder
• Team player