School Acquisition Partner

Enko Education seeks an outstanding School Acquisition Partner who is eager to travel all across the continent to source quality schools to acquire. We are looking for a result-driven pathmaker with an exceptional sales mindset to transform African education, one acquisition at a time. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of learning in Africa while advancing your career with a fast-growing and mission-driven build-up.

About the role

Responsibilities & tasks

• Originating new opportunities (60%):
  • Performing business development trips;
  • Setting-up a network of deal enablers: brokers, finance and commercial advisors;
  • Nurturing relationships with target school founders;
• Structuring offers (25%):
  • Collecting key information to define valuation;
  • Co-building win-win offers with sellers;
  • Building financial models and acquisition notes;
• Running due diligences (15%):
  • Conducting thorough due diligence, including financial analysis, market research, KYC checks and legal assessments;

Ideal candidate

Sourcing school acquisition opportunities is a sales job: great presentation, strong interpersonal skills and constant enthusiasm are absolutely required. We are looking for well-rounded candidates, able to lead an acquisition from first contact up to financial close. Prior work experience in M&A or private equity, with a focus on the education sector, and/or Sub-Saharan Africa is an important asset.

As an ideal candidate ♀ ♂, you demonstrate:

• Capacity to sell:  
  • A high level of emotional intelligence: you understand the needs of the seller and cobuild win-win offers;
  • Rigorous & systematic: you honor commitment and follow up relentlessly;
  • Outgoing: you are smiling, curious and happy to phone and meet with many different stakeholders from different backgrounds and cultures; 
• Analytical mindset: you are details oriented, you quickly build models, write crisp notes, define adequate term sheets and leave no stone unturned;
• Agility: you are able to adapt, to connect topics, to move from down-to-earth concrete challenges. Is flexible and versatile enough to work in any country (e.g.: 3 weeks per month in Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lusaka,...); 
• Self-drive: you are result and solution-driven, you have the capacity to arrive in an unknown country and create your own network;
• An exploratory mindset: you have the humility to be in a constant learning mode - whether to look for best practices that may exist in one of our classrooms … or in the rest of the world;
• Africa fit : you share our excitement to offer a top-notch education to the African middle class.

Working within Enko

5 reasons to join us

• A meaningful mission with a concrete impact on one of the most pressing challenges of the continent;
• An international team with strong values;
• A challenging environment to grow in and real evolution perspectives;
• A very flexible remote policy;
• A competitive performance-based compensation package.

Feedbacks

Current and former team members have noted the points below as positive features of Enko's work environment and culture:

• The group combines entrepreneurialism with a focus on impact ;
• You work with highly diverse people and across a diversity of contexts ;
• There is a high level of trust that supports you to work autonomously ;
• The people in the group encourage innovation and experimentation ;
• Achieving results is prioritized over rigid structures and workflows ;
• You are never bored and always challenged.

Current and former team members have noted the points below as negative features of Enko’s work environment and culture:

• Collaborating with geographically dispersed teams requires flexibility and patience ;
• Working remotely can make you feel isolated and so requires you to invest time in communication ;
• A high-growth phase means flexibility and adaptability as the Group’s systems evolve quickly ;
• It can be fast-paced so you need to be productive and able to prioritize effectively.

Career growth

We have a strong culture of constant learning. You'll have weekly check-ins with your manager, and quarterly touchpoints on your objectives. We hold performance appraisals every year and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and set the foundations of a rewarding long-term career.

Contract, location and timing

Contract: full-time position, freelance accepted, VIE considered for eligible candidates (EU citizen between 18-29) ; 

Location: Africa - multiple trips (70%) ;

Timing: Successful candidates should start ASAP.

Enko Education is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.

All applicants must be legally able to work in our countries with the correct visa/status/work permit. 

What’s next

1. A quick case study to test your analytical skills & mindset;

2. A fit interview with Milena to get to know you better, give you visibility on the job, and confirm the reciprocal match;

3. A skill interview with Xavier to discuss your hard and soft skills;

4. A final career interview with Mien to review your education and past experiences;

5. Welcome to Enko!

About Enko Education

Enko Education is a fast-growing group of African international schools, increasing access to the world's best universities for learners across Africa.

Enko Education has developed innovative programmes leading to globally recognized and sought-after qualifications. Since the opening of its first school in Yaoundé in September 2014, Enko Education has established an African group of 14 international schools in 9 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. More than 5,400 students from primary to secondary benefit from international education at a fraction of the cost charged by other international schools on the continent. We provide individualized counseling to our learners to support them in selecting the right universities and then securing both admission and financing for their studies. We offer an outstanding learning experience striving to educate our learners with Africa at heart and the world in mind.

The Enko Education model has already yielded outstanding results with graduates currently enrolled in some of the most prestigious universities worldwide such as Yale College in the USA, Sciences Po and Ecole Polytechnique in France and the University of Toronto in Canada.

We are financially supported by international development institutions and funds including Proparco, I&P, Adiwale, BIO Invest, Oiko Credit and Liquid Africa, to achieve our growth objective of reaching 20,000 students by 2028.

For 2024, we are planning to acquire new schools in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa (countries are subject to change).

Enko Education schools are committed to child safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students and young people and expect all staff, volunteers, and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks will be undertaken.