The Acumen Fund Global Fellows Program, USA

Deadline: November 16, 2012
Open to: Applicants of any nationality
Fellowship: Stipend that covers reasonable monthly living costs for the duration of the year-long program

Description

Acumen Fund’s year-long fellowship for the Class of 2014 will begin in September 2013  with eight weeks of intensive and multidisciplinary leadership training in our New York City office. Training topics cover a wide variety of soft and hard skills, ranging from self-reflection, negotiation, and storytelling to functional topics such as investment techniques, valuation, marketing and operations. The Fellows also meet with leaders from diverse fields, as well as leading writers and thinkers.  Training will explore issues related to our investment geographies and sectors as well.

Following training in New York, Fellows begin their nine-month field placements with Acumen Fund investees. Each Fellow is assigned to a company where they support senior management in tackling critical business issues – market expansion, business plan refinement, supply chain improvements, or even leading a new business initiative. Over nine months, Fellows learn and apply skills while enjoying an unusual level of responsibility within Acumen Fund investees. Halfway through the year, Fellows convene for a mid-year meeting to reconnect, share learnings, and support each other in navigating challenges in the field.  At the end of these field assignments, the Fellows return to New York for three weeks in September 2014 to share experiences and lessons learned with Acumen Fund’s community, and to focus on their next steps.

Eligibility

Acumen Fund Fellows are drawn from a pool of talented, passionate individuals from all geographies, sectors, backgrounds, religions and ages.  We welcome applicants of any nationality, and we are prepared to do what is possible and reasonable, within the guidelines of US and international immigration authority, to address Fellows’ visa and immigration needs in order to ensure that we include the most promising future leaders. There is no specific age or degree required for the program. However, we typically seek individuals with 3-7 years of work experience, and we prefer candidates who hold a graduate degree.

While each Fellow comes from a diverse background and brings a unique skill set to the Fellowship, we have identified some key indicators of a successful Fellow:

• Strong business experience – such as finance, operations, or consulting
• Demonstrated passion and commitment to creating positive social change
• Proven track record of leadership and management responsibilities
• Experience living and working in emerging markets
• Unrelenting perseverance, moral fiber, and critical thinking skills
• 3-5 years of work experience

Fellowship

Acumen Fund provides Fellows with a stipend that covers reasonable monthly living costs for the duration of the year-long program.  The stipend is designed to cover only costs associated and incurred during the program. You should not expect to save any money during this year or to use this stipend to cover previous expenses (e.g., student loans). During the program in New York, Fellows will be provided with additional resources to secure housing. Stipend amounts will vary for the country placement portion of the Fellowship, adjusting for the cost of living in different countries, but these stipends are also designed to cover the basic costs associated with safe yet frugal living.

Travel to New York for the first portion of the program, travel to and from field placements, travel to and from the mid-year meeting, and costs associated with necessary visa arrangements will be covered by Acumen Fund. Acumen Fund will also arrange appropriate health insurance and computing services including a laptop and video camera for use during the fellowship year.

Application procedure

The application for the Acumen Fund Global Fellows Program consists of four major parts:

• Background Information
• 2 professional references
• Your resume/CV (to be uploaded)
• Short & long answer questions

To access the application, go here. You will need to create an account by entering an e-mail address (this will act as your username) and password. The detailed application instructions can be found here.
The application process for the Class of 2013-2014 opens on Monday, October 1, 2012 and closes on Friday, November 16, 2012 at 11:59pm EST. All applications must be completed and submitted online. It is recommended that you submit your application well in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties or connectivity problems.

Selection process

• October-November: Online application accepted
• November-December: Phone interviews
• January-March: In-person interviews
• April-May: Final selection