Deadline: December 14, 2014
Applications for the 2016 Class of Acumen Global Fellows are OPEN! Gain world-class leadership training. Serve in the field with a social enterprise. Join a cohort of emerging leaders who will change the world. Do you have what it takes to be an Acumen Fellow? Be part of a new generation that is redefining leadership. The Global Fellows Program trains the next generation of social impact leaders.
The Global Fellows Program is a 12-month fellowship for individuals dedicated to serving the poor and who have the business and operational expertise, and moral imagination needed to effect long-term social change. The fellowship begins with an eight-week training program in the Acumen New York office, where Fellows learn about business models for the poor, hone their leadership skills, and learn more about Acumen.
After training, each Fellow works for the CEO or senior management of an Acumen investee on a critical business issue facing the organization. Fellows have worked on projects ranging from leading operations of a new business unit at a cotton ginnery in Uganda, to expanding the clinic network of a pharmacy company in India, to developing branding strategies for a microfinance institution in Pakistan.
Benefits
Acumen provides Fellows with a stipend that covers reasonable monthly living costs for the duration of the yearlong program. The stipend is designed to cover only costs associated and incurred during the program.
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.
Acumen will also arrange appropriate health insurance and computing services including a laptop and video camera for use during the fellowship year.
Eligibility
Applications for the Global Fellowship are highly competitive. While our Fellows have diverse backgrounds and each brings a unique skill set to the Fellowship, we have identified some key traits:
- Strong business experience: finance, operations, sales, marketing, and/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
- Grit, courage, and perseverance
- A minimum of 4 years work experience
Application
There are five parts of the initial application:
- Background Information
- Your Resume/CV
- Applicant Summary and Overview
- Essay Questions
- Two Professional References
Find the applications instructions here.
For more information, visit Acumen Global Fellows Program.