Operations Associate at Pula

Pula

Position: Operations Associate

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba - Ethiopia

Posted date: 2 months ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

About Pula

We are an insuretech firm that provides agriculture insurance design and execution services, specializing in index-based insurance, and is backed by top-tier VC investors who have invested more than $25 million in the business. Since 2015 we have provided climate insurance to 15.4 million smallholder farmers, 41% of which were women across 19 markets in Africa and Asia who pay an average of $6.8 per season to insure their crops. So far we've unlocked over $2.22 billion of capital from local and international insurance markets for climate risks since we started in 2015 and paid out $40.8 million to our client farmers.

Pula is a fast-paced space, constantly adapting to new opportunities and challenges and we are made up of a high-performance, multi-cultural team. We expect our team to value performance, results, and professionalism.

At Pula, our values are:

• Obsessed with results: We are responsible for our future and therefore we get things done!
• Connect the Dots: We continuously identify different customer needs & business problems and build solutions that deliver value.
• Have a Can-do Attitude! We dare to do things differently to make things work.
• We have each others’ back: We look out for each other & we share high-quality, timely feedback that makes us better.

What you will be doing

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Operations Associate to join our team in Ethiopia. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in supporting the operations of Pula in Ethiopia, assisting the local team in various administrative, accounting, and operational tasks.

Who you are:

Your background is only a bonus to what we are looking for. If you have a knack for helping leaders achieve sharp gains in productivity and impact, commitment to our mission, and embrace a constantly changing portfolio of projects, then you will excel at this role!

Basic Responsibilities

• Administrative Support: Assist in managing day-to-day administrative tasks for the team, including scheduling meetings, preparing documents, and organizing files. Serve as a point of contact for internal and external inquiries, directing them to the appropriate team members as necessary. Maintain accurate records and databases, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.
• Accounting Assistance: Support the team in basic accounting tasks such as invoice processing, managing payments to different individuals, expense tracking, and reconciliation. Collaborate with the finance department to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting. Assist financial reporting to necessary tax authorities.
• Travel Desk Operations: Coordinate travel arrangements for the team, including flight bookings, hotel accommodations, and transportation. Manage travel itineraries and ensure all travel-related documentation is in order. Provide support to team members during travel, addressing any issues or concerns that may arise.
• Commercial Operations Support: Assist in the execution of commercial strategies and initiatives in alignment with company goals and objectives. Conduct market research and analysis to support business development efforts. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution of commercial activities.
• Field and Insurance Operations Support: Assisting field operations and insurance operations, overseeing and managing the call center team.
• Other Duties: Undertake any other tasks or responsibilities assigned by the management team to support the overall success of Pula's operations in Ethiopia.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Prior experience in administrative support, accounting, or operations roles is preferred. Consulting background is a plus.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Understanding of accounting and tax requirements of the country.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in work.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English and Amharic; additional languages a plus.
• Women are highly encouraged to apply.

What Pula will bring to the table?

• Growth potential: With an untapped market of 1.5 billion smallholders worldwide, on track to double the number of farmers insured in 2021, and Pula’s global leadership in Agriculture Insurance, our new staffers have a tremendous upside growth potential.
• Market Leader: Not only is the opportunity massive, but Pula is by far the market leader in its category with 11m farmers insured as of 2023.
• Solid: Pula has been funded by leading venture capital investors (Omidyar Network, ACCION, MercyCorps) and global philanthropic institutions (MasterCard Foundation, CGAP/World Bank as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). Pula closed a $6m series A funding in December 2020 right in the middle of the pandemic a clear testimony of the opportunity that Pula is going after.
• Respected: Winner of the Singapore FinTech Festival 2019, Winner of The InsureTech of the Award, Africa. Featured on TED talks, The New York Times, and The Economist.
• Impact and creation: This is a high-impact role, that offers a unique opportunity to bring the company to the next level, whilst developing new strategies, approaches, and ideas.
• Leadership: The founders & CEO foster a culture of transparency, respect, high performance, pragmatism, execution, and personal development.
• Purpose: It is rare to find a professional opportunity that offers accelerated professional development and a life purpose. Pula is going through a second phase of accelerated growth that will naturally provide professional development, whilst contributing to the financial stability of small farmers in the emerging markets.
• Remuneration: Competitive base salary according to seniority and experience, commission on closed sales, and an employee share option plan that offers an attractive equity upside.

To learn more about Pula you can visit

• TED Talk: Crop Insurance, an Idea Worth Seeding
• New York Times: He Grew up on a Farm. Now, He Helps Protect Them
• The Economist: The Poor, Who Most Need Insurance, Are Least Likely to Have It