1Q26 Secha Capital is Hiring — Two Operator-Investors
Secha Capital — Now Hiring
Secha Capital invests execution capital in large, fragmented sectors across Southern Africa — industries that are essential, underserved, and often constrained by legacy operating models and limited access to top-tier talent. We back ambitious entrepreneurs and unlock value through a differentiated Operator–Investor model that pairs financial capital with hands-on operating expertise.
At Secha, we don’t just invest — we accelerate lasting growth.
The Role
We are hiring two Operator-Investors (OIs) to join Secha in Q1 2026. This role sits at the intersection of investing and operating. OIs embed directly within portfolio companies to drive high-priority growth and improvement initiatives, while also contributing to Secha’s investment and thesis-building work at the fund level. In doing so, they act as the connective tissue between Secha and the founders with whom we partner.
This role is well-suited to high-calibre professionals who want real operating responsibility early, exposure to venture and private-equity decision-making, and a structured, de-risked path to building companies in high-impact markets — with the potential for company-level and portfolio-level equity and carry upside.
Responsibilities (approximate time allocation):
At the Secha portfolio company (75%):
Execute growth and improvement projects: Identify, prioritize and implement value‑add opportunities, projects and people plans in collaboration with company management.Transfer skills and build capacity: Effectively communicate and transfer knowledge to portfolio teams, helping build long‑term capabilities.Develop, progress and track OKRs and KPIs: Identify, track and scale both financial and impact metrics.
Within the Secha fund (25%):
Shape what we invest in (portfolio & thesis level): Identify and pressure-test Secha’s next investment themes by building investment theses, conducting market and competitive analysis, and defining the core “what-you-have-to-believe” assumptions that guide underwriting and value creation.Execute specific investments (deal level): Support sourcing, structuring and execution of individual deals — leading management discussions, developing valuation perspectives, and co-creating 100-day and 9-month value-creation plans.Build Secha’s platform and brand: Strengthen Secha’s ecosystem with founders, operators, LPs, and talent — contributing to thought leadership, credibility, and long-term franchise value.
About You
We’re seeking two high-performing professionals who are passionate about investing and entrepreneurship. Our ideal candidates bring the following:
Relevant experience and trajectory: ~4–9 years of professional experience, with strong candidates coming from strategy consulting, finance, startup or family-run busines operations. We hire for attributes and potential — not pedigree.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: Comfort defining and structuring complex problems, performing rigorous quantitative analysis (Excel required), and synthesizing insights into clear, actionable recommendations. Experience across strategy and operations is essential; exposure to energy or business services is a plus.Execution-oriented working style: High attention to detail combined with a bias for action. You take ownership, move quickly, and see projects through with discipline and follow-through.Clear, effective communicator and collaborator: Able to articulate complex ideas clearly in writing and presentations, and comfortable working closely with founders, operators, and investment teams.Integrity, mission alignment, and entrepreneurial mindset: High integrity, strong ownership mentality, and genuine alignment with Secha’s mission. You care deeply about building real businesses, creating jobs, improving livelihoods, and delivering attractive returns.Boots-on-the-ground commitment: This is an in-person role based in Cape Town and/or Johannesburg. We value proximity to our portfolio companies and partners.
Why Join Secha?
A differentiated approach to impact and returns: Secha is reclaiming impact investing. We practice a tougher, execution-led model rooted in operational excellence, financial discipline, and non-consensus alpha. Impact isn’t a concession — it’s a byproduct of building high-performing companies in essential, underserved markets. This is not softer investing. It is harder, sharper, and more accountable.Real Operator-Investor responsibility, early: Operator-Investors at Secha are full-stack operators. They step into the business and, in collaboration with management, portfolio company team and Secha partners, drive outcomes — not decks. In practice, this has meant:
Building and installing end-to-end go-to-market engines, including hiring sales teams and owning revenue delivery; Taking on true line roles, including Interim CEO responsibility for international business units; Designing and executing 100-day and 9-month value-creation plans with board-level accountability; Leading equity and debt capital raises and redesigning capital structures; Running full-stack M&A, from diligence through integration and value capture; Expanding gross margins through hands-on supply-chain and vendor renegotiation; Owning P&Ls, including digital marketing strategy and budgets tied directly to ROIC
Accelerated learning through proximity and ownership: Because OIs embed directly in portfolio companies, you learn by doing — receiving one-on-one coaching from Secha’s Managing Directors while working shoulder-to-shoulder with founders and management teams.A platform that compounds your career: OI alumni have gone on to join portfolio company leadership teams, start their own ventures, or continue into senior investment roles — equipped with rare operator and investor credibility.
How to apply
We are hiring two Operator-Investors to start in Q1 2026.
Please complete this application form which includes the following questions:
1) Motivation and alignment: Why Secha Capital — and why the Operator-Investor role — at this stage of your career? What about our model resonates with how you want to build and create value? (≤150 words)
2) Relevant operating or sector experience: Our next OIs will ideally bring experience in energy/climate and/or business services. Please describe any relevant experience you have in these areas. (≤150 words)
3) Operator judgment and value creation: Review the Secha Capital portfolio. Select one company and describe how a strong Operator-Investor could help unlock its next phase of growth and impact. Focus on priorities, trade-offs, and execution — not generic advice. (≤150 words)
4) Your edge: What specific strengths, experiences, or patterns of impact do you bring that would make you highly effective in this role? What would you aim to accomplish in your first 12–18 months? (≤100 words)
We will follow up directly with candidates who are a strong fit to join us in building the next generation of African champions.