Seed Consultants are professionals who volunteer and support Seed Transformation Program participants from their home or office.
The Stanford Seed Consultant Program is an integral component of Seed's Transformation Program (STP) which drives immediate impact through leadership training, general management sessions, networking, and coaching and consulting for founders/leaders of existing enterprises in Africa (and soon additional geographies around the world).
We believe that growing enterprises benefit regions in which they operate not only through job creation for themselves and their vendors, but also by offering innovative products and services that benefit the poor directly.
Your Role as a Consultant
Consultants develop customized and creative business solutions to address STP participants’ specific needs, which often cut across a variety of business specialties and industries. Seed Consultants tend to be subject matter experts representing a wide range of professional backgrounds including, but not limited to the following: Accounting, Business Development, Consulting, Executive Coaching, Finance, International Development, Investing, Law, Marketing, Operations, Sales, and Strategy.
Duration of Engagements
Depending on your availability as well as project needs, engagements may range from one month to six or more months with ongoing involvement. Currently, the average time commitment per Consultant is several hours a week for 3 to 4 months, with email and/or Skype serving as the primary modes of communication.
Past Consulting Projects
Once admitted to the program, Seed Consultants are invited to apply on a quarterly basis to one or more projects that have been identified.
Past consulting projects have included:
- Developing sales strategy for software product.
- Assisting food & beverage company with financial projections and access to finance.
- Creating communications strategy for water bottling company.
- Supporting fast-growing consumer products manufacturer with Human Resources and other corporate processes.
Video: African CEOs share how Seed's Transformation Program has positively impacted their businesses
Eligibility and Qualifications
- A minimum of 10 years of professional work experience is required.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency in English.
- Subject matter expertise in a field related to business in fast growth organizations or entrepreneurial environments.
- Demonstrated track record of success.
- Passion and commitment to Seed's mission.
Application Process
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Fill out and submit the online application.
- Attach your resume and a one-paragraph professional biography.
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Qualified candidates are invited to a 20 to 30 minute phone interview with a Seed staff member.
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Within 3 weeks of the interview, candidates are notified of their admission decision.
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Admitted candidates are asked to sign the Seed Consulting Agreement and participate in a "Welcome Call" to learn about program details and logistics.
Application Calendar
Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis.
