Market Research Associate

Workplace Circumstances

• Environment: Office
• Languages: English, Khmer
• Location: Phnom Penh

Position Summary

Reports to: Investment Manager

Department: Deal and Investment

Ritters Capital is seeking a Market Research Associate to join the Deal and Investment team. This is a hands-on role for an autonomous, resourceful professional who thrives in lean team environments and can drive workstreams with minimal supervision.

The associate’s core mandate is to support the development of the internationally benchmarked projects across food processing industrial zone development, and incubation of local businesses. This is in line with the national goals of strengthening national food security while supporting export-oriented agro-industry ventures.

The Associate will contribute to market research, feasibility analysis, competitive benchmarking, business plan development, and ecosystem partner engagement across this project. Key activities include researching markets, value chains, competitors, and potential tenants; gathering and validating market, commercial, and operating assumptions; maintaining and updating existing financial models; conducting financial and scenario analyses; and preparing feasibility studies, business plans, and investor presentation materials.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Core Project: Food Processing Zone Development and Operations
• Contribute to feasibility analysis, market research, and value chain mapping for the factory zone (food processing, manufacturing, cold chain logistics) and the innovation zone (agritech, R&D, food-tech incubation).
• Assist in developing regional concept planning, phased implementation models, and master plan inputs — including QIP-related research, environmental pre-assessment data gathering, and site suitability analysis.
• Profile and segment target tenants across both zones, supporting the development of tailored outreach and engagement materials.
• Contribute to the investment case: financial model inputs, business plan sections, investor presentation drafts, and data room documentation to support capital raising and anchor tenant onboarding.
• Support engagement with ecosystem partners including international institutions (e.g., IFC), food innovation networks, and relevant government bodies, under the direction of the Director and CEO.
• Satellite Projects: Market Entry & Business Development
• Conduct structured market research, competitive analysis, and opportunity mapping for adjacent business development initiatives across sectors and geographies as assigned.
• Develop market entry strategies, feasibility assessments, and actionable recommendations for new ventures or partnerships under consideration by the firm.
• Support vendor identification, partner due diligence, and commercial negotiations as workstreams require.
• Stakeholder Management, Reporting & Organisational Planning
• Report all workstreams to the Director, including preparing periodic briefings and materials for CEO review; engage with government bodies, industry associations, potential partners, and investors; collaborate with Investment Operations to translate strategic plans into practical hiring and operational roadmaps.

Languages

• English - Fluent is required
• Chinese - Good is preferred
• Khmer - Fluent is required

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Development, Agricultural Economics, Food Science, or a related field.
• Master's Degree is preferred

Work History

• Management consulting, market entry advisory, or strategic consulting, ideally with exposure to Southeast Asia for 2 to 3 years

General & Technical Skills

• Demonstrated experience contributing to market research, feasibility studies, and business plan development.
• Track record of working autonomously in lean or startup-like environments where resourcefulness matters more than hierarchy.
• Experience in one or more of: food/agriculture sector, industrial park or SEZ development, FMCG, or supply chain management.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills; experience supporting investor materials is a plus.
• English: Fluent (required) – primary working language for strategy, investor materials, and international partners.
• Khmer: Fluent (required) – essential for government relations, local stakeholder management, and on-the-ground operations.
• Chinese (Mandarin): Working proficiency (preferred) – ability to engage in Chinese-language materials and meetings is an advantage.

Soft Skills

• Self-directed and entrepreneurial — can operate without a playbook and build structure from ambiguity.
• Analytically rigorous with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable strategy.
• Culturally fluent — comfortable navigating Cambodian business culture, government relations, and international partner expectations.
• Comfortable context-switching between strategic analysis and hands-on execution.
• Strong stakeholder communication — can present to senior leadership, support partner discussions, and coordinate across functions with confidence.