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Senior Investment Director, Project Finance

  • Location: Casablanca, Morocco

Description

Africa50 is an infrastructure investment platform that contributes to Africa's growth by developing and investing in bankable projects, catalyzing public sector capital, and mobilizing private sector funding.

Africa50 has raised over US$885 million so far from 28 African governments, the African Development Bank, and institutional investors, and intends to reach a target capitalization of US$3 billion.  Africa50 has an independent investment process and seeks to generate commercial risk adjusted returns for its investments across four core infrastructure sectors: energy (including power generation and related parts of the value chain), midstream gas, transportation, and ICT.

The Project Finance Investment team makes private equity investments into late stage projects, growth companies and platform businesses, alongside lead sponsors and entrepreneurs. 

Purpose of role

The Senior Investment Director role is to provide leadership on investment execution, portfolio management and corporate initiatives.

Principal responsibilities

  • Work across all the infrastructure sectors
  • Develop a strong pipeline of investment opportunities through anticipation of market trends and employing sector/country knowledge
  • Execute Africa50’s equity investments into financially closed projects as well as platforms and growth opportunities, with a strong focus on achieving high IRRs
  • Have a good understanding and the ability to structure investments across the financing spectrum with deep knowledge of infrastructure equity investing
  • Candidate should have extensive experience in executing multiple private equity and infrastructure investments deals
  • Candidate should also have had exposure and complete comfort with project finance debt from the point of view of equity 
  • Lead negotiation for investment documents (SHA, SPA, and project debt and other agreements)
  • Have a thorough understanding of the infrastructure sectors, including power, transport, midstream, ICT etc, including markets, major operators and technologies
  • Have a good understanding of project and concession financing, policy issues, license conditions, tariff regimes and privatizations
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with local/regional/global infrastructure companies, banking and multilateral partners, suppliers and government officials to further develop the sector, and to build consensus around project proposals
  • Lead and manage project teams, mentor and develop junior staff.
  • Supervise development and check complex financial models
  • Initiate and lead due diligence process and commercial, strategic, operational, financial and legal due diligence
  • Develop clear high conviction investment hypotheses
  • Manage transaction documentation negotiation
  • Assess social and ecological benefit/impact of investments
  • Drive transaction execution and deal structuring for investments
  • Supervise preparation of deal presentations and investment memos including management structures, competitive landscape, and growth strategies within the value creation plan and other plans to meet investment opportunity goals
  • Manage portfolio-management activities
  • Assist in evaluating strategic options and exit scenarios
  • Supervise presentations for strategy, collateral etc.
  • Help develop institutional processes

 

Candidate Profile 

Required background

  • Focused and rigorous 8+ years experience at a top-ranked Investment Bank, Bank, Private Equity firm or DFI
  • Successful candidate will have bulk of experience in making/advising on equity investments
  • Demonstrated academic excellence. Undergraduate degree from top Universities
  • MBA Finance from similar top school.  Also open to MSc Finance
  • Strong relationship to Africa - by origin or a demonstrated long-term interest/commitment. Existing relationships in Africa are a plus

Essential Qualities

  • Positive attitude
  • Integrity
  • Indefatigable work ethic – this role will regularly require late nights/weekends/travel
  • Ability to monitor juniors’ work for defect free output.  Candidate will take full responsibility for the juniors’ work
  • A self-starter/high sense of initiative
  • High sense of urgency
  • Clarity of thought and action
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

  • Interest in Africa50’s mission, strategy and values
  • Strong connection to Africa and intent to have Africa focused career
  • Significant relevant work experience: at least [8] years of experience of infrastructure equity investing experience
  • Knowledge of overall infrastructure sector trends; experience in emerging markets, especially Africa is a plus
  • Strong business development and client relationship skills, track record and ability to focus on clients’ needs effectively and identify potential business partners
  • Excellent organizational and deal management capabilities. Ability to multitask is critical
  • Ability to negotiate with multiple counterparties in a forceful yet polite manner
  • Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of potential sponsors, developers and partners, as well as senior government officials
  • Strong inter-personal skills, ability to interact effectively with sponsors, partners and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds; living experience in emerging countries is a plus
  • Strong experience of successfully mentoring and developing junior investment staff.
  • Culturally sensitive and able to relate to people of diverse backgrounds
  • Genuine commitment to sustainable development
  • Deep understanding of how investments are structured
  • Strong understanding of project and concession finance
  • Sound knowledge of legal, policy, tax and regulatory matters
  • Fluent English (French is a plus)
  • Technical understanding of the power, transport and utilities sectors.

Location

This position will be based in Casablanca, Morocco.

How to Apply

If you are interested in this position, click here to Apply Now.

We kindly request that only people meeting all the profile's criteria highlighted above apply to this position. We will contact the shortlisted candidates within four weeks maximum.