Background

The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs). UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: (1) inclusive digital economies, which connects individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; (2) local development finance, which drives structural transformation of localities through policy and regulatory reform, fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and project finance to unlock capital flows to the local level, combined local economic expansion and sustainable development; and (3) investment finance, which provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization.

The Local Finance Initiative (LFI) programme is designed to unlock the flow of capital to invest small and medium-sized infrastructure projects that are required to accelerate local economic development and private sector development. It is a UNCDF front office capacity that help to deliver local economic development in collaboration with national institutions, local authorities, and SMEs in developing countries.

The UNCDF is seeking to hire an experienced Investment Officer with expertise in developing and financing bankable private sector investment projects. The Investment officer will work under the direct supervision of Senior Investment Officer based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Organization and facilitation of key programme activities related to commercially viable investments, project development, transaction structuring, and financing.
2. Investment process execution and portfolio management.
3. Capacity development of key stakeholders of the programme in the areas of commercially viable investments.

1. Organization and facilitation of key programme activities related to commercially viable investments, project development, transaction structuring and financing.
Support the process of investments identification, appraisal, transaction structuring, development of financial models for debt or equity investments and finalizing entire investment package for financing.
Interact with local stakeholders (such as central and local government officials, private sector banks, equity investors, project sponsors, development partners, etc.).
Provide targeted technical investment support services to project sponsors identified. This includes review of feasibility studies, collection of relevant data to enhance business plans and confirm project bankability, technical due diligence market assessment, financial advisory services, and project finance transaction structuring.
Support the establishment of co-financing relationships with debt providers and equity investors, nurture relationships, and manage activities needed to secure co-financing of supported investments.
Develop investment projects using single purpose investment vehicles (SPV)‘s.
Facilitate the required technical studies under guidance of the Global LFI Secretariat by engaging the project sponsors, consultants, local authorities and communities as appropriate, including the development of TORs that reflect project finance requirements and support of the procurement processes.
Identify alternative financing sources including credit enhancements, guarantees, debt, and equity, including preparation and participation in negotiations with financiers, term sheet reviews, coordination with project sponsors and support to lender and investor due diligence.
Prepare and facilitate technical missions for investment projects validation and pipeline development.
Liaise closely with teams from UNCDF local development finance projects responsible for measurement of transformative impact of investment projects, including in climate change, food security, women’s economic empowerment and local economic development. Exchange data and information to ensure that selected projects meet the criteria for transformational.

2. Investment process execution and portfolio management.
Development and maintenance of the project management tool for each investment.
Provide weekly reports in the format agreed upon and other adhoc and periodic reporting
Ensure the delivery of the key results is on time and budget as assigned by the management.
Timely planning, budgeting, and reporting in accordance with UNCDF guidelines.
Establish and maintain an effective and efficient project monitoring system providing regular feedback on the project performance and to update regularly risk and issue logs.
Document and monitor local development impact of the investment in addition to financial viability criteria.

3. Capacity development of key stakeholders of the programme in the areas of commercially viable investments.
Provide support for the LFI capacity development and training programme, ensuring programme knowledge generation and dissemination, including support to the development of LFI tools and toolkits, case studies, briefs, research documents, and client impact evaluations.
Support and ensure timely delivery of LFI training programs.
Support and ensure the implementation of the LFI stakeholder mobilization and communication plan and organize and coordinate outreach activities with a variety of stakeholders.
Provide specialist input in the development and application of the investment management processes and tools to facilitate knowledge transfer, training, and development of capacities of local stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Competencies

Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery
Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Required Skills and Experience
Minimum Academic Education:
Master’s degree in finance, accounting, investments, or a related business degree is required.

Minimum years of relevant Work experience:
2 years of relevant experience.

Required skills and competencies:
Working experience of infrastructure project finance, financing investments through public private partnerships and the capital markets.
Demonstrated experience in developing and financing commercially viable investments. Demonstrated experience of developing and defending investment recommendations for review and approval by investment committees of a fund, lender or investor. Demonstrated experience in development of investment projects through the entire project development life cycle and the financing stages for investments through single purpose investment vehicles (SPV)‘s.
Demonstrated experience in preparation of project financial analysis and creation/evaluation of advanced and complex financial models.
Demonstrated experience in project proposals evaluation and assessment of economic and technical feasibility for private sector funding.
Demonstrated ability to engage across multiple stakeholders, including project sponsors, government partners and financial institutions.
Applies a broad knowledge of best investment and management practices.
Keeps abreast of new developments in development finance and seeks to develop him/herself personally.
Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Desired additional skills and competencies:
Job Knowledge and required technical expertise.
Client Orientation
Building Partnerships
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
Self-development, initiative-taking
Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control
Managing conflict
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member
Informed and transparent decision making

Language Requirements:
Fluency in Engilish and Swahili is essential.
French is a plus.

Professional Certificates:
A Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance and or additional certifications e.g., CFA, CPA, Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management or related areas will be preferable.

Disclaimer
Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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