Finance and Investment Director at ACDI/VOCA

Project Background

ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Finance and Investment Director, for an anticipated five-year, $50-100 million USAID-funded enterprise development and investment activity in Kenya, the Kenya Investment Mechanism (KIM). ACDI/VOCA seeks a highly qualified candidate with proven experience leading project teams and implementing integrated programs that support capital mobilization. The ideal candidate should have experience implementing highly innovative, scalable, replicable programs with the goal of unlocking public and private and international capital for investments to enhance competitiveness.

The activity will address innovative solutions to sustainable economic growth, enhancing private sector growth through small and medium enterprises (SMEs), expanding investment opportunities, and supporting small and medium business owners to efficiently utilize finance in order to support business growth. The projects anticipated focus will be to mobilize financing for investment in agriculture value chains, clean energy, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities in Kenya to enhance inclusive, sustainable economic growth while advancing USAIDs priorities in SMEs, county-led development, cross-border trade, youth, and entrepreneurship.

The activity will work to facilitate an enabling environment for private sector financing through policy reform, including investment policies under Kenya’s devolved governance structure. Finally, the activity will manage and provide oversight of the DCA portfolio to increase its utilization by participating Kenyan financial institutions.

Job Summary

The Finance and Investment Director will report to the Chief of Party and will supervise the projectâ?’s efforts to leverage capital and expertise from investors and asset management firms that can evaluate, manage, and implement investment transactions with both impact (increased revenues and jobs) and financial return mandates.

This includes working with firms, organizations, and individuals with the resources and expertise to i) create and implement financial products tailored to SMEs and/or, ii) structure, capitalize, and manage an investment vehicle (comprised of local or off-shore capital) to finance SMEs. The project ultimately intends to offer a financially sustainable solution to provide necessary capital to a â missing-middleâ? of SMEs that are not presently served by banks, microfinance or international financial institutions.

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the overall KIM Chief of Party, this position will lead the anticipated Finance and Investment Component and team of staff, providing technical and managerial oversight and leadership, contributing to the design and implementation oversight of annual work plans and strategies, and ensuring that interventions respond to identified market opportunities and create sustainable development outcomes.
• Design and implement activities to increase financing and investment for longer-term SME lending and working capital, including for processors, manufacturers, equipment providers, leasing companies, service providers, etc.
• Design and implement activities in partnership with investors, banks, and financial service providers that expand investment, increases the flow of financing, and supports the overall competitiveness of targeted SMEs.
• As part of this, facilitate partnerships and collaboration to leverage resources for investment in target SMEs and economic sectors.
• Recommend finance-related solutions to constraints identified by other project components and the ongoing market analysis by senior leadership.
• Support private sector partners to improve mechanisms that address finance-related constraints, such as reliable market information and SME-friendly financial products. In collaboration with the projectâ?’s
• Director of Enterprise Development, strengthen capacity of start-ups and SMEs to produce the financial documents and business plans required to attract increased lending and equity investments.
• Assess the impact of financial products and pilot efforts and make adjustments as needed to expand the outreach of finance providers to underserved markets Design and implement technical assistance interventions to investment attraction and facilitation, commercial partnerships, and trade expansion.
• Consider, understand, and address the obstacles to acquiring financing faced by women and youth-led businesses, and ensure activities are designed and implemented to be inclusive of these groups.
• Make recommendations to senior leadership for creative solutions to problems, new lines of work and promising partnerships, scaling up or scaling down interventions as a result of continuous learning, and regularly contribute to strategic planning, problem solving, and collaboration across components.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or similar qualification in Finance, Business, Marketing, or Economics is required.
• A Masters degree or similar qualification is desirable.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in finance, banking, and/or investment (preferably for SMEs), with a strong knowledge of the financial sector and investment climate in Kenya and the region
• Demonstrated experience designing products, services, and/or public-private investment partnerships that expand financing for clients and companies, as well as contribute to advancing social and economic development objectives
• Experience structuring investment vehicles and with private equity funds is a plus.
• Evidence of creative solutions to financing constraints for SME companies and their diverse (often rural) clients/supply chain partners
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance and advisory services to a range of financial service providers Collaborative, creative team player with minimum 3 years of leadership experience