Head of Investment Operations and Enterprise Sourcing at HCS Affiliates Group

About the Opportunity

• Our client is a leading African-based development organization that leverages the power of the private sector to address systemic challenges related to rural poverty, employment and sustainable development across the continent.
• The organization supports innovative and high-impact commercial businesses, particularly within the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors, to develop and scale solutions that increase agricultural productivity, expand energy access, create employment opportunities and improve the livelihoods of low-income households.
• Operating across frontier markets, fragile contexts and high-risk environments, the organization works with bold enterprises and partners to address climate risks, expand opportunities for women and young people, and build resilient communities.
• We are seeking to recruit an experienced, strategic and highly analytical professional for the position of Head of Investment Operations and Enterprise Sourcing.

The Role

• The Head of Investment Operations and Enterprise Sourcing will lead the development and management of the organization's investment operations platform, including the frameworks, systems and analytical capabilities required to support the construction and delivery of high-performing investment portfolios.
• The successful candidate will bring strong investment discipline, financial analysis and process rigour across the full investment lifecycle, including enterprise sourcing, competition management, due diligence, financial structuring and Investment Committee processes.
• The role will be responsible for ensuring that investment decisions are supported by high-quality analysis, consistent processes, effective governance and timely execution.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Sourcing and Competition Management

• Lead enterprise sourcing competitions from end to end, including competition design, marketing, application management, scoring and shortlisting.
• Ensure the integrity, quality, efficiency and effectiveness of enterprise sourcing processes.
• Continuously improve competition design using pipeline yield data, applicant quality and conversion-to-investment insights.
• Develop and manage complementary sourcing channels through proactive outreach, ecosystem partnerships and co-investor referrals.
• Manage sourcing infrastructure, including CRM systems, pipeline tracking tools, marketing campaigns and application management platforms.
• Ensure pipeline data is accurate, current, well-organized and readily available to support portfolio and investment decision-making.

Investment Analysis and Deal Team Support

• Provide strong financial modelling, investment analysis and structuring expertise to support deal teams during due diligence and transaction structuring.
• Act as a strategic thought partner and constructive challenger to sector and investment teams.
• Strengthen investment discipline and analytical rigour throughout the investment process.
• Build and manage strong analytical capability within the Investment Operations function to support investment activities across multiple sectors.

Investment Committee Process and Governance

• Serve as the process owner for Investment Committee activities, including scheduling, agenda management and submission coordination.
• Ensure the quality and consistency of Investment Committee memoranda and other decision-making documentation.
• Confirm that all investment submissions meet the required standards for decision-readiness.
• Track Investment Committee decisions, conditions precedent and post-approval actions.
• Coordinate post-Investment Committee follow-through and documentation.

Portfolio Analytics, Systems and Reporting

• Lead the development and management of portfolio analytics, performance dashboards and investment data infrastructure.
• Ensure portfolio performance information is visible, accurate, timely and comparable across sectors.
• Lead systems automation and digitization initiatives to improve efficiency, transparency and speed across the investment lifecycle.
• Analyze portfolio-wide trends, patterns and lessons to strengthen investment decision-making and programme design.

Process Discipline and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and improve cycle times across the investment lifecycle, from enterprise origination through Investment Committee approval, disbursement and milestone delivery.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement operational improvements without compromising investment quality and rigour.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across investment operations and portfolio delivery.

Investment Frameworks and Standards

• Develop, maintain and continuously improve frameworks and standards governing the investment lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain due diligence templates, structuring playbooks, Investment Committee memorandum standards, valuation methodologies, financial analysis frameworks and risk assessment tools.
• Ensure the consistent application of investment frameworks across sectors.
• Refine investment standards based on lessons learned and portfolio performance.
• Lead the ongoing development and refinement of catalytic capital frameworks, including guidance on the appropriate use of grants, repayable grants and concessional debt.

Team Leadership and Capability Building

• Lead, mentor and develop the Investment Operations team.
• Build investment and analytical capability across the wider organisation through training, coaching and structured development programmes.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance and investment-led culture.
• Support analysts, associates and other team members to strengthen their investment and portfolio management capabilities.

Qualifications and Experience

The successful candidate should possess:

• A Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or a related field.
• A professional qualification such as CFA, ACCA or an equivalent qualification.
• At least 8 years of investment experience across the full investment lifecycle, including sourcing, due diligence, structuring, Investment Committee processes and portfolio management.
• Experience within impact investing, blended finance, development finance or related investment environments will be an added advantage.
• Deep expertise in catalytic capital instruments, including grants, repayable grants and concessional debt.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing investment platforms, systems, processes and operational frameworks.
• Experience designing and managing structured enterprise sourcing programmes, competitions or cohort-based investment pipelines.
• Strong experience in financial analysis, financial modelling, valuation, investment structuring and Investment Committee processes.
• A demonstrated ability to support and enable deal teams, sector leads or portfolio managers in a centre-of-excellence or platform capacity.
• Experience working with early-stage portfolios and complex multi-stakeholder environments, including donors and concessional capital providers.
• Strong leadership, people management and team development skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• A high level of integrity, professionalism and sound investment judgement.

Key Competencies

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong investment and commercial acumen.
• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• Financial modelling and structuring expertise.
• Process design and operational excellence.
• Strong leadership and people development capability.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage complex and multiple priorities.
• High attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Ability to work effectively within complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• A collaborative and performance-driven approach.