Investment Readiness & Access to Finance Officer at Sustainable Business Consulting (SBC)

Role Summary

The Investment Readiness & Access to Finance Officer will support growth-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen their investment readiness and successfully access appropriate financing.

The role combines enterprise diagnostics, financial analysis, business advisory, and active facilitation of financial linkages with banks, impact investors, venture funds, development finance institutions (DFIs), and other capital providers.

The Officer will work closely with SMEs to improve financial management, governance, and strategic positioning while actively building partnerships within the financing ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Investment Readiness Support
  • Conduct enterprise diagnostics to assess business viability, scalability, and financing needs.
  • Support SMEs in refining business models and growth strategies.
  • Guide enterprises in preparing:
  • Bankable business plans
  • Financial projections and flow cash models
  • Investor pitch decks and information memoranda
  • Assess capital gaps and recommend suitable financing instruments (debt, equity, quasi-equity, grants, blended finance).
  • Prepare SMEs for investor engagement and due diligence processes.
• Access to Finance & Financial Linkages
  • Map and maintain a pipeline/database of financial institutions, investors, funds, and capital providers.
  • Facilitate introductions and matchmaking between SMEs and financing partners.
  • Coordinate pitch events, demo days, and investor engagement forums.
  • Support SMEs through loan applications, credit assessments, and investment negotiations.
  • Track capital mobilization and financing outcomes.
• Financial Analysis & Advisory
  • Review and analyze SME financial statements.
  • Develop financial models and assess creditworthiness.
  • Identify risks and provide mitigation recommendations.
  • Strengthen SME financial management systems and reporting practices.
• Growth & Performance Monitoring
  • Support SMEs in setting growth KPIs and performance targets.
  • Monitor progress on revenue growth, profitability, and operational efficiency.
  • Provide advisory support to address operational bottlenecks affecting scale and sustainability.
• Ecosystem Engagement & Partnerships
  • Build and maintain relationships with banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs, impact investors, DFIs, and venture capital firms.
  • Represent the organization in ecosystem events, stakeholder forums, and financial sector engagements.
  • Stay informed on emerging financing trends, instruments, and regulatory developments affecting SMEs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field.
• 3–6 years’ experience in SME advisory, corporate finance, banking, private equity, venture capital, or enterprise development programs.
• Strong financial modeling and financial statement analysis skills.
• Experience supporting SMEs to access debt and/or equity financing.
• Understanding of different financing instruments and credit assessment processes.
• Professional certifications (CPA, CFA Level I+, ACCA) are an added advantage.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and pitch coaching ability
• Relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to manage multiple enterprises simultaneously
• High attention to detail and results orientation
• Strong organizational and reporting skills