P4G Regional Investment Manager at World Resources Institute (WRI)

Job Highlight:

• Reporting to the P4G Executive Director, the Africa Regional Manager’s key roles will be to: (1) increase the quality of origination and success rates of P4G early stage locally led climate businesses across Africa; (2) work concurrently with the P4G National Platforms to advance enabling policy and regulatory reform related to the portfolio of companies and related sub-sector areas; and (3) advance the state of knowledge related to how to enable greater flows of global climate capital to local climate businesses. You will be supported by the Africa regional team of P4G National Platform Liaisons and related P4G team members. As the Regional Investment Manager for Africa you will support in-country engagement and the participation of P4G’s African country partners in major P4G activities and events by coordinating closely with the P4G Hub team (the P4G secretariat), the African P4G National Platforms, and related P4G partners. In partnership with these stakeholder you will originate and accelerate climate entrepreneurs in the region, while concurrently working on the market systems to enable the overall growth of the sector.

What will you do:
Partnership origination, acceleration and graduation (70%):

• Responsible for the origination process across Africa to source innovative early stage climate ventures
• Lead the analysis and due diligence to determine if the climate business has the potential to grow from seed to early growth level
• Lead financial due diligence process and evaluation of commercial viability for P4G business model for new P4G partnership applications implementing in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa, including reviewing business plan and financial forecasts, and investment risk and mitigation. Prepare the Committee Due Diligence document to present to the Independent Grants Committee for final award decisions
• Conduct market research to help develop investment strategies and identify transaction opportunities for P4G partnerships implementing in P4G’s country partners in Africa. Facilitate investment and blended finance solutions for P4G partnerships through technical support to their business model and commercial readiness from origination to acceleration
• Provide mentor/advisor services to P4G climate businesses. Identify and maintain a network of regional investment and development financing institutions and climate financing facilities to enable transaction deals for P4G funded partnerships. Arrange for value chain B2B matchmaking and investor matchmaking
• Leverage network of investor relationships, manage the deal flow of P4G funded partnerships, and assist them in realizing blended financing and financial closure

Fundraising and Strategy development (30%):

• Lead and advance P4G knowledge and strategy in Africa Works with P4G’s in country staff, P4G’s National Platforms, and with other partners in the ecosystem (i.e. accelerators, tech hubs and early stage venture funds) across Africa to build the P4G network
• Work with the P4G National Platform Liaisons in the region to ensure coordination between government ministries and other relevant stakeholders in the private sector and civil societies regarding P4G partnerships, key dialogues, and matters of coordination on behalf of P4G’s overall implementation, strategy and knowledge mobilization
• Implement P4G’s Phase 2 theory of change on the African continent
• Coordinate with the P4G leadership team that includes the other regional investment managers and the operations and knowledge teams
• Oversee P4G National Platform Liaisons and Partnership Investment Management staff in the region. Represent P4G at high-level discussions within partner Ministries and companies, building relationships at that level both within the P4G National Platform and within a broader network
• Manage investor relationships with relevant commercial and climate financing agencies to raise investor awareness and understanding of the P4G business model and funded partnerships
• Work with the P4G leadership team on fundraising for P4G and for investment in partnerships from donor countries, impact investors, foundations and financial institutions
• Travel to other P4G countries in Africa, and other global meetings and events.

What will you need:

• Education: You will have a master’s or advanced degree in business, finance, or a relevant technical field
• Experience: You have 10+ years of experience in investment, commercial and strategic financial management responsibilities with 3+ years of supervisory experience
• Experience managing financial deals or transactions for projects or enterprises, and commercialization of startup companies in supporting investment deals for market-based green ventures
• Demonstrated knowledge of business planning, financial due diligence, reviewing deal documentation. Experience with reviewing investment memorandum, project financing, venture financing, financial modeling and financial structuring (debt, equity, blended, guarantees etc.)
• Demonstrated familiarity with regional investment and development financing schemes for green growth projects and on applications of climate fund facilities
• Demonstrated understanding of investment framework of private equity, development financial institutions and institutional investors
• Experience engaging with government officials and in multi-stakeholder engagements and public and private cross-sectoral coordination around green growth and climate themes/SDGs/NDCs
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more of P4G’s technical sectors. These include climate, food and agriculture, clean energy, and water
• Experience working in a multicultural environment
• Languages: You are proficient in verbal and written English. Additional language skills desirable
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.