Job Title: Portfolio Officer (2 positions) – Investing in Women in the Blue Economy in Kenya, AECF

Department: Investments Portfolio

Location: Nairobi with frequent travel to the Coastal and Lake Victoria

About The AECF

The AECF is a leading development finance organization that supports businesses to innovate, create jobs, and leverage investments to build resilience and sustainable incomes for rural and marginalized communities in Africa. AECF’s s goal is to bridge the investment gap between early-stage enterprise and business maturity for entrepreneurs serving the poorest communities. We provide patient capital to new and innovative business models in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa through various financing instruments. To supplement finance, we also offer advisory services, investments support, and knowledge and insights.

AECF has successfully implemented programs across 26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting over 343 enterprises, raising US$ 422 million in funding for programs, that have created over 26,000 direct jobs and impacted 28 million lives.

AECF is headquartered in Kenya, with offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania.

AECF is seeking two Portfolio Officers to support the implementation of its new program – Investing in Women in the Blue Economy in Kenya.

The Programme

Investing in Women in the Blue Economy in Kenya (IIW-BEK) is a five-year programme whose main goal is to contribute to enhanced economic empowerment of women-owned enterprises, their suppliers, and producers along key supply chains where women are discriminated against in Kenya’s blue economy. IIW-BEK will work in Kenya’s Lake Victoria Basin and the Indian Ocean.

The key objectives of the program are:

• Evidence-based programme interventions that support women’s economic participation in non-traditional sectors of the blue economy.
• Enhanced private sector engagement of women as economic actors across the blue economy value chain.
• Increased private and public sector investment in women and young women-owned Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
• Reduced systemic gender inequalities that hinder women’s effective economic participation in the blue economy.

The Role

The Portfolio Officer, working closely with the Programme Manager, will develop and manage the IIW-BEK portfolio and deliver program objectives. The Portfolio Officer will work together with the broader team to ensure effective delivery of the competition phase of the program, and thereafter deliver a high-performing portfolio that achieves the development impact targets set for the program. The Portfolio Officer will work with the Programme Manager to develop and manage key partnerships in the regions/counties covered by the program, including but not limited to county government, relevant government ministries, donors, and downstream delivery partners.

a) Selection of potential investees for funding

• Work with the IIW-BEK competition management team to design the marketing strategy and market new funding competitions/challenges.
• Review and assess project applications, concept notes, and business plans as well as conducting basic pre-funding due diligence.
• Coordinate monitoring visits of potential investees and directly engage applicants to discuss their project ideas and ensure their project plans are of high quality and technically sound.
• Preparing and presenting investment documentation for review to the Internal Investment Review Committee and leading the contracting process for successful investees.
• Undertake the capacity needs assessment (technical, financial, knowledge, etc.) of the investees and work with the AECF Enterprise Development team on appropriate interventions.

b) Monitoring investee performance

• Effectively manage the portfolio of approved investees to assure delivery of set program objectives and development impact targets.
• Review investees’ progress reports and feedback process – ensuring quality data and the drawing of investee-specific and/or general insights.
• Conduct project site visits to ensure that: project implementation is on track, performance targets are being met, progress reporting is timely and accurate, and project funds are utilized appropriately and transparently.
• Provide mentoring and coaching to support investees.
• Ensure timely disbursement of approved funds to investees.
• Prepare and share investees’ risk one-pagers with relevant teams.
• Assess investee needs related to post-investment support; and with the AECF Enterprise Development, design and implement post-investment advisory interventions.

c) Relationship management

• Foster and maintain productive working relationships and linkages with donors, and other development partner organizations, international organizations, government departments, private sector partners, sector leaders, community-based organizations (including women groups, beach management units), etc.
• Represent AECF in relevant activities with key stakeholders in Kenya’s blue economy.

Required qualifications, experience, and attributes.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance economics, sustainable development, or related field
• 4 – 5 years of experience in portfolio or investment management, including experience with financial and operational due diligence of early or growth-stage businesses.
• Experience in private sector development, sustainable finance, strengthening value chains or economic diversification – preferably in sustainable or blue economy-related industries
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or equivalent professional accounting qualification e.g., ACCA, will be an added advantage,
• Experience working with SMEs, and financial intermediaries working with micro and small businesses.
• Experience with gender lens investing, will be a distinct added advantage.
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills.
• An understanding of the donor landscape and demands of international development.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills with the ability to prepare investment/grant memos, proposals, and reports to a high level of proficiency.
• High degree of initiative and energy, “can-do” attitude, flexibility, teamwork, and attention to detail.

If you believe, you can demonstrate your abilities to meet the relevant criteria for the role see; http://www.aecfafrica.org/node/703

The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The AECF considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To be considered, your application must be received by 22^nd February 2022.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.