Job Vacancy: Investment Analyst – AECF

The AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a development institution that finances early and growth-stage businesses to innovate, create jobs, and leverage investments and markets to create resilience and sustainable incomes in rural and marginalized communities in Africa.

Since 2008, we have invested over US$ 220 million in over 420 businesses across sub-Sahara Africa focusing on Agribusiness, Renewable Energy, and Climate-smart Technologies. We have impacted more than 28 million lives, created over 25,000 jobs, and leveraged over US$ 757 million in matching funds to our portfolio companies.

We’re going through unprecedented growth at the moment – new funds, new portfolio companies, new geographies, and an energized team to help get us there. Key to the forward momentum is increasing our investment readiness and facilitation services, a key market gap for our portfolio companies and other SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa.

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

The role holder is responsible for assisting AECF to unlock capital for SMEs in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors. The incumbent will primarily work in the Investments Advisory Services Unit, assisting with evaluating potential investee companies for concessionary loans, grants, or debt opportunities.

He/ she will work with a Senior Investment Analyst, Portfolio Officers, and Legal Associate to develop financial models, conduct in-depth due diligence, prepare investment memos, and present investment opportunities to the Investment Committee for funding requests. They will also assist existing AECF investees with investment facilitation and investment readiness activities, in preparation for follow-on fundraising from commercial sources once the investees are ready to graduate from concessionary financing.

The role will report to Manager – Advisory Services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and maintain complex financial models of new portfolio/investee companies to asses their financial viability, and potential investment risks across our portfolios/programmes.
• Reviewing and improving financial models from consultants and investees.
• Provide both ad-hoc and proactive support to existing portfolio companies, if and as necessary this may include, but is not limited to: identifying market opportunities, working closely with specific teams, and helping formulate expansion or marketing strategies.
• Plan, coordinate, and deliver investment readiness content at investor forums.
• Support engagement with new investors suitable for meeting our portfolio companies’ capital needs.
• Identification and screening of investment opportunities within the renewable energy and agri- business sectors in Sub Saharan Africa.
• Due diligence and KYC activities on all investment opportunities that meet AECF’s investment criteria.
• Preparing investment memoranda and internal concessional loans and grants for internal stakeholders, including the Investment Committee.
• Assist in the drafting and negotiation of all necessary transaction documents, including term sheets, funding documentation, and security documents.
• Monitoring of all portfolio investments’ adherence to information and financial covenants.

Suitable candidate should possess:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, statistics, or other relevant field of study.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in private equity, structured debt, management consulting, or similar environments within investment banks, investment funds, investment advisors, or lending institutions with proven experience in financial modeling.
• Professional certifications such as ACCA, CFA, etc., or a financial modeling certification.
• Alignment with AECF’s mission to unlock capital for small and growing businesses aimed at reducing poverty, food insecurity, and energy dependence with a passion for SMEs and a good understanding of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Possess excellent written and spoken English with strong presentation and communication skills. Working knowledge of French is an added advantage.
• Logical thinker with the ability to summarize complex concepts for different kinds of audiences.
• Team player, with a solutions-driven approach to workflows.