Finance, Investment & Accounting
Job Description
FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to help make finance work for Africa’s future. FSD Africa’s team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators, and policymakers to design and build ambitious programmes that make financial markets work better for everyone.
The investment arm, FSD Africa Investments, provides early-stage, risk-bearing, catalytic and patient capital to inventive commercial organisations to stimulate capital flows to support green economic growth benefiting people and the planet.
Established in 2012, FSD Africa is incorporated as a non-profit company limited by guarantee in Kenya. It is funded by UK aid from the UK government. For more information, please visit: http://www.fsdafrica.org
About The Role
The Principal, Green Manufacturing Platform (GMP) Investments is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing an innovative investment platform that mobilises capital for Africa’s sustainable manufacturing sector, working in close collaboration with a second GMP Principal focused on manufacturing strategy and value addition. The GMP aims to address the “missing middle” challenge by unlocking growth capital for small and medium-sized green manufacturers, bridging the gap between early-stage support and commercial investment.
The role-holder will lead the incubation and scaling of the GMP, ensuring that its blended finance structure successfully demonstrates the viability of green industrial investments and catalyses additional funding. The Principal will be responsible for overseeing the design of financial instruments, execution of pilot investments, and establishment of a long-term investment vehicle, targeting a total fund size of USD 120 million.
Working closely with the CIO, Investment Committee, and strategic partners, the Investment Principal will build and manage a portfolio of investments that drive sustainable industrial growth, job creation, and climate impact. The role-holder will also engage with regulators, financial institutions, and development finance partners to foster a more enabling environment for green manufacturing finance.
The Investment Principal, GMP is accountable for the identification and management of investment risk, in line with FSDAi’s investment principles, and for ensuring that high standards of business integrity, ESG compliance, and financial performance are upheld at all times.
Duties and Responsibilities
Thought Leadership & Expert Advisory
Act as a thought leader on green manufacturing finance, providing expert advice and insight on how sustainable industrialisation can deliver measurable benefits for African people, economies, and the environment:
- Ensure a good understanding of FSDAi’s strategic aims and the development finance ecosystem within which they operate; build on this understanding to hypothesise ways in which GMP investments can contribute towards ‘Making Finance Work for Africa’s Future’ .
- Lead FSDAi’s efforts to integrate green industrial finance into Africa’s financial ecosystem, developing investment mechanisms that support circular economy principles, decarbonisation, and low-carbon manufacturing.
- Build financial and business models to analyse potential investment targets; lead the team to make informed decisions over potential risks vs returns.
- Act as FSD Africa’s key advisor on green industrial finance, providing advice or support to Pillar Heads and Deal teams on sustainable manufacturing investment strategies.
- Represent FSDAi and the GMP platform in industry forums, shaping policy dialogue and regulatory frameworks for financing green manufacturing enterprises.
Strategy & Portfolio Development
Participate in the development of FSDAi’s overall strategy and the execution of our investment mandate; within that context, lead the development and implementation of FSDAi’s strategy for GMP, aiming to maximise our transformative impact on Africa’s manufacturing sector:
- Work collaboratively with the Principal, Manufacturing Strategy & Value Addition to ensure that GMP’s investment strategy and portfolio design align with sectoral priorities, manufacturing innovation, and market transformation goals.
- Develop and lead implementation of an investment strategy that will guide the development of their GMP portfolio; includes working with strategic partners (private investors, financial institutions, and DFIs).
- Lead the team in scanning, prospecting, and evaluating potential investments; ensure that comprehensive financial modelling and analysis is carried out in order to forecast individual investment and overall portfolio returns.
- Lead the team in the production of high-quality investment proposals (vetting and screening to ensure compliance with IC standards); presenting a compelling business case to the Investment Committee.
- Oversee the structuring of blended finance instruments that de-risk investments in green manufacturing enterprises and enhance capital mobilisation from local and international investors.
Portfolio Performance
Take responsibility for the management of FSDAi’s GMP investment portfolio, ensuring that each individual investment performs in line with targets and that the portfolio as a whole achieves impact objectives:
- Ensure that each team member has defined accountability for managing assigned GMP investments, overseeing relationships with investees, investors, and key stakeholders to enhance portfolio performance.
- Develop and implement structured performance monitoring frameworks, ensuring due diligence outcomes and contractual obligations are translated into actionable project plans, incorporating capacity-building where relevant.
- Hold the team accountable for implementing project plans and executing monitoring touchpoints; ensure that results are reported on time and to standard.
- Lead the analysis of both individual investment and overall portfolio performance; facilitate scaling opportunities for high-impact investments, particularly in preparation for transitioning GMP from a pilot phase to a fully-fledged investment platform.
- Oversee the preparation of reports and analysis of investment and fund activities, dealing with specific queries from within the team or from stakeholders.
Risk & Compliance
Ensure that all risk and compliance issues pertaining to the GMP portfolio are mapped out and that strategies for managing risk and ensuring compliance are in place and implemented:
- Collaborate with the CIO and Principal Risk to embed a robust risk management culture, ensuring proactive identification and mitigation of risks across the GMP portfolio, while aligning with FSDAi’s risk appetite statement for the platform’s incubation phase.
- Lead investment teams to ensure adherence to the investment policy, process and guidelines; liaise with the Risk & Legal team to ensure an effective due diligence process is carried out and that deals are structured to fit the FSDAi risk/return profile.
- Lead engagement with investment teams and legal advisors to review and negotiate investment documentation, ensuring that structures are fit for GMP’s blended finance approach and align with long-term fund mobilisation objectives.
- Ensure that good governance in investee companies is supported (and, if necessary, mandated), including compliance with financial reporting standards, ESG risk, gender diversity, and development outcomes; liaise with the Risk & Legal team as required to take appropriate action in case of non-compliance.
- Take responsibility for preparing for audits of the portfolio and for timely implementation of any recommendations or corrective actions that are raised.
Relationships & Influencing
Identify the external stakeholders who need to be engaged in order for the GMP strategy to succeed; build strategic relationships and implement influencing strategies in support of the achievement of the group’s (FSDAi and FSD Africa) results framework:
- Ensure that stakeholder mapping is included in the ecosystem analysis mentioned under ‘Thought Leadership’; build a good understanding of the stakeholder/customer segments and any influential individuals who should be engaged.
- Work collaboratively with the communications team to develop and implement a Communications, Influencing & Advocacy plan, seeking to influence the achievement of FSDAi’s targets for green industrial investment.
- Developing a framework for investor engagement that promotes co-investment in green manufacturing SMEs through the GMP platform.
- Engaging with key regulatory bodies and government institutions to create enabling policies for financing sustainable industrialisation in Africa.
- Taking initiative to build relationships with key stakeholders (potential investors and investees, regulatory authorities, other influential groups or individuals).
- At all times represent FSDAi in a manner that upholds FSD Africa’s brand standards and aligns with their Purpose and Values.
Team Leadership
Build and lead the GMP Investments team of staff and consultants in a manner that empowers them to add value to the organisation and deliver high standards of performance:
- Ensure that the GMP Investments Unit is resourced with the expertise necessary to effectively build and manage the portfolio – through a combination of recruitment and management of staff and procurement of consultants.
- Ensure that each team member (including consultants) is provided with clarity concerning goals and expectations of their personal role in achieving results, standards and behaviour.
- Plan and organise the work of the team to accomplish goals and targets in the most cost-effective and impactful manner possible.
- Monitor and review performance and hold staff accountable for achieving results, meeting standards of excellence and taking decisive action in the case of poor performance.
- Ensure delivery of an engaging leadership style that motivates team members, results in high performance and complies with FSD Africa’s EDI policies.
Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management.
Essential Experience, Knowledge, and Skills
- Master’s degree and 12 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 14 years of experience.
- Demonstrated understanding of the African private investment market, investment cycle, fund management, investment structuring, deal analysis and structuring, business assessments and valuations, and investment portfolio management, with a focus on green manufacturing finance and blended capital structures.
- Strong knowledge of sustainable industrialisation trends, circular economy principles, and financing mechanisms that support decarbonisation and low-carbon manufacturing.
- Good understanding and appreciation of the balance between investment returns and economic and social development outcomes, and passion to pursue investment opportunities to achieve these two objectives.
- Proven ability to develop and manage a high-performing portfolio, including the underpinning analytical skills in financial modelling and analysis.
- Solid track record of structuring, negotiating, and closing deals effectively and intelligently.
- Comprehensive understanding of the multiple factors involved in the effective management of risk and compliance; proven commitment to protecting shareholder interests.
- Familiarity with major stakeholders in Africa’s green manufacturing finance ecosystem, including DFIs, local financial institutions, and regulatory bodies; proven ability to build strategic relationships of mutual benefit.