ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
Established in 2012 and supported by UK aid, FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to make finance work for Africa’s future. FSDAi was established by FSD Africa in 2016 to deploy early-stage, risk-bearing capital to unlock green economic growth, benefiting both people and planet, alongside FSD Africa’s market building work. Our investments are catalytic, serving to crowd-in larger volumes of private capital, and patient, with long-term horizons.
As a leading financial systems catalytic investor at the forefront of deepening Africa’s financial sector, our mission is to enable private finance to solve critical development challenges across the continent. We are working towards this goal by investing in organisations that improve the availability and efficiency of finance for productive activities, basic social services and addressing climate change. Please find more details about FSDAi on our website at: http://www.fsdafrica.org/fsdai
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Chief Investment Officer (CIO)
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT: Provides project management / coordination to entire FSDAi team
OVERALL JOB PURPOSE
The Head of Portfolio Performance is responsible for both supporting and monitoring the performance of FSDAi’s overall portfolio of investments, aiming to optimise the achievement of FSDAi’s purpose, and primary investment goal, of ‘making finance work for Africa’s future’. The job holder proactively supports performance by collating market insights and business analytics, seeking to understand the factors that influence performance and translating this into an integrated investment strategy for approval by the Board. Additionally, s/he takes an overview of business processes, activities and workloads required to manage the portfolio and provides coordination to the team; in particular, facilitating effective collaboration between Investment teams and the Risk & Legal teams.
The Head of Portfolio Performance ensures that portfolio performance data is collected and validated; analyzing the results and producing both regular and ad-hoc portfolio performance reports. S/he leads the team to review results, identifying lessons learned, and planning subsequent action; this might be an adjustment to strategy if results are not yet optimal, or a decision to scale-up effective investments and interventions.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS
KRA 1: Business Analytics & Market Research
Work together with colleagues in both FSDAi and FSD Africa to collect, collate and analyse data that will add value to the development of strategy and inform the management of portfolio performance for FSDAi:
- Work collaboratively with colleagues to collate and coordinate market research that is carried out by the FSDAi team
- Develop a comprehensive database of macro-economic and financial sector indicators that have the potential to impact FSDAi’s portfolio performance
- Likewise, coordinate and collate business analytics, working closely with colleagues in both FSDAi and FSDA to track portfolio performance (in terms of both Development Impact and Financial ROI)
- Lead robust discussions on market conditions, execution of interventions, lessons learned and action planning in collaboration with the relevant teams on investments, risk, development impact, and finance
- Act as an expert advisor on portfolio performance, aiming to maximise the transformative impact on SSA’s financial sector
KRA 2: Strategy & Portfolio Development
Take a holistic overview of FSDAi’s entire portfolio of investments and support the Senior Management team in the development of an integrated investment strategy that will optimise achievement of our investment mandate:
- Lead the team in discussions on portfolio strategy and how individual investments contribute to the greater whole
- Generate innovative investment ideas suited to the prevailing market conditions that can result in the achievement of our investment mandate
- Work collaboratively with the Development Impact team to develop and implement investment screening and other tools designed to optimise development impact
- In collaboration with the CIO and Senior Management team, draft updates to FSDAi’s Investment Strategy for submission to the Investment Committee
- Ensure that all members of the FSDAi team are kept up to date on the Investment Strategy and that any changes that impact their individual roles are highlighted
KRA 3: Project/Investment Coordination
Work with investment teams to organise and coordinate activities across the whole portfolio; ensuring that investments are well managed from origination to exit and that deal teams are adhering to the investment strategy:
- Develop a system for logging and tracking the various projects/investments being managed by the team; ensure a good understanding of the workloads being managed and any challenges being experienced
- Work collaboratively with Senior Colleagues to develop an integrated action plan; in particular, support effective coordination between the investment teams and the risk & legal teams
- Provide expert advice and robust challenge to support investment teams in implementing the approved Investment Strategy
- Raise any concerns with the CIO swiftly and proactively; if necessary support with managing recruitments or procuring consultants in case of heavy workloads or skills gaps.
KRA 4: Portfolio Performance
Support senior colleagues in the management of FSDAi’s entire portfolio of investments; ensure that each individual investment performs in line with targets and that the portfolio as a whole achieves impact targets:
- Ensure that FSDAi’s Senior Managers each have clear responsibility for oversight of a portfolio or investments, and the management of relationships with associated investees, investors and other stakeholders
- Ensure that each investment has a clear performance monitoring plan and that the results of the due diligence process and the provisions of the contract with each investee are converted into a clear project plan, including capacity-building provisions if necessary.
- Work collaboratively with the Finance and Development Impact Pillars to monitor and validate the data being collected on the performance of individual investments and of the portfolio as a whole
- Ensure that the Principals are leading the analysis of individual investments and lead the team to review overall portfolio performance; collate results into the portfolio performance report mentioned previously
- Encourage the team to identify and implement opportunities for improvement and to explore possibilities for scaling up successful approaches.
KRA 5: Risk & Compliance
Work closely with risk teams (Strategic Risk, Business Integrity, and ESG) to ensure that risk and compliance is effectively managed across FSDAi’s entire portfolio:
- Work closely with senior colleagues in refining, updating, and developing the risk frameworks, models, and analytics used for screening investment opportunities, informing portfolio construction and evaluating subsequent performance and management
- Identify and make proposals for addressing any operational constraints that might undermine FSDAi’s ability to manage risk (e.g. workloads, staff capacity, MIS)
- Ensure that activities pertaining to Risk Management (Strategic Risk, Business Integrity and ESG) are incorporated into the project/investment coordination and action-planning, includes:
o Capacity building for portfolio companies
o 100-day plans post-investment
o Post-investment due diligence
- Work with the Risk & Legal team and with Investment teams to trouble-shoot and address any issues that have arisen e.g. fraud, non-compliance, negative audit findings
KRA 6: Capacity Building & Relationship Management
Lead on building the capacity of FSDAi colleagues and investees on important cross-cutting themes that will support the performance and impact of the portfolio:
- Ensure that stakeholder mapping is included in the market research mentioned under ‘Thought Leadership’; build a good understanding of the stakeholder / customer segments and any influential individuals who should be engaged
- Liaise with colleagues and external experts in the development finance space to identify various factors that can influence portfolio performance, for instance:
o Strengthening governance
o Fundraising strategies
o Executing gender intentionality and nature disclosure
o Organisational development & growth
o Risk controls
- Develop and implement strategies for building the capacity of the FSDAi, FSDA staff and stakeholders to incorporate these critical, value-adding issues into intervention design
- Ensure that stakeholder mapping is included in the market research mentioned under ‘Thought Leadership’; build a good understanding of the stakeholder / customer segments and any influential individuals who should be engaged
Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management.
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Qualifications and Education
- Master’s degree and 11 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 12 years of experience
- Professional qualifications e.g. CPA are an advantage.
Essential Experience, Knowledge, and Skills
- Demonstrated understanding of African private investment market, investment cycle, fund management, investment structuring, deal analysis and structuring, business assessments and valuations, and investment portfolio management.
- 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 financial markets ecosystem; proven ability to build strategic relationships of mutual benefit
- Proficiency in computer applications such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
- Previous experience of working in/with aid-funded projects
- Languages: French, local African languages
FSD AFRICA COMPETENCIES
Competencies describe the key behaviours that drive success in all of FSDAi and FSD Africa’s roles, regardless of technical specialism. They have been derived from systematic research correlating performance with personal attributes. The section below indicates the level of each competency required for this role:
Level 1: Basic
Level 2: Foundation
Level 3: Specialist
Level 4: Senior Specialist
Level 5: Leading Expert
Level 6: Executive
ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS
- Commitment & Alignment – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Demonstrates commitment to serving our partners and alignment with the values and vision of FSD Africa
- Change & Challenge – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Has a strong sense of ownership that leads to learning, self-starting, taking initiative, driving change and leading development
ACHIEVEMENT COMPETENCIES
- Situational Awareness & Thinking – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Thinks clearly and intentionally, analysing information objectively, understanding issues, solving problems, and making decisions
- Drive for results – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Is keenly motivated to achieve goals & act with accountability to deliver quality results
PEOPLE COMPETENCIES
- Relationships & Collaboration – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Discerns and appreciates the values, viewpoints, or abilities of others; effectively reconciles different interests and displays emotional intelligence
- Communication & Influencing – Level 4: Senior Specialist
- Deliberately adjusts behaviour to accommodate others; communicates clearly, confidently, and appropriately to influence others
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Internal Relationships
- Management team, Development Impact team, other Pillars, staff.
External Relationships
- Investees and potential investees
- FCDO financial sector team and BII investment teams
- Consultants and advisors
- Local capital providers in Africa
- Venture capital ecosystem players in Africa
- Other development finance agencies
- Private and financial sector stakeholders
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Direct Control
- Monitoring of approved investments to investee companies.
- Portfolio disbursements with CIO approval
Indirect Influence
- FSDAi investment capital and operational spend
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity:
FSD Africa is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of equity and inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We will ensure that all applicants are provided a fair chance to compete for available job opportunities.
To apply for the role, your resume and cover letter, must be received by 5.00pm East Africa Time (EAT) on Wednesday 31 July 2024.