Job Profile: The key purpose of the role is to create sustainable impact by developing investable programs and offering business support to entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.
This support will help these entrepreneurs realize their full business potential and long-term success.
The role will support local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s, and other regionally relevant public-private partnership arrangements to become bankable while connecting them to Impact Investors and blended finance donors.
The Senior Investment Manager will build the capacity of SECAEC and the Southern Africa Foundation (SAF) REC on:
Business case development and analyses.
Development and implementation of training programs on business support to REC staff and partners,
Undertake fundraising,
Take the lead in exploring and responding to calls for proposals and or Expression of Interests
Primary Relationships: The Senior Investment Manager will report to the SECAEC Regional Director and will participate in the Global Solidaridad Network Impact Investment Task Force.
Within the SECAEC and SAF, the role has primary working relationships with REC’s staff; country, program and fundraising teams.
Externally, the role works mostly with partners such as local farm companies, co-operatives and SME’s, local/regional public and private stakeholders, impact investors and donors.
Key Performance Areas:
Capacity development:
Provides support and training to SECAEC and SAF staff on business case development, financial analyses and fundraising for commodity and landscape programs
Develops training material on local business development, fundraising and landscape financing
Originating propositions:
Identify local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s and local/regional public and private stakeholders, which have the potential to scale in existing and new programs;
Supports the development of new programs in collaboration with program staff which can fill the pipeline of potential bankable local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s and local/regional public and private stakeholders (development of business incubator programs)
Able to develop the business case for landscape assets e.g. carbon and water and make these opportunities concrete to translate them into investable propositions
Lead in identifying fundraising opportunities and applying for funding through responding to Expressions of Interest and Call for Proposals.
Business support services:
Develops high quality, focused and concise screening of finance reports that allow for efficient decision making within agreed time frames
Identify business support needs of local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s and develop a proposal for business development support
Approval of proposal for business support provides or manages business support services
Support the local business case in developing and implementing a robust business plan, financial plan and risk assessment and mitigation plan.
Portfolio management
Conducts regular visits to the investee e.g. the local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s and local/regional public and private stakeholders in the portfolio to:o Report on the financial progresso Develop and implement corrective action planso Raise a red flag where the investment pose a business risko Advise the organization when to dispatch the funds after all the requirements are met by the investeeo Evaluates the investment and ensure it creates impact it was intended to
Carry out the due diligence of potential investees to evaluate if they are investable,
Organize matchmaking calls with existing impact investors and the Agri based SME for networking.
Program development:
Support commodity managers in the development of blended programs which has a business model for the local business cases
Develops bankable business cases for local farm companies, co-operatives, SME’s which is capable of attracting investors from local/regional public and private stakeholders, Impact Investors, governments and development banks
Evaluate the feasibility of investment opportunities available in the going SECAEC and SAF programmes.
Networking
Develops and manages a network of impact investors and donors
Develops and manages a network of entrepreneurs
Develops and manages a network of NGO’s and service providers
Required Experience, Qualification and Skills:
8+ years working experience that includes strategic partnership development across a number of sectors, fundraising in excess of $5M and managing business development functions
Well networked across sectors including funding agencies and impact investors
Experienced with building effective relationships with decision makers (CEO’s and Directors)
Advanced degree is required. An MBA is preferred
Excellent financial and analytical skills
Written and spoken language fluency in English essential
Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills
Key Attributes and Competencies:
Makes presentations and undertakes public speaking with skill and confidence
Develops job knowledge and expertise through continual professional development
Shares expertise and knowledge with others
Gathers comprehensive information to support decision making
Demonstrates a rapid understanding of newly presented information
