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Investments Director job at Trade Catalyst Africa (TCA) is a US$25 million commercial facility funded by USAID through TradeMark Africa (TMA) that aims to address the challenge of access to finance for trade infrastructure and trade finance. TCA will address this through blended finance to de-risk commercial investments in trade projects. It will specifically focus on investments in trade infrastructure, both hard and soft infrastructure such as industrial parks, digital systems, and providing better access to trade finance related to export value chains, particularly in agribusiness and the Cotton, Textiles and Garments value chain.

Investments Director job at Trade Catalyst Africa (TCA)

Investments Director job TCA is structured as an evergreen revolving fund that will look to de-risk investments in commercially viable projects by providing ‘first loss’ capital that will help leverage other development finance investments, thereby amplifying impacts. Some potential projects include innovative funding of industrial parks, one stop border posts, scanners, digital cross-border trade platforms and supply chain finance. TCA will work closely with TMA and other potential financial partners, including commercial banks, development finance institutions and FinTechs, to develop a pipeline of commercially viable projects that will unlock trade. TCA is looking to create 6,000 – 10,000 jobs in the next couple of years and significantly cut the time and cost of trade in Africa.

Investments Director job TCA is in the formative stage of its development. We have defined a strategy which outlines areas of investment focus, potential pipeline for investments is being identified and investment and operational elements related to setup are being executed upon. TCA will have the ability to make investments through a range of instruments like debt, equity, and quasi-equity investments in both physical and digital trade infrastructure, and innovative trade finance platforms.

Job summary
The Investment Director will operate as a member of TCA’s Core Team and will lead in the conversion of TCA objectives to investment strategy and eventually execute this to construct an investment portfolio which delivers those objectives. The Investment Director will lead on preliminary financial feasibilities, undertake deal due diligence, and execute approved transactions whilst concurrently managing internal and external stakeholder relationships including governments, banking and other financial institutions, legal partners. Reporting to the CEO, the Investment Director will support in fundraising and managing investors who have made commitments to TCA will be an important deliverable for the position.

Roles and responsibilities
Investing in Trade Infrastructure and Trade Finance
Translate TCA’s Investment Strategy into a balanced portfolio of high performing investments by:
• Designing and implementing a working investment process for TCA and ensuring each investment supports TCA objectives – at the company and portfolio level.
• Conduct technical analysis or research to help in identification of investments opportunities.
• Leading in deal origination, diligence, structuring and closing investments.
• Leading the Investment Committee meetings to review, structure and approve prospective investments, report on investment progress and discuss investment strategy.
• Designing and evaluating key metrics to measure the social, environmental, and financial returns on investments as well as compliance with appropriate local regulations.
• Developing long-term relationships with external stakeholders including funders, advisors, thought leaders, governance resources, peer-to-peer networks, sector and technical specialists to provide business development and strategic post-investment management across TCA’s investment portfolio.

Investor Management
• Leveraging on TMA for its experience in the sector and region.
• Developing and managing relations with key governmental bodies for positive regulatory environments and support.
• Supporting the process of fundraising for TCA including generating prospects, developing materials for discussion, working through diligence by potential investors, closing commitments and documentation.
• Providing investors with materials and discussions which allow them visibility into TCA’s progress and an assessment of achievement vs. their objectives in committing to TCA.

Academic and professional qualifications
• Undergraduate or Master’s degree preferably in Economics, Development Studies, International Trade, Planning, Finance or Management.
• CFA qualification is an added advantage.

Work experience
We are seeking an Investment Director who brings:
• Best-in-class investing experience in impact investing, venture capital or private equity. Minimum of three years’ experience as an Investment Director (or equivalent), with at least 7 years in impact investing, private equity, or venture capital, preferably in emerging markets, including successful exits and a demonstrable record of commercial returns.
• A deep commitment to addressing challenges facing SMEs. Impact on SMEs is a key deliverable. Therefore, the impact target and goals will serve as a north star for strategic decisions.
• Exceptional people leadership, relationship-building, and collaboration skills. The Investment Director will forge new partnerships, manage stakeholders with varied (and sometimes competing) priorities, and bring together wide-ranging actors in service of TCA’s mission. To do this requires someone who can build trust quickly, and who has the history to prove it.

Technical skills and behavioral competencies
• A willingness to roll up your sleeves, to do the work that needs to be done.
• Ambition and curiosity; tenaciously pursuing goals, relentlessly seeking to better understand.
• An adaptive mindset, open to learning, shifting one’s point of view or approach.
• A global outlook, comfortable working in a cross-cultural, collaborative environment.
• Impeccable integrity, an individual others can trust without reservation, who chooses to do what is right, not what is easy.