Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) Recruitment 2021

The AECF is looking for a Programme Manager- West Africa (Renewable Energy) who will be responsible for:

• The overall execution of assigned program activities in the region.
• Managing a portfolio of 37 companies under the REACT SSA in Liberia, Burkina Faso, and Mali and REACT Household Solar (REACT HS) in Nigeria and Senegal.

Location:

This position is based in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire or Accra, Ghana

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of and oversee the execution of portfolio management plans as they relate to programmatic activities in West Africa.
• Support ongoing and new AECF competitions in West Africa, executing competition activities, including marketing open windows, evaluating concept notes and business plans, conducting due diligence, preparing investment memorandums for presentation to the Investment Committee, and overseeing and contracting selected companies.
• Lead the West Africa portfolio team in carrying out their respective portfolio duties, ensuring high quality and timely service delivery.
• Carry out ongoing portfolio management of selected companies, and monitoring project implementation to achieve program goals. This will include reviewing investee reports and conducting regular site visits.
• With support from the AECF Impact Team, develop results measurements plans together with each investee company, and support monitoring and evaluation activities at the investee level during implementation, to ensure quality impact reporting.
• Identify investees who require technical assistance and work with the Investments Advisory Services team to deliver the technical supports based on the AECF TA and learning service delivery framework.
• Manage the flow of grants, including disbursements and repayable, as well as program expenditure, against the program budget.
• Prepare and deliver reports on financial performance and development impact objectives for the donors and other stakeholders.
• Ensure program compliance with all AECF and implementing partner policies and procedures, local laws, and regulations that govern AECF.
• Provide regional representation for AECF as and when needed, participating in meetings and events that create visibility and a positive image of AECF.
• Contribute to the establishment of appropriate linkages with the relevant state/government departments, implementing partners, donors, private sector bodies, potential project partners, and civil society.
• Work with the Head of Program to ensure proper resourcing of programs in the region.

Qualifications

• Hold at least a master’s degree or its equivalent in a relevant field (Finance, SME finance, rural financial services, and/or renewable energy and adaptation climate change).
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in financial and grants/investments management, five of which should be in managing and implementing renewable energy development programs/projects.
• A good understanding of the economic markets within the renewable energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa and specifically West Africa.
• Knowledge and experience of different renewable energy solutions, value chain development, results based financing and private sector development.
• Familiarity with the social enterprise and impact investing sectors with demonstrated commitment to tackling challenges of poverty.

·       Must possess excellent organizational and project management skills.

• Excellent networking and presentation skills, with the ability to engage with donors, governments, the private sector, and civil society.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills with the ability to prepare proposals, reports, and concept papers to a high level of proficiency.
• Fluency in French and English.