JOBS
Investment Officer
November 2022
Organization
AlphaMundi Group (“AMG”) is a global for-profit firm, established in 2007, dedicated to impact investing, i.e., profitable investments that generate measurable and substantial benefits to society and the environment. Since 2009, AlphaMundi has invested USD 110M in over 57 innovative small enterprises across Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.AMG has been investing in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2012 through its open-ended impact debt fund SocialAlpha, domiciled in Luxembourg. In 2020 AMG launched a second impact fund named AlphaJiri, domiciled in Mauritius and focused exclusively on Sub-Saharan Africa, with a mandate to invest its seed capital over 3 years via a combination of debt, equity and mezzanine instruments in sustainable food and energy primarily. AMG currently manages a portfolio of 13 companies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
AMG works closely with the AlphaMundi Foundation, a 501c3 domiciled in Washington DC, to provide grant-driven technical assistance to pipeline and portfolio companies, with an emphasis on business innovation and Gender Lens considerations.
AlphaMundi Kenya (“AMK”) is the AMG Nairobi office, opened in 2015. It currently consists of 3 FTE for the investment group and 4 FTE for the foundation.
For more information, please visit: https://www.alphamundigroup.com/
Job Description
AMK is looking to hire an Investment Officer (IO) in Nairobi. The IO will report to management also based in Nairobi. The IO will help the team manage the 2 fund portfolios and grow the SocialAlpha and co-investment portfolios of AMG in the region, including follow-on debt and equity transactions and portfolio expansion to new sectors and regions.Key Duties and Responsibilities:
• Deal Sourcing: Find investable, innovative impact ventures with 3+ years of operations and USD 1M+ in annual sales. Attend industry conferences and build and maintain a network of local partners across the public and private sectors, including debt providers, private equity investors, consultants and industry associations for deal origination.• Due Diligence: Conduct commercial due diligence of potential investee companies including corresponding country, market, industry, sector, competitor, business plan, financial and sustainability analysis. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment associated with any given investment opportunity and propose measures to mitigate those risks. Prepare a detailed investment proposal and present opportunities to the Investment Committee.
• Transaction Execution: Structure and negotiate deals via debt, equity and mezzanine instruments, tailored to the need of the local SMEs.
• Portfolio Management: Develop strong business relationships with portfolio company leadership, monitor growth and risks associated with portfolio companies and their operating environment closely, identify follow-on investment opportunities (both for the fund and co-investors), and proactively provide support to management, on occasion in collaboration with the AlphaMundi Foundation’s technical assistance programs.
• Reporting: Conduct quarterly and annual investment evaluation process and fulfil all associated reporting requirements.
• Fund management: Assist in managing fund cash flow projections, monitoring fund transactions, and fulfilling KYC and other regulatory requirements.
• Tasks big and small: from potential AMG representation with institutional partners to the management of administrative and back-office tasks related to the role, the candidate will be expected to roll up his/her sleeves and dive in as needed.
We are looking for a dedicated and thorough professional with a can-do attitude who takes
ownership of issues and pro-actively proposes solutions to management. The ideal
candidate is a team-player who can work long and flexible hours, with a great degree of
autonomy; feels comfortable in a fast-paced setting; is results-oriented; has an eye for detail;
generates new ideas and thrives on feedback. This person has a demonstrated commitment
to AlphaMundi’s dual mission to create lasting social/environmental impact as well as achieve
commercial returns for our investors. The IO should be excited to travel throughout Sub-
Saharan Africa to build and monitor an outstanding portfolio.
Desired experience and skills:
• Ideally, the candidate will have 5+ years of professional experience, with 3+ years of transaction experience in private equity, venture capital, or venture debt in emerging markets; ideally vetting, analysing, and negotiating investments in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Candidates from investment banking or advisory consulting are welcome to apply.• Strong financial acumen and modelling skills. This includes the ability to quickly review company financial reporting and projections, identifying key assumptions and/or weaknesses.
• Solid analytical and critical thinking skills, including the ability to rapidly understand new sectors or business models, frame issues, identify key risks, draw conclusions, and propose investment structures.
• Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills; fluent in professional business English, with a command of local African languages and/or French an added advantage.
• Excellent networking skills and the ability to create strong professional relationships. Moreover, the ability to confront and navigate difficult investment situations and restructurings without burning bridges.
• Familiarity with a Gender Lens approach and our target sectors is an advantage: sustainable food and agriculture, renewable energy, climate resilience, microfinance and fintech, and recycling/waste management.
• A sense of humour!
Education:
• A Master’s or equivalent degree in Economics, Business or a related subject.• CFA or CAIA, and training certificates related to impact investing and impact measurement an advantage.
We offer an opportunity to work in a small, hard-working team of highly qualified investment professionals with an entrepreneurial mind-set and a passion for making lasting social and environmental impact.
To apply for this position, please submit a resume including 3 referrals with their contact details, a list of investment transactions you’ve played a significant role in, and a cover letter by Friday 13 January 2023, 4pm EAT, to the attention of David MAINA at careers@alphamundi.ch. Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Only candidates whose background fits the above profile will be contacted.
Expected start date as of February/March 2023.