Job Description

The Principal Investment Officer (Equities) is responsible for the implementation of the Bank's equity investment strategy, ideation, identification, appraisal and implementation of new equity investment opportunities in key strategic sectors and investment themes.

Key Responsibilities

Investment and Loan Transactions


Originate, structure and execute equity investment opportunities in key strategic sectors/investment themes. Support the coordination and collaboration of investment initiatives through information exchanges and collaboration with relevant divisions of the Bank, to achieve targets and objectives. Evaluate the feasibility of investment opportunities/project transactions to ensure that they are commercially sound prospects for equity financing and are aligned with the DBSA's strategy and mandate. Undertake project due diligence and lead equity investment approval processes at relevant Investment Committees, with emphasis on ensuring key economic, financial, technical, and legal issues are considered and mitigants incorporated in the financing structure and legal documents. Facilitate deal closure by taking responsibility for optimal financial, institutional, and legal structuring. Negotiation and review of equity investment agreements and project documents. Develop and maintain investment models, portfolio data, and supporting analytics. Conduct research and provide recommendations on significant developments, emerging opportunities and challenges in areas of responsibility and present findings to internal and external stakeholders.

Equity Portfolio Performance


Facilitate strong investment performance and value addition in the equity investment portfolio. Draft, review and submit quarterly portfolio reports for the Investment Committee and Investors. Identify key risks facing the portfolio and implement mitigating strategies/policies.

Stakeholder Management


Build and manage relationships with key internal and external clients to increase the Bank's reach, equity investments and loan transactions. Provide reports and information to potential clients and document the same to provide information on customer requirements/ areas of interest. Engage with financial intermediaries to offer new products and access new markets that help further DBSA's mission. Identify clients' pain points together with the front-line divisions and coordinate DBSA's solution offerings to address them. Network and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to further develop specific investment opportunities. Mentor/coach Senior Investment Officers on transactions and various areas of the equity function to aid their development. Undertake other tasks as assigned by the line manager, from time to time.

Key Measurements of Outputs


Value and number of project approvals, commitments, and disbursements. Value of infrastructure catalysed. Quality of equity investment book (e.g., NPL ratio). % of equity book in priority geographies and sectors. Number of transactions that are committed for DBSA funding to black-owned entities (50% shareholding and above) and fund managers. Number of jobs created or "to be created" by projects - Direct and Indirect jobs. Quality of signed agreements/mandates. Implementation of strategic initiatives. Clients and Stakeholders' service rating. Demonstration of thought leadership and a recognised expert in the area of responsibility.

Expertise & Technical Competencies

Minimum Requirements


A postgraduate qualification or equivalent in Business (such as an MBA) or Finance (CA or CFA), or Engineering, or Economics or Actuarial Science. A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in equity investments (funds or direct investments), corporate/project finance gained at institutional and other fund investors, commercial/investment banks and/or development financial institutions. Experience in structuring comprehensive solutions across financial products using debt, private equity and funds, and/or capital market instruments. Experience in working on investment projects through an established approval process. Strong credit, analytical, and financial modelling skills. Experience in executing transactions across Africa. Successful track record in leading project teams with high-level stakeholders and qualified professionals.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES



Project Management


Defines, plans, and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications. Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation. Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects. Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

Solution Focus


Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory. Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions. Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

Financial Analysis


Serves as subject matter expert. Evaluates and determines fiscal, operational, and service impacts; analyses and evaluates legislation; and implements and evaluates statistical models in their subject areas. Demonstrates in-depth technical and administrative knowledge of the rules and regulations in the subject area and to defend analyses, testimony, and recommendations relating to a variety of issues before management and commissions.

Risk Management


Drives integration and standardisation of risk management processes across the organisation. Advises on the application of the organisation's risk management policies, industry best practices and constructs organisation guidelines. Analyses trends in risk management and internal control, evaluates implications, defines, and implements organisation-wide response.

Attention to detail


Quickly identifies relevant and irrelevant information to support accurate decision making. Maps out all the logistics and details of a situation to ensure smooth and flawless implementation. Consistently identifies all relevant details that are not obvious in complex situations. Requires the highest standards for accuracy and quality for their work. Establishes processes to ensure accuracy and quality of services delivered by the team.

Negotiation


Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences. Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation. Can take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy. Can place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

Commercial Awareness


Deep understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives concerning complex business situations. Deep understanding of DBSA economic priorities and how they can be implemented to meet DBSA's strategic objectives. Deep understanding of DBSA's core sector role in achieving DBSA's strategic objectives. Deep understanding of the need to coordinate efforts with many government entities, the private sector, community groups and individuals to ensure effective implementation of new policies and regulations.

Research


Demonstrates expert skill levels in strategic and operational research techniques, including process analysis, modelling, and forecasting. Adapts, creates, and designs new research techniques to meet the organisation's requirements. Provides specialist coaching and guidance to researchers and other organisation employees. Promotes the professional reputation of the organisation by maintaining a respected profile with relevant external organisations and the research community in general.

Communication and Reporting


Able to communicate complex problems or concepts by making them simple and understandable for others. Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience. Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high-level audiences. Designs / customises reports to meet user needs. Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report. Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Innovation


Develops innovative business solutions that shape industry practices.

Presentation Skills


Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.). Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Required Personal Attributes

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES



Achievement Orientation


Focuses on new or more effective ways of improving own work and meeting targets. Focuses on raising quality, customer satisfaction and revenues. Makes specific changes to systems and processes to improve efficiency and quality. Formulates own objectives and action plans to achieve a measurable improvement in the future.

Analytical Thinking


Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing causal relationships between them. Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

Conceptual thinking


Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others and not learned from previous education or experience to explain situations or resolve problems. Looks at things in a significantly novel way, breakthrough thinking.

Strategic and Innovative thinking


Recognises opportunities or problems emerging in patterns and trends, and their impact on the business and profitability drivers. Applies learning from previous situations and experiences. Sees underlying causality in the current situation. Applies business acumen to make sound decisions. Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA. Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.

Commercial Business Acumen


Understands business fundamentals. Analyses and comprehends organisational goals and strategies. Understands tactical business fundamentals in the public sector environment and incorporates them into decision-making.

Teamwork


Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts. Creates opportunities for cross-functional working. * Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.