KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS

Thought Leadership & Strategy Development 

Act as a thought leader on catalytic transactions and financial product innovation, shaping strategy and policy to advance FSD Africa’s purpose of Making Finance Work for Africa’s Future:

• Continuously conduct ecosystem analysis and research to deepen understanding of Africa’s financial markets, identifying systemic barriers to investment and opportunities for transaction innovation.
• Lead the development and continuous refinement of theories of change that shape FSD Africa’s Catalytic Transactions strategies, incorporating insights from past interventions and performance monitoring.
• Engage with policymakers, regulators, development partners, and market stakeholders to conceptualise and advocate for interventions that drive transaction structuring, risk mitigation, and capital mobilisation.
• Act as a thought leader on structured finance, blended finance, and impact investment, providing expert insights on financial innovation and capital mobilisation at global and regional forums.
• Develop and publish high-impact research, market insights, and policy papers to position FSD Africa as a leader in catalytic finance and transaction development, influencing strategy and stakeholder engagement.

Programme Development & Implementation 

Lead the development and implementation of FSD Africa's Catalytic Transactions strategy, ensuring the design and delivery of high-impact interventions that drive systemic market change:

• Lead the Pillar team in developing a comprehensive Catalytic Transactions strategy, ensuring alignment with FSD Africa's five-year strategy and responsiveness to emerging market needs, including:
• Designing and structuring innovative financial transactions, including thematic bonds, blended finance vehicles, and aggregation instruments.
• Developing mechanisms to enhance liquidity, mitigate currency risks, and increase private sector participation in key investment sectors.
• Guide Principal-level staff in developing portfolios of interventions that deliver optimal Value for Money in the achievement of strategic outcomes.
• Oversee the design and execution of high-quality programmes, ensuring adherence to best practices in transaction structuring, investment facilitation, and risk mitigation.
• Monitor programme performance and lead the team in adaptive management, ensuring that individual investments and the portfolio as a whole deliver measurable impact and systemic change.
• Foster collaboration across pillars and Centres of Expertise to leverage expertise and amplify outcomes.

Financial Management & Fundraising 

Secure and manage financial resources to sustain and expand the Catalytic Transactions pillar, ensuring Value for Money, effective risk management, and compliance.

• With support from the Director Communications, Partnerships & Funding, lead resource mobilisation efforts to secure the funds required to deliver strategy.
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and expenditure tracking to ensure optimal resource utilisation.
• Ensure rigorous risk management and due diligence for all transaction-based interventions.
• Maintain strong investor relationships and ensure compliance with financial reporting and accountability requirements.
• Lead the team to scrutinise Value for Money across the programme portfolio, continually innovating in pursuit of enhanced development impact.

Influencing, Advocacy & Communication 

Drive the transformation of Africa's investment and capital mobilisation ecosystem through effective influencing, advocacy, and communication:

• Ensure that ecosystem analysis includes identification of key stakeholders, mapping out influential actors and market segments.
• Identify how achieving strategic outcomes depends on influencing mindset and behavioural change among various stakeholder groups and market segments.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Communications team to develop innovative communication, influencing, and advocacy strategies that support systemic change.
• Lead the Pillar team in implementing these strategies, ensuring alignment with FSD Africa’s objectives and market transformation goals.
• Take personal responsibility for delivering any aspects of the influencing and advocacy plan that are assigned, ensuring high-impact engagement with key market actors.

Implementing Partner Engagement & Capacity Building 

Develop and oversee strategic partnerships that enhance transaction structuring, investment facilitation, and risk mitigation, supporting the growth of sustainable financial markets:

• Identify and engage high-impact implementing partners capable of making a substantive contribution to the achievement of pillar strategies.
• Lead efforts to reach out to such partners, building relationships and convening strategy-development discussions.
• When selecting partners through a market-wide call for proposals, oversee the development of Terms of Reference ToRs that clearly define competency requirements, ensuring alignment with FSD Africa's procurement procedures.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives as required, ensuring that implementing partners are equipped to achieve project outcomes.
• Monitor partner performance, ensuring high standards of execution and long-term sustainability of interventions.

Team Leadership & Organisational Development 

Build and lead the Catalytic Transactions pillar team of staff and consultants in a manner that empowers them to add value to FSD Africa and deliver high standards of performance.

• Ensure the Catalytic Transactions team has the necessary expertise through strategic recruitment and consultant procurement.
• Provide team members with clear goals, expectations, and accountability structures.
• Foster a high-performance culture through coaching, professional development, and mentorship.
• Monitor and review performance, ensuring accountability for results and adherence to FSD Africa’s values.
• Deliver an engaging leadership style that motivates team members, fosters collaboration, and promotes FSD Africa’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion EDI principles

Qualifications and Education

• Master’s degree and 15 years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 18 years of experience.
• Extensive experience and networks in structured finance, investment banking, blended finance, or transaction advisory.
• At least 7 years in a senior leadership role, with experience managing teams and large-scale programmes.
• Exceptional skills in written and spoken English