The AECF is a leading development finance organization that supports businesses to innovate, create jobs and leverage investments to build resilience and sustainable incomes for rural and marginalized communities in Africa.
AECF’ s goal is to bridge the investment gap between early-stage enterprise and business maturity for entrepreneurs serving the poorest communities. The AECF provides patient capital to new and innovative business models in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa through various financing instruments, which include grants, zero-interest loans, guarantees, and working capital facilities. AECF’ s financing products are supplemented by three additional growth support services to improve the viability and sustainability of our investees, namely, (i) Advisory Services to improve investee internal capabilities (ii) Investment Support in raising commercial capital in significant volumes and (iii) Knowledge and Insights for learning and evidence gathering for policy influencing and advocacy.
AECF has successfully implemented programmes across 26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting over 343 enterprises, raising US$ 392 million in funding for programmes, leveraging $750 million in additional capital and impacting 28 million lives.
We are looking for an experienced Programme Manager who will oversee effective implementation of programs and advocacy strategies across West Africa.
Reporting to REACT Head of Programme, the Programme Manager – West Africa is responsible for the overall execution of assigned programme 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. The successful candidate brings strategic, creative, and critical thinking ensuring that the execution of activities and implementation is on track, performance targets are being met, progress reporting is timely and accurate, and resources are utilized in an appropriate manner.
The PM will have to work closely with the Program Leads and Portfolio Officers based in the AECF head office in Kenya, to ensure alignment of activities and expectations, with frequent reporting and engagement. As a leader of a team, the role holder must have excellent technical skill and subject matter expertise and serve as a coach to their team. They must ensure overall employee satisfaction and productivity, in order to deliver strategic and operational excellence.
REACT Sub-Saharan Africa (REACT SSA) is a Swedish International Development Authority (Sida) funded programme that provides financing and technical assistance to innovative renewable energy businesses/ business ideas across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The programme is implemented in
eight countries i.e., Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Somalia and Zimbabwe.
REACT SSA supports transformational business models to accelerate access to low cost, clean
energy i.e cleaner fuels, cook stoves, alternatives to grid power including stand-alone solar home- systems, solar lanterns for lighting and charging mobile phones and decentralized mini and micro grids.
REACT Household Solar Programme (REACT HS) is a component of the Africa Clean Energy (ACE) Programme that is being implemented in collaboration with Tetra Tech International Development and IFC Lighting Africa. REACT HS aims to increase access to clean, affordable energy for rural households in Africa by promoting a market-based approach for private sector delivery of solar home system products and services in the Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The programme also supports cross learning activities that demonstrate how new knowledge in solar technologies can be put into practice in ways that fast track and maximize benefits to the rural poor.
• Lead the development of and oversee the execution of portfolio management plans as they relate to programmatic activities in West Africa.
• Support on-going 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 on-going 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.
• 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 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 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.
The AECF is a leading development finance organization that supports businesses to innovate, create jobs and leverage investments to build resilience and sustainable incomes for rural and marginalized communities in Africa.
AECF’ s goal is to bridge the investment gap between early-stage enterprise and business maturity for entrepreneurs serving the poorest communities. The AECF provides patient capital to new and innovative business models in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa through various financing instruments, which include grants, zero-interest loans, guarantees, and working capital facilities. AECF’ s financing products are supplemented by three additional growth support services to improve the viability and sustainability of our investees, namely, (i) Advisory Services to improve investee internal capabilities (ii) Investment Support in raising commercial capital in significant volumes and (iii) Knowledge and Insights for learning and evidence gathering for policy influencing and advocacy.
AECF has successfully implemented programmes across 26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting over 343 enterprises, raising US$ 392 million in funding for programmes, leveraging $750 million in additional capital and impacting 28 million lives.
We are looking for an experienced Programme Manager who will oversee effective implementation of programs and advocacy strategies across West Africa.
Reporting to REACT Head of Programme, the Programme Manager – West Africa is responsible for the overall execution of assigned programme 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. The successful candidate brings strategic, creative, and critical thinking ensuring that the execution of activities and implementation is on track, performance targets are being met, progress reporting is timely and accurate, and resources are utilized in an appropriate manner.
The PM will have to work closely with the Program Leads and Portfolio Officers based in the AECF head office in Kenya, to ensure alignment of activities and expectations, with frequent reporting and engagement. As a leader of a team, the role holder must have excellent technical skill and subject matter expertise and serve as a coach to their team. They must ensure overall employee satisfaction and productivity, in order to deliver strategic and operational excellence.
REACT Sub-Saharan Africa (REACT SSA) is a Swedish International Development Authority (Sida) funded programme that provides financing and technical assistance to innovative renewable energy businesses/ business ideas across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The programme is implemented in
eight countries i.e., Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Somalia and Zimbabwe.
REACT SSA supports transformational business models to accelerate access to low cost, clean
energy i.e cleaner fuels, cook stoves, alternatives to grid power including stand-alone solar home- systems, solar lanterns for lighting and charging mobile phones and decentralized mini and micro grids.
REACT Household Solar Programme (REACT HS) is a component of the Africa Clean Energy (ACE) Programme that is being implemented in collaboration with Tetra Tech International Development and IFC Lighting Africa. REACT HS aims to increase access to clean, affordable energy for rural households in Africa by promoting a market-based approach for private sector delivery of solar home system products and services in the Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The programme also supports cross learning activities that demonstrate how new knowledge in solar technologies can be put into practice in ways that fast track and maximize benefits to the rural poor.
• Lead the development of and oversee the execution of portfolio management plans as they relate to programmatic activities in West Africa.
• Support on-going 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 on-going 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.
• 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 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 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.
This vacancy is archived.