Portfolio Officer Full-Time

About AECF

The AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a nonprofit institution supporting early and growth-stage businesses – through the provision of patient capital – to innovate, create jobs, leverage investments and markets in an effort to create resilience and sustainable incomes for rural poor and marginalised communities in Africa.

AECF’s strategy is focused on agribusiness/agriculture and renewable energy sectors with increased support to climate technologies, deepened focus on gender, youth, and employment, aimed at attaining the institution’s vision of ‘A Prosperous and Enterprising Rural Africa’.

Since 2008, AECF has invested in 268 businesses across sub-Sahara Africa focusing on Agribusiness, Renewable Energy and Climate Technologies. As of 2018, we have impacted more than 17 million lives and created over 12,000 jobs and leveraged over US$ 560 million in matching funds from the private sector.

AECF is currently expanding its programs in Africa and our new strategy is looking to unlock further and differently the power of the private sector to impact rural and marginalized communities. We are therefore seeking an individual willing to be part of this journey and push us to be bold in the setting and implementation of our strategic objectives.

AECF is headquartered in Nairobi with offices in Cote d’ Ivoire and Tanzania.

Job Summary:

The Portfolio Officer is responsible for providing broad-based technical and grants management support to the task of selecting, managing and monitoring the AECF portfolio of projects. The incumbent is expected to work flexibly and collegially in offering support to the Programme Manager and other internal stakeholders, as well as in processing grants and maintaining the AECF grant database.

Key responsibilities

• Develop portfolio management plans, in line with the program and the overall AECF operational and technical management strategy;
• Work with the AECF competition team to execute competition activities, including marketing open windows, evaluating concept notes and business plans, conducting due diligence, supporting business plan development at the applicant stage and contracting selected companies;
• Carry out on-going portfolio management of selected companies, 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, supporting monitoring and evaluation activities at the investee level during implementation, to ensure quality impact reporting;
• Contribute to the identification of investees who require technical assistance and arrange to deliver these services based on the AECF Technical Assistance and Learning service delivery framework;
• Manage the flow of grants, including disbursements as well as program expenditure, against the program budget;
• Participate in assessing fiduciary risk, regularly updating risk registers;
• Ensure program compliance with all AECF and implementing partner policies and procedures, local laws and regulations that govern 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;
• Contribute to the wider learning agenda of AECF (in liaison with Knowledge & Insight team), to further the reputation and capability positioning of the Fund, have a wider systemic impact on the relevant market systems in Africa, and promote relevant advocacy efforts;
• Participate in the development of AECF periodic progress and impact reports.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, or other relevant fields of study;
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or hold an equivalent professional accounting qualification e.g. ACCA (desirable);
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in one or more of the following areas: finance, agriculture, agribusiness, SME finance, rural financial services, renewable energy and adaptation to climate change;
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in financial and grants management, with the ability to review, analyse and interpret budgets, financial management systems; financial statements (including income and expenditure statements and cash reconciliation statements) and audit reports;
• Must possess excellent organizational and project management skills;
• A good understanding of rural and/or financial services markets in Africa;
• An understanding of the operations of donors and international development organizations;
• Excellent analytical and communication skills with the ability to prepare proposals, reports and concept papers to a high level of proficiency;
• Excellent English and Portuguese language skills (essential);
• The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.