Investment Specialist, NPSA-11, Suva, Fiji (UNCDF) - [Open to Tier 1 & 2 applicants]
Overview
The Investment Specialist will lead sourcing, structuring, and deploying concessional capital to MSMEs and financial institutions that demonstrate viable business models and measurable positive impact. The role supports the structuring, deployment, and monitoring of financial instruments across the Pacific region.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead systematic market scoping to inform investment strategies and identify opportunities.
- Advise on structuring blended finance solutions tailored to specific market and project needs.
- Map the financing landscape in target countries, identifying key capital providers and financial intermediaries.
- Analyze prevailing financial terms, instruments, and market conditions.
- Identify regulatory and policy barriers affecting investment flows and propose mitigation strategies.
- Monitor trends in blended finance, climate finance, and impact investing.
- Draft investment strategy documents, operational guidelines, and structural frameworks.
- Support the design of blended finance solutions tailored to market conditions and specific project needs.
- Design derisking and blended finance approaches that crowd in private capital.
- Propose innovative structures and support facilities/platforms/pooled mechanisms.
- Recommend appropriate de-risking instruments to catalyze private sector investment.
- Offer technical guidance on investment readiness for project developers and enterprises.
- Identify and engage with potential co-investors, development of finance institutions, and private sector partners.
- Contribute to the development of country-specific investment roadmaps, pipelines, and strategic partnerships.
- Contribute to knowledge of products, case studies, and analytical briefs.
- Support strategic planning, reporting, and donor engagement.
- Participate in investment related meetings, working groups, and partner discussions.
- Identify and screen investment opportunities aligned with UNCDF’s strategic priorities.
- Conduct comprehensive due diligence (desk-based and on-site) on selected transactions.
- Analyze financial statements including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flows.
- Build and refine financial models to assess investment viability and risk-return profiles.
- Score credit risk and assess the financial health of prospective investees.
- Draft investment appraisal memorandums and internal documentation for approval processes.
- Coordinate with UNCDF’s Investment and Finance Oversight Division to ensure compliance.
- Support transaction structuring using UNCDF’s financial instruments.
- Present investment opportunities to UNCDF’s Investment and Disbursement Impact Committee (IDIC).
- Track and document progress of transactions through the investment cycle.
- Provide ongoing technical assistance for the financial instruments deployed.
- Design and implement capacity-building initiatives tailored to enhance operational capacities and financial management of the investees.
- Assist investees in developing viable business plans and financial strategies.
- Advise government counterparts and partners on investment-related constraints.
- Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building by sharing best practices and lessons learned.
- Lead preparation and implementation of annual work plans (AWPs), budgets, and activity schedules.
- Coordinate day today project operations, partner engagement, and delivery of technical assistance.
- Prepare high-quality donor reports (narrative and financial).
- Oversee M&E processes, ensuring indicators capture both programme and investment results.
- Maintain project documentation, track financial delivery, and support steering committee meetings.
- Lead project close-out, including final reporting and documentation of lessons learned.
Required Experience
A minimum of 7 years (with a Masters’ Degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s Degree) of relevant work experience in either the financial sector or the private sector or a mix, including investment and/or business management expertise. At least 5 years of investment experience in one or more of the following areas: finance of impact-oriented SMEs, Micro Finance Institutions, Guarantee instruments within the space of development finance. Experience working in venture capital and/or banking within an international financial environment, including in the development of finance institutions, impact investors, or similar. Experience in private credit and/or equity for investments with a social mission in emerging/frontier markets. Experience in project preparation and/or in development of investment opportunities, especially investment projects with social and environmental objectives in developing countries. Experience with financial modeling and analysis in Microsoft excel. Experience using Microsoft Office. At least 2 years of experience in working for/in the UN System or similar international development finance institution.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Economics, Accounting, or related fields is required, or A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience.