ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:
BlueOrchard Finance S.A. was founded in 2001 as the first commercial manager of microfinance debt investments worldwide. It specializes in the management of microfinance investment products with a mission to empower the poor worldwide and improve their quality of life by promoting income-generating activities through private investments in microfinance.
ABOUT THE JOB:
BlueOrchard Finance S.A. is seeking a Junior Associate. S/he will be responsible for designing, managing, and monitoring technical assistance (TA) projects, mostly addressed to banks and MFIs in Africa (50%). S/he will also support the work of the regional investment team to place new investment and monitor ongoing ones (50%) with the focus on promotion of microfinance and education finance. S/he will report to the head of the regional office (RO) and the technical assistance coordinator (TAC).
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Technical assistance management:
- Project development and management:
- Support the development of a pipeline of TA projects, in close coordination with the investment team;
- Projects may include advisory projects for financial institution or other institutions from the financial and/or education sector, research projects, or events and workshops;
- Support TA needs assessment in BOF’s existing or potential investees.
- Monitoring and reporting:
- Engage in regular monitoring and evaluation of the TA projects;
- Support the preparation of regular reports on the individual projects and on the project portfolio and respond to ad-hoc information requested by BOF’s management or the donors of the TA facility;
- Monitor and evaluate individual projects as well as the TAC in project portfolio monitoring.
- Overall support of the TA facility:
- Support the annual review of TA policy and procedures;
- Inform the TA coordinator of any event/development in the respective sectors, which may require awareness and/or involvement;
- Overall, work towards achieving the TA facility’s mission and annual targets.
- Project development and management:
- Investment management:
- Relationship management and communication:
- Assist investment team in internal and external communication;
- Collect, sort, analyze, and file MFIs’ documentation, including but not limited to operational, financial and social information;
- Support preparation of credit proposals.
- Due diligence (DD) of MFIs:
- Assist in planning and preparing due diligence trips to MFIs, including but not limited to contacts with the MFIs, pre-DD desk reviews of the existing and potential clients, submission of requests to and receipt of initial data from the MFIs, completion of pre-DD documentation;
- Manage logistics of the DD trips;
- Participate in on-site DD, collect, organize, analyze, and report information.
- Country risk analysis:
- Carry out desk research and assist in preparing reports on country risk, including, but not limited to macroeconomic, political, legal, regulatory, market, and other risks;
- Carry out desk research and assist in preparing and updating information and reports on regulatory and competitive environment of the local microfinance sector;
- Assist in drafting and updating country risk reports.
Qualifications:
- Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related field;
- Preferably previous working experience or exposure to banking, microfinance, economic development and/or the education sector, but typically a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience;
- Previous experience in project management in the context of capacity building programs;
- Previous experience or exposure to financing credit institutions and performing credit risk assessment and financial and social due diligences of MFIs is desired;
- Project management skills;
- Financial analysis skills;
- General knowledge of assessing credit risk and developing credit proposals;
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written;
- Advanced personal organization and project planning and management skills and ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously;
- Team player with ability to work in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment;
- Openness and willingness to learn from others;
- Ability to effectively work in small teams and in highly challenging work environments, flexibility and willingness to assist other team members with their tasks.
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates can send their resume and cover letter to jobs@blueorchard.com