Job Description
Team and role overview
- The Food and Agriculture Direct Private Equity team at BII covers equity investments across the entire value chain of the sector.
- We are a team of 6 people based in London. We are looking to add more talented members.
- Our typical equity investment is $20-200m of growth capital for the expansion of profitable companies with high quality management.
- Our investments are in Africa and South Asia (SAARC), and we have a particular focus on businesses that are in or expanding to the more economically challenged parts of those geographies as well as businesses with the potential for substantial job creation.
- This is a unique opportunity to join a small but growing & entrepreneurial team within BII and be at the front-line of our markets.
Purpose
- As part of our ongoing strategy, we are looking to expand the team and recruit investment manager.
- The manager will be based in our London office but will be expected to travel to BII markets
- The day-to-day duties of the manager will include origination and execution of new investment opportunities, portfolio management and other investment related activities
- The manager will report to Director and Head of Food and Agriculture
Responsibilities
The individual will carry out the following activities on behalf of BII:
Execution Support
- Drive deal teams during deal due diligence and execution
- Engage with local consultants and advisers who can provide additional support as needed
- Drive legal deal processes with assistance of internal and external lawyers
Deal Origination
- Originate deals which fit within investment strategy
- Understand BII’s sector team strategies and participate in relevant pipeline discussions
- Build relationships with transaction-related intermediaries (e.g., investment banks, advisers, Big 4) to source high-quality investment opportunities
Portfolio Management Support
- Assist with portfolio company management activities as required (e.g. monitoring performance/identifying early warning signals, guiding on troubled investments, etc)
- Assist with implementation of the post-investment action plans developed by Development Impact (DI), Environmental and Social Governance (ESG-I), Business Integrity (BI) and value creation strategies (VCS) teams.
The Candidate
Background
- Must have a proven track record of executing & originating equity, debt and/or mezzanine deals within the Emerging Markets (ideally the markets BII operate in Africa / Asia etc..)
- Relevant emerging markets experience gained in private equity, corporate finance, investment banking, corporate development , M&A and investment advisory and/or investment management
- Existing relationships within the local business, investment banking, lending, DFI, MFI and PE communities
- Previous Food and Agriculture investment experience would be highly advantageous
- Ideally have a MBA (focus on Finance) or equivalent post-graduate professional qualification in a Finance-related field (not a pre-requisite)
Technical Skills
- Strategic, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Commercial judgment and ability to assess risk and opportunity in potential investments
- Strong people skills, with the ability to network and develop productive relationships locally
Aptitude
- Ability to relate effectively with senior business leaders, to get BII into the right investment discussions and to prepare the ground for BII’s investment teams
- Ability to show investment maturity with tenacity and patience to get transactions completed
- Ability to work to deadlines and manage multiple projects effectively
- Outstanding business communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation. Comfort communicating with all levels of management internally and externally
- Experience working collaboratively as part of a team, facilitating information-sharing and organisational learning, with the capability and perseverance to work in a small team
- Ability to operate independently with minimal supervision and limited on the ground support
- Candidates should be strongly motivated by BII’s development mission and ideally demonstrate some commitment to development or social goals.
Our cultural values
We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:
- Impact-led, commercially rigorous
- Tenacious in the face of challenges
- Collaborative and caring
British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.
Please provide a cover letter with your application
Salary: Competitive
