Lead Infrastructure Finance at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• The Infrastructure Fund (IF) announced by the President in September 2018 addresses the need for a dedicated blended financing facility for infrastructure programme projects. The aim of the IF is to transform public infrastructure financial provisioning using “blended” finance - combining capital from the public and private sectors and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)/Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This will be dedicated to meeting the financing requirements for hybrid projects.
• The mandate of the Infrastructure Fund has been captured in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Treasury, Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), and the DBSA, entered into on 17 August 2020.
• The role of the Lead Infrastructure Finance is responsible for providing financing and advisory solutions for infrastructure development.

Key Responsibilities    
Key Performance Areas:

Strategic Outputs

• Support the IF’s strategic intent and progressively contribute a robust portfolio of projects, leading to improved funding and implementation opportunities.
• Participate in the processes of leveraging local, international and regional partners to provide capital for new business investments.
• Develop infrastructure finance strategies, tools, and products focused on core, stable cash-flow generating infrastructure assets.

Infrastructure Financing and Advisory

• Advise internal and external clients on structuring and implementing public/private investments in sustainable infrastructure, with emphasis on financing solutions.
• Support the expansion of the IF project pipeline by mobilising public and private sector financing for priority infrastructure projects.
• Support senior specialists in preparing, structuring, negotiating, and closing investment and policy operations.
• Conduct financial analysis and modelling to design credit enhancement products that mobilise commercial capital for development.
• Perform due diligence within project teams, focusing on structuring financial solutions for new funding and deb restructurings.
• Develop sustainable financing structures and solutions for IF clients, including blended finance, Public Private
• Partnerships (PPP) structures, B-BBEE funding, local currency funding, guarantees, and derivative hedges.
• Develop and implement innovative financing instruments to unlock and accelerate infrastructure delivery. These instruments include (amongst others) blended finance instruments, working capital facilities, bridging finance facilities, project bonds, CPI-linked debt, green bonds, project preparation facilities, construction performance bonds, price risk management and hedging products, and customised vendor financing solutions.
• Develop and implement financial advisory solutions, including (amongst others)-mandated lead arranger (“MLA”) technical, financial, environmental, insurance bank services.
• Access financial markets to fund IF investments and operations, fostering sustainable economic development and infrastructure growth.
• Conduct long-term financial planning and modelling in collaboration with the Treasury and Finance teams.
• Support the public sector in the development of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and in the financing of large infrastructure projects to assist the government’s efforts to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Manage relationships with key stakeholders and decision makers (in government entities, development banks, private companies and commercial banks) to contribute to economic and infrastructure development.
• Prepare various documents and management reports for Executive Committees, Boards and Stakeholders.

Transaction Execution

• Lead the team to ensure that all investment projects are taken to bankability through, amongst others, evaluation of the feasibility of investment opportunities with a view to ensuring that they are commercially sound prospects for financing. This must be performed in alignment with the agreed strategy and mandate, due diligence process, deal structuring, facility agreements with clients, risk mitigation, etc.
• Lead the execution of transactions and the credit approval process to facilitate the structure and negotiate the detailed terms of the deal/transaction in liaison with Treasury, Legal, and Portfolio Management teams to ensure the approval of transactions through the various approval committees.

Perform other strategic duties as assigned.

Key Measurements of Outputs:

• Quality financial models and solutions
• Value and number of project approvals, commitments and disbursements.
• Value and number of projects prepared and committed for approval.
• Value and number of funds under management secured
• Value of infrastructure catalysed
• Quality of asset/loan book (e.g. NPL ratio).
• Value of Private & Public Sector partnerships and funding
• Clean audit.

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Qualifications and Experience:

Minimum Requirements:

• A Postgraduate Degree in Development Finance, Finance, Business, Engineering, Economics or related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of proven experience in project finance, the financial and infrastructure finance environment at a senior professional level.
• Demonstrated experience in infrastructure finance and development.
• Deal/Financial structuring and financial modelling of infrastructure projects for investment purposes.
• Experience in investing in infrastructure in emerging markets, ideally in a diversified portfolio in different sectors of infrastructure (energy, transport, etc.).
• Experience with working on new or innovative projects and programmes, and proven ability to bring ideas from conception to completion.
• Proven experience in project risk identification, management and mitigation.
• In-depth knowledge of the banking sector and financial markets.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment for infrastructure procurement in SA.
• Good understanding of infrastructure investments.
• Demonstrable experience in assessing investment transaction opportunities and projects from early review to bankable debt financing deals.
• Experience with working with deal teams and assigning resources to conclude transactions.
• Proven ability to provide value to transactions for the benefit of and/or the client through knowledge of the subject, innovation and lateral thinking.
• Sound experience in private and public sector investments.
• Demonstrated knowledge of legislation, regulations, policies, processes and procedures governing the infrastructure planning and development in South Africa (e.g. PFMA).