Principal Investment Officer: Green Fund at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• The Principal Investment Officer is responsible for screening, appraising, structuring, and executing complex climate and Green Fund project proposals to mobilise funding. The role also oversees post-investment project management, including rescoping projects as required to address emerging needs and ensure continued alignment with climate objectives.

Key Responsibilities    
Strategic Planning

• Contribute to the formulation and enhancement of DBSA’s infrastructure strategy with a strong focus on climate resilience, low-carbon development, and adaptation priorities.
• Align programme initiatives with national climate commitments, sectoral decarbonisation pathways, and DBSA’s climate-investment objectives.
• Identify climate-related risks, transition risks, and green-growth opportunities to inform strategic direction and portfolio positioning.

Transaction Assessments and Structuring

• Evaluate the feasibility of investment opportunities and project transactions with a view to ensure they are commercially viable and align with the Fund's strategic objectives and mandate.
• Lead multi-dimensional due diligence (technical, commercial, environmental, financial, institutional), including credit risk analysis and climate investment diagnostics.
• Oversee and/or develop sophisticated financial models and scenario analysis to ensure investment viability and optimal structuring.
• Lead the financial climate-impact evaluation using recognised methodologies (e.g., GHG accounting, climate vulnerability criteria).
• Structure climate finance transactions, debt, equity, blended finance, and guarantees in alignment with DBSA policies and international accreditation standards.
• Develop and prepare early-stage review proposals and related documentation in the specified as and when required.
• Prepare and present detailed investment appraisal reports, risk assessments, climate rationale, GHG reduction estimates, and financial evaluations.
• Negotiate term sheets, shareholder agreements, financing agreements, and related transaction documents with clients, sponsors, and legal teams.
• Drive deal closure by ensuring optimal financial, institutional, and legal structuring of transactions.

Transaction Execution and Credit Approval

• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to structure and negotiate detailed deal terms with Treasury, Legal, and Loan Administration teams, ensuring transaction approval.
• Secure internal approvals and lead or participate actively in closing transactions through successful negotiations.
• Manage the credit approval process from early review to final decision by the relevant committees.
• Review proposals submitted to approval committees to ensure they are well-structured and documented for informed decision-making.
• Manage the preparation of complex multi-jurisdictional documentation and ensure compliance with procedures, laws, and regulations for transaction implementation.
• Resolve potential constraints in the lending value chain in collaboration with the responsible Head
• Implement risk management procedures across continent-wide financing functions, ensuring investment risks are appropriately structured and mitigated during operations.
• Manage financial capital responsibly, ensuring efficient utilisation and stewardship of capital under management.
• Capture and apply learning opportunities post-transaction to drive continuous improvement and successful deal delivery.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients at global, regional, and local levels, including businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials, to further develop specific project preparation opportunities.
• Manage expectations from programme owners and ensure third-party programme mandates are understood by the DBSA teams.
• Support partnerships, joint platforms, and networking initiatives that advance DBSA’s climate finance positioning at national, regional, and global levels.
• Represent DBSA in high-level forums, technical working groups, and climate-finance industry engagements.
• Work closely with Transacting and other investment divisions to build a strong pipeline and ensure seamless integration of prepared projects into the deal cycle.
• Enhance DBSA’s brand and reputation as a partner of choice for end-to-end climate-responsive infrastructure development.

Reporting and Governance

• Provide accurate and timely reports to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), and other climate finance sources in line with accreditation, fiduciary, and safeguard requirements.
• Support the management, administration, and operationalisation of DBSA-accredited climate funds, systems, and reporting frameworks.
• Maintain essential documentation, data integrity, and audit-ready records across the climate finance portfolio.
• Implement and refine reporting formats, portfolio dashboards, and decision-support tools to strengthen climate investment oversight and management.

Key Measurement of Outputs:

• Revenue performance in terms of Interest Income and Fees generated.
• Delivery on the agreed Operations Mandate; these include:
• Growth rate in assets of the loan book:
• Annual disbursements, commitments and approvals
• Quality of loan book
• % of loan book in priority geographies and sectors
• Number of new clients
• Number of potential deals/ pipeline
• Value of funds catalysed towards projects approved and committed.
• Coaching and mentoring to transfer skills
• Clean Audit

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Qualifications

Minimum Qualification

• A postgraduate degree in Finance, Commerce, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Economics or a relevant field.

Desirable Qualification

• A postgraduate qualification, CA or CFA or MBA or similar

Experience

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in appraising, negotiating, due diligence and closing project finance in a financial institution specifically for climate and environmental financing.
• Strong experience in renewable energy, energy efficiency, water security, sustainable transport, or related low-carbon sectors.
• Experience in securing infrastructure investment deals in relevant sectors/geographies in SA and/or Africa and doing business across Africa.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the complex financial and regulatory environments.
• Proven experience in working with senior stakeholders in highly political environments in South Africa and the rest of Africa.
• Proven expertise in climate investment metrics and GHG accounting tools.
• Understanding of GEF/GCF operations, climate definitions, eligibility criteria, and fiduciary standards.
• Demonstrated ability to structure complex financial instruments (debt, equity, blended finance, guarantees).
• Extensive knowledge of climate-related markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and international best practices.
• Experience engaging senior executives in governments, DFIs, the private sector, and financial institutions.
• Strong track record in client relationship management and transaction execution.

Closing Date    
2026/03/10