Project Finance Infrastructure Advisory Senior Manager at PwC South Africa

• The successful candidate will be expected to lead multiple engagements, manage and coach junior team members (who in turn are responsible for day-to-day transaction execution, financial modelling and analysis), build and strengthen client relationships, and provide high-quality advice to clients. The role requires a high degree of independence, strong technical capability and a genuine interest in the infrastructure sector.

Qualifications / Certifications required:

• CA(SA), CFA, MBA, or finance-related bachelor’s degree
• Financial modelling certification beneficial

Experience required:

• 6-10 years project finance experience
• Strong experience in project finance advisory, infrastructure transactions, debt raising, refinancing and/or PPP transactions
• Experience across energy, water, and transport sectors
• Proven experience in leading transaction workstreams and managing client relationships
• Experience in mentoring and supervising junior team members

Responsibilities of role:

The successful candidate will have an execution-focused project finance dealmaker role within the team and be responsible for the following activities on a day-to-day basis:

Transaction Leadership and Project Management

• Lead multiple project finance and infrastructure engagements simultaneously, ensuring delivery against timelines, quality standards and commercial objectives;
• Take ownership of transaction execution across financing, refinancing, buy-side, sell-side and strategic advisory mandates;
• Manage multidisciplinary teams, including clients, lenders, investors, legal advisers, technical advisers, model auditors and other stakeholders;
• Oversee project plans, workstreams, deliverables and internal coordination to ensure efficient execution; and
• Provide strategic advice to clients throughout transaction processes.

Financial Modelling

• Build and oversee the development, review and enhancement of complex financial models in line with market best practice;
• Review the translation of project agreements, financing terms and commercial assumptions into robust financial models;
• Evaluate scenarios, sensitivities and key risk considerations to support client decision-making;
• Oversee interactions with model auditors and ensure structural integrity, tax and accounting compliance; and
• Provide quality reviews on modelling outputs and transaction analyses prepared by junior team members.

Project Finance

• Advise clients on limited recourse funding structures and bankability considerations;
• Support and lead financing processes for infrastructure projects, including debt raising, lender engagement and negotiation support;
• Support and lead the preparation of relevant marketing materials including information memoranda and teasers, as well as lender presentations and other financing materials;
• Support negotiation of term sheets, finance documents and key commercial agreements;
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of infrastructure sectors and contribute to development of sector specialisation; and
• Advise on public-private partnerships and related infrastructure procurement structures / processes where relevant.

Infrastructure mergers and acquisitions

• Lead the preparation and review of key transaction documentation, including teasers, information memoranda, management presentations, bid documentation and investment committee papers;
• Support clients on acquisition, disposal and strategic review mandates in the infrastructure sector; and
• Manage due diligence processes and coordinate input from relevant internal and external stakeholders.

Client relationships and business development

• Lead or contribute significantly to proposal development, pricing discussions and internal approval processes;
• Support origination efforts, including identifying prospects, developing client ideas and participating in pitches, and evaluating opportunities with the senior team members; and
• Build and maintain strong client relationships and act as a trusted day-to-day adviser.

Team Contribution

• Coach, mentor and develop associates and managers within the team;
• Review work prepared by junior team members and provide clear, constructive feedback; and
• Contribute to team capability building, knowledge sharing and a high-performance team culture.

Skill sets required:

• Advanced Excel skills;
• Financial modelling skills;
• Awareness of AI capabilities and a drive for improving efficiency;
• Excellent interpersonal and client relationship skills;
• Problem solving capabilities;
• Demonstrated transaction execution skills;
• Attention to detail and an ability to perform critical self-review of outputs;
• A desire to build on commercial and industry knowledge;
• Negotiation skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential, including the ability to write succinct, well-structured reports and client communications;
• Passion for the development of South Africa and the African continent;
• A well-organised and self-directed individual who can relate to people at all levels of an organisation;
• Proven ability to multitask and ensure effective delivery of the priorities to meet targets and objectives (strong time management skills);
• Ability to run independently with projects when necessary;
• Project and client management skill;
• Conflict management skill;
• Thrive in an unstructured environment where each day is different;
• A highly motivated, confident individual with presence;
• Highly rated with strong academic credentials; and
• A proactive and dynamic team player, who works effectively under pressure.