Senior Associate – Freetown, Sierra Leone

Our client is recruiting a Senior Associate to join their West Africa team. We are seeking candidates with extensive experience living and working in the region and a thorough understanding of the investment landscape. You will be tasked with evaluating investment opportunities, conducting macroeconomic market assessments, and providing transaction support to both investors and capital seekers. Experience working with a range of stakeholders, including private equity firms, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and development agencies to support investments across all sectors, as well as experience in the region, will be regarded favorably.

In addition to comfort living in a frontier African market and strong technical investment advisory skills and experience, the ideal candidate will have sophisticated relationship-building and management skills, as well as strong client management capabilities. They must be able to work under challenging demands across stakeholders with different strategies. Exceptional communication skills are essential.

Specifically, the investment professional may be required to work within companies to ensure data needed by investment teams is of good quality, as well as work closely with local partners in their offices periodically to maintain a steady flow of information sharing. They will be responsible for organizing conferences and hosting in-country roadshows with senior executives.

The successful candidate will need to provide weekly updates on specific tasks completed and upcoming. The Senior Associate will review operating models and pitch decks for quality and accuracy, serve as a sounding board on investor best practices, monitor technical assistance implementation by third-party firms, keep close track of and control progression toward agreed KPIs, lead investor-focused webinars, contribute to recurring reports such as business plans and quarterly reports, and overall act as the primary representative for the country they support across all stakeholder engagements.

Responsibilities:

Drive day to day project execution on workstreams including:

• Identifying and evaluating investment opportunities  
• Conducting sector or geographic landscape assessments  
• Identifying and engaging with qualified regional and international investors  
• Building and maintaining relationships with local sponsors and international investors through sophisticated and sharp communication.

Support the firm’s business development efforts in the the region by: 

• Performing market assessments and identify key potential clients and partners within regional markets 
• Developing strategies for using the clients services to drive value for these potential clients 
• Working closely with the clients leadership on developing partnerships and pursuing new business opportunities in regional markets 

Support on transaction advisory engagements by: 

• Supporting or often leading complex commercial due diligence assignments  
• Performing market research and developing client-facing recommendations  
• Providing value-creation recommendations for post investment strategy 
• Advising on the structuring and deploying of blended finance vehicles

Requirements: Qualification and Skill

• At least 5 years of experience working in high caliber finance, investment banking or consulting organizations and an interest in having an impact in frontier markets.  
• Candidates must hold an MBA from a reputable institution 
• Experience living and working in the West Africa region 
• Strong business development acumen
• Strong quantitative skills; familiar with diligence and valuation methodologies 
• Familiarity and comfort with financial modeling and accounting  
• Experience with high-quality slide-design and storyboarding  
• Deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities businesses face in frontier markets, as well as the macro-economic trends that impact them 
• Possesses tangible grit, seeks differentiation by intentionally taking self outside of comfort zone physically, culturally and intellectually 
• Experience working with a range of stakeholders (including private equity firms, Development Finance Institutions, and development agencies) to support investments in high impact sectors  
• Demonstrated fluency in English, both written and verbal

Benefits and Contractual information:

• Willing and able to relocate to Freetown, Sierra Leone

If you wish to apply for the position, please send your CV to [email protected]  

Please visit www.caglobalint.com for more exciting opportunities.

Lara Joubert

Recruitment Specialist

CA Global | Finance

CA Global will respond to short-listed candidates only. If you have not had any response in two weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful however your CV will be kept on our database for any other suitable positions.

CA Global Headhunters is an international staffing company with a specific focus on recruitment in Africa. Our extensive, diverse candidate network built up over 10 years comprises the most skilled and experienced candidates. We recruit talent of the highest standards across African sectors, including Mining, Oil & Gas, Engineering, Banking, Finance, Legal, Insurance, Commodities, and Agriculture. As African markets continue to grow and develop, so too does our skill and expertise, ensuring that we deliver the best service to both clients and candidates.

Thanks to our access to global networks and resources, we understand our clients’ cultures, operations, business strategies, and industries. We are always on par with the latest technologies and trends which assist us in sourcing the best talent for clients. Whatever stage of the project lifecycle, we can put forward the right candidates with the right skills.