Job Vacancy @ Nathan Associates – Compete Salone Intervention Manager, Invest Salone

Background:

Nathan is a private international economic and analytics consulting firm that works with government and commercial clients around the globe to deliver practical solutions and achieve lasting results. Whether building frameworks for economic growth or navigating regulatory hurdles, securing infrastructure financing or evaluating and assessing disputes, Nathan’s experts serve as trusted partners, offering clients the analysis, technical advice, and strategies they need for sound decision-making. Known for both technical and service excellence and with corporate offices in the US, UK and India and more than 40 programme offices around the world. More information about Nathan can be found at nathaninc.com

Job Description:

Invest Salone (ISL)  is a  6-year, FCDO-funded  private-sector development initiative aimed at facilitating inclusive economic growth in Sierra Leone by working with the private sector, government, and partners to attract investment, generate exports,  create jobs,  and  diversify and transform the economy. COMPETE Salone is a challenge fund facility open to all Sierra Leonean registered businesses that aims to develop and integrate environmentally sustainable technologies and approaches, to expand the outreach of businesses, products, and services. The intervention manager of COMPETE Salone will be based in Freetown and responsible for running the competitive funding windows, supporting the selection process, managing the grants agreements, and supporting the partner firms under this facility.

Management Systems and Processes

• Ensure effective communication to facilitate linkages between potential bidders, the ISL team, the Investment Committee, and other stakeholders.
• Under the guidance of the ISL team, develop clear eligibility and selection criteria for the different windows and provide the necessary information that the Investment Committee needs to select between projects submitted by applicants.
• Organise, attend, and act as secretary to meetings of the Investment Committee and ensure that members have all requisite information, including minutes of the meetings, the rationale behind decisions made, and the decisions taken.

Marketing and Communication

• Design and implement a communications strategy to raise awareness for forthcoming COMPETE Salone windows.
• Establish and maintain the COMPETE Salone component of the ISL website that promotes and enhances the work of the facility.
• Market grant windows to potential clients ensuring that there is sufficient appetite amongst businesses with the ability to innovate and implement projects in line with the specific requirements of each window.

Grant Application Process

• Support potential applicants with guidance on completion of project concept notes (PCNs) to ensure that COMPETE Salone is business friendly and to avoid potential wasted effort on the part of applicants.
• Lead the first basic stage of due diligence to establish the bona fides and capacity to implement of the applicant, and screen PCNs against the objectives and eligibility criteria, requesting additional information where necessary from applicants.
•  Guide applicants in preparation of detailed project applications, where applicable, to ensure high quality and standards, ensuring they contain all information required by the Investment Committee to determine whether the project should be supported, including analysis of financial leverage, public benefits, etc.
• Provide feedback on decisions to applicant bidders in writing, inviting those whose concepts have been approved to submit full applications.
• Ensure that, whilst giving advice and guidance that will help the applicants prepare proposals, s/he avoids imposing her/his ideas and solutions on applicants.
• Lead and supervise team members to carry out thorough due diligence on all detailed proposals submitted and to prepare an assessment of the benefits and costs they represent for consideration by the Investment Committee.

Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI)

• Be proactive in addressing ISLs GESI priorities and strategies to ensure that COMPETE Salone is GESI-compliant in terms of awareness, access, outreach, participation, opportunity, output, outcome, and impact.

Fiduciary Management

• Manage grants on behalf of COMPETE Salone and be accountable for such actions.
• As instructed by the ISL team, based on the recommendation of the Investment Committee, prepare, negotiate, and finalise contracts with successful applicants. The intervention manager ultimately will be responsible to ensure that payments are linked to progress milestones, ensuring that the project is on course to deliver its planned objectives as set out in each applicant’s detailed project proposal.
• Ensure that agreements shall include a clause that states that a grant may be terminated as soon and whenever corrupt or similar malpractice is discovered.
• Monitor the disbursement of funds to grantees and maintain detailed records of how funds are utilised compared to the contracted purposes.
• Prepare forecasts and requests for disbursement to ensure adequate cash flow management for the grant-making activities of the facility.

• In conjunction with the ISL Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead, establish and manage an M&E system that measures the results and impacts of funded projects in each window, and work with grantees and other relevant partners to ensure implementation of the M&E system.
• Define with each grantee the means by which the social returns on investment (for instance SMEs and producers accessing climate resilient products / adaptation services) will be identified and measured and ensure that these measurements are embedded in the grantee’s periodic reports.
• Work with the ISL communications team to draw out and publicise successful outputs and outcomes generated by grantee companies and lessons learned from interventions while adhering to prudent communications principles and respecting confidentialities where appropriate.
• Monitor the progress of projects against the implementation agreement, and in the event that it departs from the original plan or other difficulties arise, work with the grantee to address and resolve shortcomings, seeking the advice and guidance of the ISL team as necessary.
• Ensure that COMPETE Salone operates transparently and according to schedule.
• Prepare and submit work plans, pipeline reports, forecasts and budgets, and progress reports against agreed performance indicators as required.
• Alert senior management at the earliest possible opportunity of any unsatisfactory grantee performance.
• Take such action as is necessary within the framework of the contract, in the event that the integrity of COMPETE Salone or its funds are put at risk by any funded project.
• Ensure that contracts with grantees allow for adequate supervision and impact assessment, and that outcomes of the funded projects are measurable and measured.

Lines of Accountability and Reporting

The Intervention Manager of COMPETE Salone will report directly to the ISL Portfolio Manager and ultimately to the Team Leader. S/He will make presentations on progress during regular meetings organised with the ISL team and in meetings with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office and Nathan Associates.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The successful candidate must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Degree in a relevant subject including economics, business / business management, accountancy, investment, or another allied subject.
• At least 8 years’ professional experience in private sector development within market systems environments and / or running commercial inclusive enterprises.
• Ability to effectively lead teams and provide strategic guidance on complex projects.
• Skills to provide relevant financial management advice on project implementation.
• Experience to engage with private sector players at senior management level and working with Sierra Leonian or regional private sector enterprises.
• Ability to diligently manage and monitor a complex investment portfolio of projects, monitor risks and provide timely solutions.
• Experience and ability to assess the commercial and technical viability of projects.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas succinctly to a variety of audiences.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree and/or professional qualification.
• Sector knowledge in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and/or environment, including an up to date understanding of regional/international market access opportunities.
• Specialist knowledge in the use of grants to trigger innovation, social or financial fund management, matching grant schemes, or venture capital/private equity vehicles.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

Nathan is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested individuals should click on the button below to apply.