Portfolio Director, Acumen s Hardest-to-Reach Impact Debt Fund
AcumenPosted June 17, 2025
Nairobi, Kenya
Full Time
Job Description
The Portfolio Director will oversee the management and risk assessment of the impact debt fund's portfolio in the off-grid solar sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring high-quality asset management, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership to support early-stage investments in frontier markets.
Responsibilities
- •Manage the Portfolio Management team to ensure high-quality portfolio oversight and risk mitigation.
- •Conduct regular asset management reviews and monitor portfolio performance against financial and environmental/social objectives.
- •Identify potential issues within the portfolio and implement pre-emptive actions to maintain asset quality.
- •Oversee the Early Warning List and Watch List, ensuring proper monitoring and controls.
- •Prepare and deliver timely, accurate portfolio reports to stakeholders.
- •Coordinate with the Risk Director to enhance risk management practices and strategic planning.
- •Monitor fund transactions for covenant compliance and stakeholder performance.
- •Engage with obligors, project teams, co-investors, and stakeholders through visits and ongoing communication.
- •Oversee handling of waivers and amendments to facilities.
- •Support the Investment team in bringing opportunities to financial close.
- •Present portfolio performance updates to Investment Committees.
- •Lead, develop, and manage the Portfolio Management team, including recruiting, coaching, and performance evaluations.
- •Develop training plans for team members and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
- •Ensure effective allocation of analyst resources and promote timely, risk-based reporting.
Requirements
- •Minimum of 10 years of transactional experience in venture debt or private credit funds in emerging markets.
- •Experience of conducting due diligence on complex cash flow based financings.
- •Experience of working with various sources of risk mitigation.
- •A bachelor’s degree in a finance related field.
- •Experience working in a major financial institution, accountancy firm, financial advisory firm, Debt Fund, ideally focused on SME financing, Off-Grid solar sector, or Energy-access companies for at least 5 years, preferably including a focus on frontier markets.
- •Management of a small developing team.
- •Evidence of ability to deal proactively with issues.
- •Expertise in the management of receivable based transactions.
- •Strong corporate credit risk skills.
- •Good knowledge of transaction legal documentation.
- •Track record of delivering a strong client-focused service.
- •Knowledge and experience of restructuring problem assets.
- •Familiarity with issues relating to distributors financing in Emerging and Frontier Markets.
- •Evidence of enhancing value of portfolio assets.
- •Ability to demonstrate understanding of lending and fixed income products.
- •Solid understanding of frontier markets, ideally in Africa.
- •Must be authorized to work in Kenya.
- •Available to work in Nairobi.
- •Willingness to travel extensively.
- •Ability to get up to speed quickly in a technical area of work, and to understand and navigate complex issues.
- •High integrity, strong ethical principles, and ability to command respect at all levels.
- •Commitment to good governance and ethical business practices.
- •Self-starter, able to collaborate closely with colleagues.
- •Organized and able to manage competing priorities.
- •Proactive and solutions-orientated.
- •Resilient, not put off by setbacks.
- •Demonstrable cultural awareness, ideally with experience of working in an international environment.
- •Passion to make a difference in frontier markets.
Benefits
- •Compensation/salary range not specified
- •Work in Nairobi, Kenya
- •Willingness to travel extensively
- •Opportunities to work in frontier markets and impact underserved communities
- •Collaborative work environment with a focus on ethical business practices
- •Development opportunities through team management and training
- •Engagement in impactful projects aimed at increasing energy access in Africa
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