The Lead, Sovereign Debt Advisory is responsible for driving FSD Africa’s sovereign debt advisory initiatives, ensuring that governments and financial institutions receive expert guidance in debt sustainability, liability management, and investor relations. The role focuses on structuring and implementing catalytic interventions that enhance sovereign debt markets, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote financial stability.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS
Thought Leadership & Strategy Development
Act as a thought leader on how sovereign debt management and advisory can result in measurable benefits for African people, economies, and for the environment; developing a profound understanding of the sovereign debt landscape and potential change levers:
- Act as a thought leader on sovereign debt advisory, liability management, and investor relations, ensuring these areas drive financial market development and investment mobilisation in support of FSD Africa’s strategic goals.
- Lead the team in analysing market dynamics, synthesising existing research, and commissioning targeted studies to develop a deep understanding of sovereign debt frameworks, liability management structures, and financial market infrastructure; apply these insights to shape impactful interventions.
- Continuously monitor the sovereign debt market and institutional frameworks for emerging risks and opportunities:
- Provide strategic insights to inform FSD Africa’s debt advisory interventions and investment strategies.
- Develop actionable insights and recommendations for investment opportunities to enhance the performance of the Debt Advisory Programme portfolio.
- Develop and refine financial models for sovereign debt structuring, credit enhancement mechanisms, and liability management strategies; produce reports and presentations for the Chief Financial Markets Officer to support decision-making.
- Act as FSD Africa's key advisor on sovereign debt structuring, market infrastructure, and credit enhancement mechanisms providing advice or support to Pillar Heads and Deal teams in line with FSD Africa's / FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) strategy.
Portfolio Development & Implementation
Drive the execution of the Debt Advisory Programme’s investment and project portfolio, in line with FSD Africa’s 5-year strategy; ensure that each individual investment, and the portfolio as a whole, achieves targeted results:
- In collaboration with the Chief Financial Markets Officer, develop the sections of the overall Pillar Strategy and Theory of Change that pertain to Debt Advisory; ensure a comprehensive understanding of the overall Pillar strategy, including the goals and targets for all thematic areas.
- Lead on scanning, prospecting, and evaluating potential investments for inclusion in the Debt Advisory’s portfolio; ensure that comprehensive Financial and Development Impact modelling is carried out to forecast investment returns.
- Lead the process of conceptualising, designing and writing high-quality investment proposals, integrating structuring of sovereign debt instruments and blended finance approaches to enhance financial sustainability and market resilience.
- Following approval, ensure that detailed implementation plans are developed, including budgets and procurement of consultants / implementing partners as required; as projects/investments progress, ensure that the accountability requirements of donors are met.
- Oversee the effective implementation of projects, holding the team accountable for implementing project plans, executing monitoring touchpoints and achieving project milestones on time and to standard; ensure that all required data entry and reporting is carried out on time and to standard.
Fund Management
Lead the financial planning and resource mobilisation strategy for the Debt Advisory Programme, ensuring financial sustainability and value for money in the deployment of resources:
- Identify potential donors and funding leads, building relationships and co-designing project concepts if appropriate; support the Director by leading the development of funding proposals for the Debt Advisory Pillar.
- Lead the analysis of both individual investment and overall portfolio performance; encourage the team to identify and implement opportunities for improvement and to explore possibilities for scaling up successful approaches.
- Track and monitor budget spend and associated activities ensuring cost-effective utilisation of resources and timely achievement of financial targets.
- Conceptualise how funds and other limited resources may be best allocated to achieve optimum impact; including supervising the work of consultants to optimise value for money.
- Work collaboratively with the Chief Financial Markets Officer and the Risk team to develop and role model a culture of effective risk and compliance management; take personal responsibility for managing risk and ensuring compliance of the projects being supervised.
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Qualifications and Education
- Master’s degree and 12 years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 14 years of experience.
- Extensive experience in sovereign debt management, liability management, capital markets, or public finance.
- At least 5 years in a senior advisory or leadership role, with expertise in sovereign debt markets, liability management, and policy reform.
- Exceptional skills in written and spoken English.
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The Director, Catalytic Transactions leads FSD Africa’s initiatives to develop and scale innovative financial products and transactions that unlock capital for key sectors, driving financial sector development to support sustainable economic growth. The role focuses on mobilising investment, designing de-risking mechanisms, and supporting financial product innovation to catalyse transaction flows, increase market participation, and enhance financial resilience.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS
Thought Leadership & Strategy Development
Act as a thought leader on catalytic transactions and financial product innovation, shaping strategy and policy to advance FSD Africa’s purpose of Making Finance Work for Africa’s Future:
- Continuously conduct ecosystem analysis and research to deepen understanding of Africa’s financial markets, identifying systemic barriers to investment and opportunities for transaction innovation.
- Lead the development and continuous refinement of theories of change that shape FSD Africa’s Catalytic Transactions strategies, incorporating insights from past interventions and performance monitoring.
- Engage with policymakers, regulators, development partners, and market stakeholders to conceptualise and advocate for interventions that drive transaction structuring, risk mitigation, and capital mobilisation.
- Act as a thought leader on structured finance, blended finance, and impact investment, providing expert insights on financial innovation and capital mobilisation at global and regional forums.
- Develop and publish high-impact research, market insights, and policy papers to position FSD Africa as a leader in catalytic finance and transaction development, influencing strategy and stakeholder engagement.
Programme Development & Implementation
Lead the development and implementation of FSD Africa's Catalytic Transactions strategy, ensuring the design and delivery of high-impact interventions that drive systemic market change:
- Lead the Pillar team in developing a comprehensive Catalytic Transactions strategy, ensuring alignment with FSD Africa's five-year strategy and responsiveness to emerging market needs, including:
- Designing and structuring innovative financial transactions, including thematic bonds, blended finance vehicles, and aggregation instruments.
- Developing mechanisms to enhance liquidity, mitigate currency risks, and increase private sector participation in key investment sectors.
- Guide Principal-level staff in developing portfolios of interventions that deliver optimal Value for Money in the achievement of strategic outcomes.
- Oversee the design and execution of high-quality programmes, ensuring adherence to best practices in transaction structuring, investment facilitation, and risk mitigation.
- Monitor programme performance and lead the team in adaptive management, ensuring that individual investments and the portfolio as a whole deliver measurable impact and systemic change.
- Foster collaboration across pillars and Centres of Expertise to leverage expertise and amplify outcomes.
Financial Management & Fundraising
Secure and manage financial resources to sustain and expand the Catalytic Transactions pillar, ensuring Value for Money, effective risk management, and compliance.
- With support from the Director Communications, Partnerships & Funding, lead resource mobilisation efforts to secure the funds required to deliver strategy.
- Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and expenditure tracking to ensure optimal resource utilisation.
- Ensure rigorous risk management and due diligence for all transaction-based interventions.
- Maintain strong investor relationships and ensure compliance with financial reporting and accountability requirements.
- Lead the team to scrutinise Value for Money across the programme portfolio, continually innovating in pursuit of enhanced development impact.
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Qualifications and Education
- Master’s degree and 15 years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 18 years of experience.
- Extensive experience and networks in structured finance, investment banking, blended finance, or transaction advisory.
- At least 7 years in a senior leadership role, with experience managing teams and large-scale programmes.
- Exceptional skills in written and spoken English.
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