Infrastructure Finance Specialist

The Infrastructure Fund (IF) announced by the President in September 2018 addresses the need for a dedicated blended financing facility for infrastructure programme projects. The aim of the IF is to transform public infrastructure financial provisioning using “blended” finance - combining capital from the public and private sectors and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)/Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This will be dedicated to meeting the financing requirements for hybrid projects.

The mandate of the Infrastructure Fund has been captured in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Treasury, Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), and the DBSA entered into on 17 August 2020.

The role of the Infrastructure Finance Specialist is to provide financing and advisory solutions for infrastructure development.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS**

1. Strategic Outputs
- Support the expansion of IF’s project pipeline, especially in infrastructure that is being targeted to mobilise public and private sector financing.
- Ensure long-term financial planning and modelling in collaboration with the Treasury and Finance teams.
- Support public sector in the development of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and in financing of large infrastructure projects in order to assist government’s efforts to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Prepare various documents and management reports for Executive Committees, Boards and Stakeholders.

2. Infrastructure Financing
- Prepare a project finance model using Microsoft Excel / workbook and calculation algorithms premised on accounting rules. The project finance model should be suitable for investment analysis, debt structuring and operational scenario evaluation.
- Utilise project finance models to conduct financial and sensitivity testing which are critical in determining the effects and changes in input variables on key financial outputs.
- Advise clients internally and externally on the development and effective implementation of public / private investments for sustainable development in infrastructure with a specific focus on financing solutions.
- Support Leads during preparation, structuring, negotiation, and closing of transactions of investment and policy operations.
- Conduct the financial analysis and modelling tasks within project teams working on guarantees operations and other financial structures to mobilise commercial capital for development purposes.
- Work as an integral part of the project / programme team, to conduct due diligence for infrastructure finance operations with a special focus on structuring financial solutions for raising new funding and debt restructurings.
- Develop and deliver sustainable financing structures, models and solutions for IF clients through various products which include (amongst others) blended finance structures Public Private Partnerships (PPP) structures, B-BBEE funding structures, local currency funding, guarantees and derivative hedges.
- Develop and implement various innovative financing instruments to unlock and accelerate infrastructure delivery. These instruments include (amongst others) blended finance instruments, working capital facilities, bridging finance facilities, project bonds, CPI-linked debt, green bonds, project preparation facilities, construction performance bonds, price risk management and hedging products, customised vendor financing solutions.
- Develop and implement financial advisory solutions for the IF including (amongst others) technical, financial, environmental, insurance bank services.
- Access financial markets to fund IF investments and operations to foster sustainable economic development, create wealth and improve infrastructure in South Africa by investing in infrastructure and other productive sectors.
- Ensure that all investment projects are taken to bankability through amongst others, evaluation of the feasibility of investment opportunities with a view of ensuring that they are commercially sound for financing. This must be performed in alignment with the agreed strategy and mandate, due diligence process, deal structuring, facility agreements with clients, risk mitigation, etc.
- Assist with the execution of transactions and the credit approval process to facilitate the structure and negotiate the detailed terms of the deal / transaction in liaison with Treasury, Legal, Portfolio Management teams to ensure the approval of transactions through the various approval committees.

3. Stakeholder Relations and Engagement
- Develop and manage relationships with key stakeholders and decision makers (in government entities, development banks, private companies and commercial banks) to contribute to economic and infrastructure development.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and project operators
- Network and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to enhance the mandate of the IF.

Perform other strategic