Aqua for All is a global foundation working towards providing sustainable access to safe drinking water and good sanitation for all (Sustainable Development Goal – SDG 6) in Africa and Asia. With over 20 years of experience, we support local entrepreneurs on their scaling pathway by offering funding and access to the water sector expert network and to financiers and impact investors.
As our impact finance work is gaining momentum, we are looking for an:
Impact Finance Manager
36 hours per week – based in the Hague, the Netherlands
Aqua for All strives to create a sustainable and inclusive water and sanitation economy worldwide. We believe innovations, scalable solutions and access to capital are instrumental to overcome the current service delivery and finance gaps. Aqua for All bridges these gaps by supporting market-based solutions to become viable and to scale.
Since mid-2019, Aqua for All is leading the “Making Water Count’’ programme in partnership with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will last until mid-2024. The programme aims to achieve higher impact and mobilise public and private investments for effective water and sanitation solutions for low-income households. Under this programme, we deploy grant funding – amongst others – in selected innovative, blended finance structures targeting local SMEs and financial institutions.
Your opportunity
We are looking for a dynamic candidate with a passion for social entrepreneurship and blended finance for impact. The ideal colleague will bring experience in financial inclusion, impact investing, development finance and/or business development, preferably in low- and middle-income countries. Having experience in the water and sanitation economy is a plus.
You contribute to our finance for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) team, enabling and creating blended finance structures to increase access to finance for water and sanitation enterprises. We work with (local) financial institutions and impact investors and use our funding to de-risk investments through first loss capital, guarantees, technical assistance, etc. You will be based at our office in the Hague and may occasionally travel to countries where we are active to engage with partners and stakeholders.
You contribute towards making the connection between investors’ requirements and our funding to companies in scaling their services and becoming investment ready. You build and manage the relations with different stakeholders and the team in financially structuring some of the scale initiatives.
This exciting role includes the following responsibilities:
-
Deal structuring
- Utilise expertise in structuring deals with financial institutions (banks and MFIs) and at investment fund level.
- Execute blended finance transactions to support impactful WASH initiatives.
- Analyse and review business models, ensuring the viability and sustainability of proposed projects.
- Design innovative finance models to make early stage companies investment-ready.
-
Stakeholder management
- Manage relationships with financial institutions, including a portfolio of banks in Africa and Asia.
- Collaborate with investors to establish WASH funds and facilitate investment opportunities.
- Liaise with impact investors, financial structurers, legal advisors and the internal team to gain buy-in for necessary transitions.
- Engage with development banks and other financiers to support pipeline development.
-
Technical assistance, capacity building and investment readiness
- Screen and advise companies operating in emerging markets to ensure investment readiness.
- Structure technical assistance and capacity building with local banks, MFIs and non-banking financial institutions.
- Provide guidance and support to market development in investment readiness activities.
- Develop customised solutions and support pathways for effective technical assistance.
- Work with market development and local representatives to promote scalability pathways for SMEs in focus countries.
What you bring
- A passion for making finance work to create positive impact on the water and sanitation sector in low-income countries and communities
- A Bachelor or Master degree in a finance and business-related study
- 5 to 10 years of relevant working experience
- Experience in analysing business plans and financial statements
- Strong affinity with international development in general and the water and sanitation sector in particular. Experience with working in / with African or South Asian countries is a plus
- Understanding of start-up companies and the ability to translate their needs into concrete support for investment readiness
- Understanding of impact investment funds and how they realise return and impact, in particular blended finance structures and instruments that reduce the risk of private capital
- Ability to navigate complex financial landscapes and analyse investment opportunities with a sustainability lens
- Experience in impact investing or banking with a focus on SDGs and bringing a network in this field
- Ability to work independently on deals with investors and implement concrete trajectories
- Strong analytical skills, result-oriented, and adept at relationship management
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- Ability to work collaboratively with others by demonstrating flexibility and openness to diverse approaches
- Willingness to travel to developing countries
- Residence or working permit for EU countries
Our offering
- A position in a professional and diverse team of 30 experienced colleagues based in the Hague, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dhaka and Bamako;
- A challenging position with room for your own ideas and personal development;
- A one-year contract with possibility of extension;
- A competitive remuneration following the salary scales of the Dutch government (‘CAO Rijk’);
- A flexible workspace as we combine working from home and from our great office in The Hague.
Interested to apply?
You can send your application by email to: info@aquaforall.org. Please include “Impact Finance Manager” in the subject line and share your motivation letter and CV. More information about the position can be obtained from Aarno Keijzer (a.keijzer@aquaforall.org). The application deadline is on 17 September.