Impact Investment Manager

  • Full-time

Company Description

About Good Return

Good Return's mission is to enable those living in poverty to achieve economic empowerment through responsible financial inclusion and capability development. We do this by engaging with partners across the Asia Pacific, where two-thirds of the world’s poor live. We help them deliver better financial services and economic opportunities to those living in poverty.

Our work focuses on promoting responsible inclusive finance, building financial capability & consumer empowerment, and developing smallholder agribusiness solutions. We also deliver interest free loan capital raised from the Australian public. Together these powerful tools empower people to create lasting change for themselves.

Good Return is the registered business name of World Education Australia, an Australian Aid accredited agency and member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).  Visit www.goodreturn.org.au for more information.

Job Description

Are you passionate about helping businesses that have potential to grow and produce positive social outcomes? Do you have proven business acumen, and experience in business advisory, modelling, banking and investment? Are you excited about travelling and working in rural communities across Asia and the Pacific? If so, this could be the role for you!

Good Return is seeking a manager to lead its impact investment activities. The role will lead identification, due diligence and business advisory support to investees, development of relationships in the sector, monitoring and oversight of investments and partners, and engagement with investors. The role is based in Sydney - and therefore requires a legal ability to live and work in Australia. It involves regular travel.

Scope of the position:

The Impact Investment Manager is responsible for leading Good Return’s impact investment activities. The role will lead identification, due diligence and business advisory support to investee businesses, development of relationships in the sector, and monitoring and oversight of investments and partners. The role will also support fundraising with investors and donors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Define and agree strategic and performance goals for the project 
  2. Assist Program field staff and external agencies to scope / identify enterprises that meet GR criteria for impact investment support
  3. Work with selected enterprises to complete a detailed analysis of their business plan, growth strategy, financial needs, and performance outlook. This to be supported by review of the social and gender impacts of the enterprise plan. Negotiate financing arrangements with local banks, and present investment memoranda for approval to GR Impact Investment Committee
  4. Engage with Australian investors (mainly Private Ancillary Funds or PAFs) to secure investment
  5. Maintain oversight of portfolio performance to achieve performance targets and enable regular reporting to investor

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Define strategy and operational plan (15%)

Key tasks

  • Define project strategy for inclusion in GR planning
  • Complete annual budget and operational plan for Impact Investment activities

Key Performance Indicator

  1. Annual plan and budget completed by 30 April each year for 1 July commencement

2.  Scope and identify eligible enterprises (20%)

Key tasks

  • Support banking partners to identify enterprises that warrant progressing, in particular through referrals from partner agencies.
  • Screen applicants against internal impact investment criteria, including commitment to address gender equity issues/opportunities
  • Review business and financial plan with applicants, and determine viability and suitability for investment

Key Performance Indicator

  1. Short-list at least two new businesses per quarter to progress to investment preparation stage

3.  Prepare investment for internal approval (30%)

Key tasks

  • Where required, support applicants to prepare a detailed business plan, growth strategy and performance outlook
  • With team input, review and strengthen social and gender impacts of the enterprise plan
  • Finalise applicant financial model. This will determine the structure (amount, term, amortisation) of banking facilities required
  • Assess amount, structure and risk profile of investment exposure
  • Document a Partnership Agreement with the applicant that sets out the mutual obligations of each party
  • Negotiate with local banking partners to confirm loan guarantee arrangements
  • Confirm details of  investment memoranda with applicants
  • Submit memoranda for approval by GR Impact Investment Committee

Key Performance Indicator

  1. Progress at least one business per quarter for successful investment committee assessment

4.  Engage with social impact investors to secure funding (20%)

Key tasks

  • Build and nurture a network of potential impact investors (Private Ancillary Funds and high net-worth individuals)
  • Build awareness and buy-in to our gender lens investing approach, as a foundational element in ‘doing good business’ and fostering enterprise growth that is sustainable, efficient and improves social and economic outcomes for women and men
  • Once transaction approved by investment committee, support Head of Fundraising to approach selected investors
  • Once agreed, document an Impact Investment Agreement with the investor that sets out terms and conditions of the impact investment and obligations of each party
  • Identify grant funding opportunities and submit proposals to fund program activities. Ensure a smooth relationship with donors.

Key Performance Indicator

  1. Secure funding to complete one investment per quarter
  2. Secure two grants per year to fund program activities

5.  Oversight of investment portfolio (15%)

Key tasks

  • Establish disciplined reporting procedures with investee enterprises and partner banks to monitor ongoing business performance and debt service record
  • Establish travel diary to assure at least two on-site meetings a year with each investee enterprises and each partner banks
  • Provide a 6-monthly written update on progress of each enterprise to relevant investors
  • Provide businesses with access to GR networks as required per the Partnership Agreement

Key Performance Indicators

  1. Conduct two on-site meetings with investees and local bank partners per year
  2. 6-monthly reports submitted on time to each investor
  3. Investees report high satisfaction with GR support
  4. Investees average at least 80% performance against social and financial targets per investment memoranda

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Essential

  • Ability to manage a developing business unit, set strategic goals and priorities, drive growth and manage budgets
  • Strong experience in modeling business and financial projections to analyse enterprise funding proposals
  • Commercial expertise to quickly assess if a proposal is worth pursuing
  • Strong interpersonal, collaboration, negotiation and cross-cultural communication skills
  • Commitment to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
  • Alignment with Good Return’s vision, mission and values

Desirable

  • Impact investment and/or fund management experience
  • Track record in managing and developing a business unit
  • Business advisory experience
  • Business  experience in Asia, Pacific Islands, or other developing countries

Qualifications

Tertiary qualifications in business, accounting, banking or finance

    Additional Information

    How to apply:

    Applications can be submitted by selecting the 'I'm interested' link below.

    Applicants should provide a CV and a cover letter that addresses the selection criteria listed in the full position description, along with your phone and Skype contact details. Cover letters can be included in the messages section or uploaded together with a CV file.

    Applications closing date: Please apply as soon as possible.

    Note: 

    Good Return is an inclusive organisation. In our recruitment activities we strive to build a diverse team that represents our society and the communities that we operate in - in terms of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, culture and sexuality.

    Good Return is a child safe organisation. The successful candidate will be required to comply with our child protection policy and will be subject to pre-hire checks.

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