National Empowerment Fund (Nef) Vacancies

In brief

**Overview** This is a re-advertisement for a Senior Investment Associate position at the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), a permanent role based in Sandton within the Financial Services industry, specifically banking, finance, insurance, and stockbroking. The NEF aims to facilitate and contribute to balanced, sustainable economic growth by developing early-stage projects that enhance local manufacturing capacity and reduce the country's reliance on imports. The remuneration for this position is market related, and it is an Employment Equity (EE) designated role. **What you will do** The Senior Investment Associate will be responsible for a comprehensive range of activities across the investment lifecycle, including: * **Pre-Screening:** Sourcing deals aligned with the NEF mandate, networking with industry bodies, attending conferences to stay updated, addressing telephonic enquiries and walk-ins, conducting pre-screening and desktop analysis for new enquiries, meeting prospective clients to provide advisory on NEF products, accompanying applicants to strategic meetings, and identifying project stages to ensure requisite information is available. * **Application:** Conducting equity valuation discussions and negotiations, performing due diligence investigations, developing financial models, compiling submission reports, assisting legal teams with project background and input for term sheets, engaging Credit Risk for timely reports, informing secretariat for committee inclusion, preparing and circulating presentations, and presenting due diligence outputs to committees for funding approval. * **Post Approval:** Assisting clients with compliance requirements (e.g., FICA) and satisfying conditions precedent for funding, conducting induction on the SPF Governance Framework, assisting in fund disbursement, participating in and leading project steering committees, deriving project development milestones, appointing project managers, overseeing project development, managing approved project budgets, presenting project development progress at committee meetings, providing project support to other projects, providing input into Post Investment’s Risk Portfolio Management Committee report, conducting timely disbursements, ensuring tender process alignment with governance frameworks, presenting project development outcomes upon milestone achievement, proactively engaging other funders for capital raising, and engaging strategic stakeholders for project progress. They will also perform post-investment valuations of NEF equity investments and engage with external auditors. * **Non-core Activities:** Participating in external committees (e.g., SPII, BIFF), presenting speeches as required, proactively engaging NEF support departments before concluding deals, ensuring KPA and statutory requirements are met for projects in administration, and leading on at least 3 active projects while supporting at least 3 others. **Requirements (from the original advert)** **Experience / Skills Required:** * Minimum 5 years business analysis experience in Finance, Corporate and/or Project Finance, Credit Analysis, Private Equity or Structured Finance (Chartered Accountant Preferable). * 3 - 5 Years project management in a financial/investment environment. * Strong overall awareness and knowledge of various industry sectors, including Green Energy and The Digital Economy. * Strong risk analysis skills. * Strong report writing skills. * Able to independently develop and/or evaluate financial models for projects in development. * Must be familiar with types of agreements/contracts typically used in corporate, project finance and private equity transactions. * Experience with corporate finance valuation techniques. * Demonstrates deep understanding of solutions that could impact on the business. * Project development and entrepreneurial experience (advantageous). * Practical engineering-related experience in relation to the following; technical design (technical standards, technical drawings), plant operation and management (plant organograms, roles and responsibilities, shift planning, production scheduling), plant shutdown maintenance (planning, costing, implementation) and plant construction (tender procurement processes and adjudication; and construction contract structures and management) (advantageous). * Practical Project Management experience (advantageous). * Willing to travel. **Qualification Requirements:** * Chartered Accountant with strong project finance experience OR B Engineering Degree with Finance Qualification (CFA) or similar. * Post Grad at Masters level. **Personal Attributes/Behaviours/Attitudes:** * **Cognitive Competencies:** Analysis and Attention to Detail, Conceptual / Big Picture Thinking, Creative / Innovation, Focus & Sustained Attention, Judgement and Decision Making, Problem Solving & Learning Agility, Strategic Thinking. * **Intrapersonal Competencies:** Assertiveness, Drive and Result Orientation, Decisiveness & Action Orientation, Ethical Judgement, Excellent / Quality Orientation, Resilience and Stress Management, Executive Disposition, Rule Orientation, Time and Self- Management, Objectivity. * **Interpersonal Competencies:** Building Relationships, Building Strategy Relationships/ Networking, Customer Service Orientation, Engaging Diversity, Interpersonal Agility, Teamwork. * **Professional/Technical Competencies:** Business and Financial Acumen (includes ability to identify and manage risk). **Who should apply** This role is ideal for a seasoned financial professional with a minimum of 5 years' experience in business analysis within finance, corporate, project finance, credit analysis, private equity, or structured finance, coupled with 3-5 years of project management experience in an investment environment. Candidates must possess strong analytical, risk analysis, and report writing skills, with the ability to independently develop and evaluate financial models. Essential qualifications include either a Chartered Accountant designation with strong project finance experience or a B Engineering Degree combined with a finance qualification (such as CFA), in addition to a Master's level postgraduate degree. The ideal applicant will demonstrate a deep understanding of various industry sectors, including Green Energy and The Digital Economy, and be familiar with corporate finance valuation techniques and common transaction agreements. Preference may be given to candidates with project development, entrepreneurial, or practical engineering experience, as well as proven project management skills. A willingness to travel is also required. The role demands strong cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal competencies, alongside robust business and financial acumen, for an individual who can contribute to generating sustainable economic growth through early-stage project development. **Deadline** 29 September 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.govpage.co.za/vacancies/national-empowerment-fund-nef-vacancies-6 Source: govpage

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At a glance

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