FSD Africa

FSD Africa is a specialist development agency which supports innovative ideas to build and strengthen financial markets across Africa. It focuses on reducing poverty by tackling the most intractable financial market challenges in Africa – its core areas include deepening domestic capital markets through addressing the lack of long-term finance, developing the capacity and pipeline for green finance and promoting financial innovation and FinTech, to support increased financial inclusion for vulnerable and excluded groups.

Based in Nairobi, FSD Africa was established in 2012 and is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Our exciting new strategy, in which climate considerations feature prominently, is an opportunity for FSD Africa to continue using financial market development to support Africa’s recovery from Covid-19, leveraging its relationships and networks in over 30 countries, and increasing its work in green finance to help build a future for the continent that is greener, cleaner and fairer. Our Green Finance Transaction Accelerator (GFTA) is a ground-breaking, new initiative focused on catalysing investment in Africa’s green economy. In particular, it will work to create financing structures or vehicles that are able to channel finance, to underserved parts of the green economy such as nature based solutions and resilience financing. By developing innovative new solutions and with greater capacity for experimentation, GFTA can help bring transactions to market, engaging multiple stakeholders, subsidising technical assistance and by participating in blended finance solutions.

We are looking to appoint the GFTA’s inaugural Director, who will have the opportunity to shape its strategy, build its team and capabilities and develop a pipeline and portfolio of innovative transactions, to the point at which they are funded by the market. Reporting to the CEO, the GFTA Director will work collaboratively with existing pillars of FSD Africa’s work including Capital Markets, Risk & Resilience and FSD Africa (Investments), which are already active in doing green finance transactions.

Candidates will be experienced deal originators with at least 7-10 years of relevant track record in transacting/raising capital/deal origination. They will bring good networks and trusted relationships across financial intermediaries and other stakeholders in Africa; including the global DFI community, mainstream investors and government counterparts. They will have the drive and ability to develop and communicate a compelling vision for how green investment fits into FSD Africa’s vision, of financing a sustainable future for the continent.
FSD Africa places immense value on diversity within its organisation and encourages applications from the broadest range of backgrounds.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to FSD Africa and FCDO on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference XAJAAC. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by 5pm on Friday 30th July.