Investment Associate, Financial Services Debt

Our mission and objectives

• British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution, owned by the UK Government. We invest with the aim of solving the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.
• We have 75 years of experience successfully supporting the sustainable, long-term growth of businesses in Africa and Asia, and have recently expanded to invest in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean.
• We invest to achieve impact and a financial return which is then reinvested for more impact. Over the past five years, we have committed £7 billion of new investments, with our net assets growing in value to approximately £8.1 billion. We are now invested in 1,400 businesses which directly employ over 950,000 workers and support many more. Over the next five years, we plan to grow further, and aim to commit around £9 billion of new investments over the period.
• Our current five-year strategy responds to the opportunities and challenges facing developing and emerging economies. To ensure our capital is used in the best way possible to meet these opportunities and challenges, it sets out three clear strategic objectives – to invest in productive, sustainable and inclusive development. These objectives mean an increased focus on climate finance, including investing in green infrastructure; on financing digital transformation; and on driving inclusive outcomes, including through gender and diversity finance.
• We changed our name to British International Investment in 2022, to more accurately reflect our central role in the UK Government’s international financing offer.
• In the last few years, we have expanded our presence in Africa and Asia by opening new offices in Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ghana and Singapore; with further expansion planned.
• We take an entrepreneurial approach to investment. We think innovatively about ways to deploy our capital, attract, and mobilise other investors, and drive transformational impact.
• Deliver impact. We are a team of over 600 and place immense value on diversity within our organisation.
• Read more about us and the strategy at www.bii.co.uk

Team and role overview

The Financial Services (“FS”) Debt team focuses on structuring senior and subordinated debt transactions across different financial services clients (e.g. Banks, Microfinance Institutions, Non-Bank Financial Institutions, FinTech companies etc).

You will support the work of the FS Debt team from the origination to the execution and monitoring of FS Debt transactions. This will include research and strategy work, the initial assessment of new opportunities, credit analysis, due diligence, and portfolio management activities, as required, as well as liaising with other relevant transaction support teams.

Purpose

There are 5 job levels in our teams – Associate, Executive, Manager, Director & Team Head. We are looking to hire an Associate to be London based.

Responsibilities

You will be capable of:

• Analysing new investment propositions, preparing screening and credit proposals, including financial analysis and modelling, as well as preparing monitoring papers.
• Completing discrete due diligence tasks assigned such as company, industry and economic analysis.

You may work on assignments across BII’s countries operation, including Africa, South Asia and South East Asia, and may be required to travel accordingly.

Due diligence, credit analysis and deal execution:

• Supporting senior members of the team and colleagues working on new debt proposals.
• You will be responsible for analysis, including: sector / market analysis, company / borrower analysis (including credit analysis), macro-economic analysis.
• Reviewing and/or building financial models, conducting further analysis and stress tests where necessary.
• Responsibility for drafting the relevant sections of investment proposals.
• Over time, you will gain experience in all aspects of financial institution credit assessment and due diligence, and will take responsibility for a broader range of due diligence and deal completion related work.
• Supporting the preparation and implementation of technical assistance provided to the investee companies.

Portfolio management:

• Supporting role in monitoring the portfolio of existing loans and facilities.
• Responsibilities include: reviewing company reports, monitoring compliance with covenants, flagging any potential credit issues and preparing monitoring papers for review by BII’s Investment Committee.
• Updating internal deal and portfolio management systems as required.

Research and strategy:

• Contributing to sector and country strategies, collecting market data and other ad-hoc research and analytical activities relevant to BII’s FS debt business.
• Keeping up-to-date with deal-flow, deal management and portfolio monitoring databases for all transactions covered by the FS Debt team.

The Candidate

Background

• University degree in Finance, Economics, Corporate Finance, Accounting, or other relevant degree
• Business knowledge of written and spoken French and English languages is essential
• Relevant experience within a Development Finance Institution (“DFI”) or banking/investment environment, with ideally some exposure to financial institutions (bank and non-bank)
• Analytical and research skills (including the ability to analyse reports, sector data, macroeconomic and relevant political events)
• Demonstration of identity with BII’s proposition including: An awareness of and appreciation for BII’s objectives; A desire and passion to be part of BII’s strategy and participate in its work; Evidence of high performance standards in previous positions
• Credit analysis skills and ability to analyse financial statements and make commercial assessments
• High level of competency carrying out financial modelling, and using Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to work on multiple projects while working to deadlines and managing time effectively
• Good business communication, fluency in English is essential, French language skills would be beneficial
• As a member of a small team, a flexible and “hands on” approach is a prerequisite
• An active interest in investing in developing countries and understanding of emerging market environments, with a willingness to travel
• Candidates should be strongly motivated by BII’s development mission and ideally demonstrate some commitment to development or social goals through previous executive or non-executive activity

Our cultural values

We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:

• Impact-led, commercially rigorous
• Tenacious in the face of challenges
• Collaborative and caring

British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.

Please provide a cover letter with your application

Salary: Competitive