PROJECT FINANCE & CONSTRUCTION PORTFOLIO MANAGER

01. Role Overview

Energy Africa Recruitment is representing an established South African independent power producer, majority owned by a global renewable energy infrastructure investor. The business operates a utility-scale wind and solar PV portfolio and carries one of the larger development pipelines in the Southern African market.

You manage and oversee assigned renewable energy projects through the construction phase, acting on behalf of the project SPVs and supporting the Portfolio Manager.

The focus is financial and commercial. You maintain the project financial models, forecast returns, manage project risk, run lender engagement and carry SPV governance. You monitor the financial performance of each project against the approved financial model and budget, and you meet the reporting obligations of the SPVs to lenders, Boards, shareholders and other stakeholders.

The team has a further eight projects moving toward financial close.

Location: Cape Town, office based. Two-year fixed-term contract.

02. What You Will Do

• Maintain and update the project financial models throughout the construction phase.
• Monitor actual project performance against the approved financial model, the budget and the investment case.
• Forecast project returns, and assess how cost, programme and commercial changes affect those returns.
• Run financial analysis, sensitivities and scenario modelling to support project and investment decisions.
• Identify, monitor and manage the financial and commercial risks affecting the project and its expected returns.
• Monitor construction expenditure, project payments and budget utilisation against the approved forecasts.
• Manage the project finance obligations in accordance with the financing agreements.
• Coordinate and manage lender engagement throughout construction.
• Manage facility drawdowns and monitor the applicable hedging instruments, including FECs and interest rate swaps.
• Prepare and manage monthly, quarterly and annual reporting to lenders, shareholders and other required parties.
• Prepare the monthly SPV Board of Directors packs, coordinate Board reporting and track the actions arising from Board decisions.
• Ensure the project SPV meets its financial, lender and governance reporting obligations.
• Liaise with the Lenders' Technical Advisor and monitor closure of the relevant actions.
• Perform financial analysis and cost benefit assessments on project risks, changes and optimisation opportunities.
• Support the transition of projects from construction into operations and asset management.

03. What We're Looking For

Minimum requirements

• A university degree in Finance, Engineering, Business Science, Economics or a related field.
• Approximately five years or more of relevant experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, project finance, investment management or asset management.
• Strong financial modelling experience, covering the maintenance, analysis and interpretation of project financial models.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Experience monitoring project budgets, forecasts, cash flows and investment or project returns.
• An understanding of project finance structures and financing agreements.
• Experience with lender reporting and engagement.
• Experience preparing or contributing to SPV, shareholder or Board-level reporting.
• Experience working with projects during the construction phase.

Advantageous

• Renewable energy experience across utility-scale solar PV, wind or BESS projects.

How you work

• Assertive, and confident holding a robust conversation. You work across construction and finance teams and with external parties, and the role needs someone who will press for an answer.
• This is not a seat for a quiet or deferential operator.

04. What We Offer

• A two-year fixed-term contract on a highly competitive total remuneration package.
• Ownership of the financial and commercial management of live construction projects, on behalf of the project SPVs.
• Direct lender, Board and shareholder exposure, supporting the Portfolio Manager.
• A team carrying a further eight projects toward financial close.
• The backing of a global renewable energy infrastructure investor.

 

Shortlisted candidates complete a scenario-based assessment as part of the selection process.

Should you not hear back from us within 14 days, your application has been unsuccessful.