Senior Investment Associate, Philippines

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Investments Associate will support the GGGI Philippines country program in undertaking technical analysis, engagement of stakeholders, identification of green investment opportunities and undertake the ideation, development and structuring of private and public investment projects including blended finance facilities as well as other financial instruments aimed at closing the national green growth and green cities financing gap and support the Philippines’ transition towards sustainable green economy.

The Senior Associate will report to the Investment Officer of the GGGI Philippines program and will be located within the country office, as well as at a government-hosted project office on a rotation basis. He/She should be willing to travel.

PURPOSE

The Senior Investment Associate will:

• Independently develop investment ideas and pipelines for key green growth sectors under the country program, e.g., sustainable agriculture/landscapes, sustainable transportation, renewable energy, circular economy and waste management, and blue economy.
• Support development of new scalable, replicable green growth projects in alignment with GGGI Philippines program and its thematic priorities.
• Undertake private sector stakeholder mapping, market assessment / mapping and build networks / relationships with key government and non-government stakeholders in the sector. 
• Undertake technical analysis, modelling, scenario building and bankability assessments.
• Undertake desk research, collect primary information, and structure information into high-quality Excel models.
• Support the design of gender-responsive and socially inclusive financial instruments and contribute towards building national financing vehicles / blended finance facilities for key priority sectors or project portfolios.
• Support the mobilization of investment commitments from financiers to invest and further advance green development in the Philippines.
• Support the identification, structuring and development of green growth investment projects aligned with key policies and priorities of the National Government of the Philippines.
• Support delivery of ongoing projects of the GGGI Philippines country office.
• Research and compile case studies and other illustrative materials which give practical guidance and comparative experience on possible green investment projects in the Philippines; and,
• Provide technical input to deliver a portfolio of advisory services and investment mobilization under the guidance of the Investment Officer, Country Representative, and relevant colleagues.

ENGAGEMENT

• Engage in stakeholder mapping, relationship building and support facilitation of discussions with investors, donors, entrepreneurs, government agencies, local government agencies and other stakeholders.
• Apply necessary technical skills to acquire important information and knowledge from a variety of sources, including government departments, provincial governments, municipal and city authorities and local entrepreneurs in support of delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Support the GGGI Philippines Country Program in preparing pitches and proposals relating to the subject matters required for the discussions with donors, investors, government stakeholders, among others.
• Liaise with other GGGI country offices, GGGI Regional offices and GGGI headquarters to identify good practices and lessons learned in green investments.

DELIVERY

The Senior Investment Associate supports the local team to manage and deliver on green investment projects. Specifically, the Senior Associate shall, among others:

• Conduct all requisite analysis for the successful development of new green investment projects, based on country needs, gaps, GGGI’s strategy and strengths;
• Provide analytical support in the identification and development of relevant financing mechanisms and risk reduction instruments for identified projects;
• Conduct assessment of green investment/infrastructure projects and programs engaging all relevant stakeholders;
• Assist in performing financial, economic, and regulatory analysis throughout project concept and design stages in collaboration with the country teams and government counterparts; ensure that the project progresses to implementation/financing stage;
• Assist in initiating, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with senior officials in governments and international/local stakeholders and institutions (e.g., MDBs, development agencies) in the public and private sectors. Build new collaboration frameworks with international partners (country or global-level).
• Building on international best practice (e.g., Climate Bonds Initiative, EU Sustainable  Finance Taxonomy), help develop framework/simple list of criteria that could be applied to  screen/validate green financing;
• Help develop and disseminate capacity development and knowledge sharing products in the field of green investment project design and preparation;
• Provide technical advice to other staff and government counterparts on green investment projects and programs;
• Support reviewing new green investment projects and ideas proposed by other GGGI project teams.
• Review project documents and provide constructive input to deliverables with a strong eye for quality control and consistency.
• Support execution of administrative (including procurement, logistics, etc.) duties aligned with the budget and GGGI policies.
• Provide related support to project teams and perform other tasks as may be assigned by the Investment Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced university degree in areas such as finance, business administration, international business or economics with further financial / economics training.
• Minimum four (4) years of relevant investment and project management experience in a consulting firm, local/multilateral bank, or relevant financial institution, with strong understanding of the capital markets, is highly desirable.
• Experience working with international climate finance institutions, particularly technical aspects of mitigation and adaptation activities is an added advantage.
• Experience in a multi-lateral financial institution, the private sector and/or an intergovernmental organization is a plus.
• Ability to efficiently manage a large number of activities simultaneously and to navigate through complex environments.
• Experience in establishing structures for new financial mechanisms/ blended finance facility including structuring finance for climate investments is highly desirable.
• Demonstrable track record developing high-quality investment and business models and undertaking associated analysis.
• Clear understanding of principles and applications of green and sustainable finance and ESG.
• Experience in supporting / analysing start-up ecosystem in the Philippines or neighbouring country is a plus.
• Experience providing project origination and implementation support with an understanding of the structure and functioning of an international organization.
• Liaise with key government counterparts for consultations and/or technical discussions.
• Strong competence in the use of standard software programs: Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative in response to the organization and team's demand.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

FUNCTIONAL

Desirable attributes illustrating successful application of substantive knowledge (e.g. focus of specialized knowledge, emphasis on innovation, research and/or ability to communicate substantive issues within and beyond peer communities)

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively support GGGI’s mission, vision, and values.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect, and partnership.
• Excels at problem solving, asks questions and seeks support when needed, easily shares information and knowledge with others both internally as externally.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, builds rapport and resolves conflict easily.
• Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills; including public speaking.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Senior Investment Associate is an X7 grade level in GGGI’s National salary scale. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate's experience, academic background and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision. GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members. 

The chosen candidate is expected to be based in Manila, Philippines and will report directly to the Investment Officer (also based in Manila). This is a national position and does not include relocation benefits.