Investment Facilitation Consultant

Investment Facilitation Consultant

We are searching for an experienced Investment Facilitation Consultant in our Kazakhstan Office. 

Project Overview and role

The goal of the USAID E4 Activity is to increase employment and jobs through increased private productivity and competitiveness. The theory of change is: “For the number of jobs to increase, businesses must grow; and for businesses to grow, constraints preventing growth must be removed.” Work performed under the E4 IDIQ is divided into three components:

Component 1: Enterprises – Fostering Competitive Industries

Component 2: Employment – Developing a Capable Workforce and Entrepreneurship

Component 3: Enabling Environments – Creating Conditions for Jobs and Investment

The FGI Task Order will increase the competitiveness of high-growth industries to provide jobs and incomes for Central Asia’s growing workforce, propelling the region toward self-reliance. FGI will transform market systems in ways that help high-potential firms and sectors grow, foster market linkages to match demand for workforce skills with training offered to youth and women, link entrepreneurs to high-growth markets, and build more business- and worker-friendly policy environments and institutions to sustain private sector–driven growth.

In Component 1 and 2, in selected sectors, Palladium facilitates partnerships with “anchor” firms in the selected sectors, i.e. firms with significant capacity to stimulate economic growth. This will contribute to the realization of the identified market opportunities and help achieve scale in terms of new job creation and revenues.

Activities will include building a pipeline of prospective anchor firms, conducting first screening and due diligence, identifying opportunities on addressing their investment and advisory needs while assessing their contribution to programmatic goals and objectives, building and maintaining strong anchor firms relations, securing access to capital on a pay for performance basis. A consultant will work directly with access to finance and investment providers and support anchor firms in receiving investment from them.

Purpose of the Position

Investment Facilitation Consultant (an Individual Consultant or Firm) will report to DCOP, Team Leader – Component 1& 2 and coordinate her/his activities with a Country Manager.

Responsibilities

Build a strong pipeline of anchor firm partnerships and facilitate investment:

Under supervision of the FGI DCOP, Team Leader – Component 1& 2 and in collaboration with Kazakhstan Country Team, the consultant or financial advisor will:

• Identify up to ten anchor firms with viable growth opportunities and investment needs of over $2,000,000 in selected sectors, discuss them and get an approval with/from FGI, and build relationships.
• Engage anchor firms to 1) understand growth potential, plans and strategy; 2) define investment needs to implement growth strategies; 3) determine whether and which type of investment advisory needs to pursue growth strategy; and 4) identify potential areas for related advisory services needed.
• Conduct a rapid situational analysis of a firm’s investability in terms of corporate structures, capacity, profitability, and market prospects and identify whether and/or how to support a firm investment opportunities. (note: FGI strongly encouraged the facilitation of investment for women-led firms or enterprises who’s growth will enable firms to employ more women. Higher FGI cost-share will be considered for investment services with higher impact on women)

Provide Investment Advisory/Access to Finance Services to selected firms

Within the Pay for Performance structure of this agreement, the consultant or investment advisor is encouraged to 1) determine which firms she/he/they are willing to advise with the understanding that a portion of payment of services will depend on successful capital mobilization; and 2) negotiate a services agreement with the client firm to be paid to the consultant in addition to FGI’s agreement.

For each approved client firm, provide the agreed upon investment support services, including

o Business and/or strategic plan development (where applicable) and activation of loan or equity application processes on behalf of USAID-FGI client firm.

o Help anchor firms become more investable by filling the gaps in corporate structures, institutional capacity, profitability factors, innovations, etc.

o Identify and make linkages to financial service providers or investors able and willing to address the client firms’ capital needs.

o Prepare and submit investment or financing proposals to capital sources or FIs interested in the firm.

o Arranging meetings with the CEOs and Credit Officers/Credit Committees, and investment committees, facilitate introductions and negotiate a fair and reasonable deal that is acceptable by the client firm.

o Liaise with other donor programs and private sector initiatives to identify sources of soft-capital to support client firm’s investment plans and identify co-creditor opportunities with other creditors, such as development banks, IFC, and commercial or investment banking institutions;

o Secure financing from investors on behalf of or alongside client firms;

o Follow-through to obtain terms sheets and ensure advancement of credit or equity to the client firm in order to confirm pay-for-performance portion of consultant agreement.

Deliverables

1. A draft pipeline including up to ten investable anchor firms. For each firm, upon the FGI approval, a Client Engagement Letter should be presented that the consultant proposes to provide services, along with work plan for services delivery – 1.5 consultant days per each company.

2. A client engagement letter signed by the consultant or advisor and the firms it wishes to support. This includes: name and description of the firm, the sector to be supported, the proposed advisory services to be provided, the proposed timeline of assistance, the estimated size and impact of the investment and the type of financing to be pursued, estimated LOE required and the details of the arrangement for the client firm’s payment for services, and proposed FGI LOE (no more than 50% cost of services, or $4,000 maximum). FGI will evaluate and approve or deny the engagement letter within seven days.

3. Business Plan, Gap Report identified as obstacle for a firm to become investable, and/or Debt or Equity Application completed and accepted by financial intermediaries or investors, with proprietary or sensitive information redacted.

4. Confirmation or evidence of a successful ‘transaction event’ in the form of a term sheet, letter of intent, or other binding document from the FI or investor.

LoE and P4P details

1. It is estimated that a Consultant will spend up to 45 consultant days for deliverables 1-3 as identified above. This should constitute no more than 50% cost of services, or $4,000 maximum. The difference of the advisory costs above $4,000 the anchor firms should cover itself. This amount will be paid upon the approval of the engagement letter.

2. The rest 50% of the services should be paid from two sources: FGI and an anchor firm on a P4P basis. FGI will pay up to $4,000 (equal to the first payment) to a Consultant upon confirmation or evidence of a successful ‘transaction event’ as well as evidence from an anchor firms on payment of their share of the costs of services. The confirmation of the successful ‘transaction event’ should be in the form of a term sheet, letter of intent, or other binding document from the FI or investor.

Requirements

• Degree in relevant discipline (business, administration, finance, etc.) 
• At least 5 years of experience working in the field of investment facilitation and access to finance
• Demonstrated skills and understanding of the private sector development
• Experience working with women and youth programs
• Ability to work under pressure and meet hard deadlines 
• Experience managing several activities at a time 
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams with a focus on social inclusion 
• Creativity, agility and team spirit
• Excellent communication skills
• Fluent in verbal and written English and language of country of operation

Consultants: Consultant

Day: Daily

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.