Investment Due Diligence Associate

Department:InvestmentEmployment Type:Contract / TempLocation:AfricaReporting To:Investment Manager – SME Lending UnitDescriptionAllied Talent Partners (ATP), aThree Cairns Groupinitiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.High-Level OverviewThe SME Lending Unit of a regional Development Finance Institution (DFI) was established in 2018 to expand access to finance for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) across 25 member countries. While the broader DFI traditionally focused on large-scale infrastructure and trade finance, the SME Unit invests in smaller transactions (USD 1–10M) through a mix of term loans, guarantees, and credit lines to financial intermediaries. Its approach embeds concessionality in tenor and pricing, while prioritizing development impact in sectors such as energy access, clean cooking, soft infrastructure (healthcare and education), and women and youth economic empowerment.With World Bank support, the SME Lending Unit is under pressure to accelerate disbursements and advance a pipeline of five or more transactions toward credit approval and close before year-end. These transactions, across East and Southern Africa, include solar home systems, commercial & industrial solar, clean cooking ventures, and partner financial intermediaries.The client is looking for one to twoInvestment Due Diligence Associatesto provide full-time support through December 2025. The experts will focus on thecommercial and financial workstreamof the due diligence process: reviewing borrower financials, analyzing business models, engaging with management teams, and drafting credit proposal sections. By taking on the heavy lifting in analysis and drafting, the associates will free up the core team to progress multiple transactions in parallel.Ideal candidates will have experience in investment analysis or financial due diligence, with exposure to African transactions. Expertise in renewable energy, clean cooking, or financial intermediaries will be a strong advantage. They should be detail-oriented, analytically rigorous, and comfortable managing data rooms and borrower communication. Success in this role will require curiosity, sound judgment, and adaptability to a fast-moving, multi-country pipeline.Role and ResponsibilitiesRole:Investment Due Diligence Associate (associate/analyst level).Direct Report:Investment Manager – SME Lending Unit.Candidates Required: 2Key Deliverables

• Opportunity Screening
• Prepare screening papers summarizing country, sector, and competitive context.
• Conduct initial borrower KYC (constitutive documents, IDs, licenses).
• Perform preliminary financial analysis to inform early committee discussions.
• Borrower Engagement & Information Management
• Manage borrower data rooms and track progress against due diligence (DD) checklists.
• Follow up with applicants to secure complete information packages.
• Provide clear feedback on gaps, inconsistencies, or clarifications needed.
• Analytical & Field Due Diligence
• Review historical financial statements and calculate key ratios.
• Assess borrower projections, test sensitivities, and evaluate assumptions.
• Join investment officers on site visits to validate operational and financial assumptions.
• Document findings from management interviews, inspections, and market visits.
• Incorporate cross-functional inputs (ESG, impact, legal, risk).
• Proposal Development & Committee Preparation
• Draft commercial and financial sections of credit proposals, including risk/mitigant narratives.
• Build out screening papers into full credit proposals aligned with internal templates.
• Take primary drafting responsibility post-DD to free investment officers for other deals.
• Additional Deliverables & Institutional Support
• Provide flexible support for sector deep-dives (e.g., clean cooking) or new screenings as pipeline priorities shift.
• Support handover of approved transactions to the portfolio management team.
• Contribute templates, tools, or analyses that strengthen the SME Unit’s capacity beyond the assignment

RequirementsExperience Required:

• 5 years’ experience in investment analysis, transaction advisory, or financial due diligence.
• Prior exposure to DFIs, private equity, Big Four transaction advisory, or impact investment preferred.
• Demonstrated DD experience in energy access, clean cooking, C&I solar, or adjacent infrastructure strongly valued

Technical Requirements

• Strong financial modelling and ratio analysis skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Familiarity with credit risk assessment and borrower due diligence.
• Understanding of African financial and energy markets.
• CFA designation (in progress or completed) preferred

Other Skills

• Proactive self-starter with the ability to independently drive work while collaborating across teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with capacity to produce high-quality reports.
• Effective stakeholder management with both internal colleagues and external borrowers.
• Adaptable to fast-moving and dynamic transaction environments.
• Detail-oriented and deadline-driven, with strong organizational follow-through

Working ArrangementLocation:Preferred in Harare; remote acceptable with required travel for on-site due diligence.Language:EnglishTravel:Capacity for frequent travel across East and Southern AfricaTerms Of AgreementStart Date: ASAPContracting Period:October–December 2025 (with potential extension based on pipeline).

Information :

• Company : Allied Talent Partners
• Position : Investment Due Diligence Associate
• Location : EMEA (Remote)
• Country : NG