Investment Associate – P4F (Kenya)
Location: KenyaContract: 12 month FTC ( very likely to extend to a more Permanent contract)Platform Lead: Nature & Food
About the Role: Investment Associate, P4F (East Africa)
The Investment Associate will be embedded in the East Africa regional team and will report to the Africa Investment Manager. You will play a critical role in identifying, shaping, and supporting high-impact forest-friendly grant and technical assistance investments within the Partnerships for Forests (P4F) programme, which runs until January 2030.
This role demands a combination of strategic insight, investment analysis, financial modelling, stakeholder
Key Responsibilities
Pipeline Development & Opportunity Analysis
Shape a strategic and balanced regional project pipeline together with the Regional Manager.
Assess new opportunities through robust investment analysis in line with programme criteria.
Develop financial/technical factsheets and insights on value chains and pipeline opportunities.
Investment Analysis & Proposal Development
Lead development of investor-ready business plans, including financial modelling and commercial strategy.
Support other Project Officers in designing documents for committee approval.
Advise on partnership structuring, roles, risks, and expected impact outcomes.
Project Implementation Support
Lead development of projects in line with Project Officer responsibilities.
Deliver ongoing problem-solving support to approved projects as they progress toward scale and investment readiness.
Contribute to regional strategic planning and reporting.
Manage and develop the East Africa investment network, in collaboration with the Africa Investment Manager.
Manage TA resources and grant implementation linked to commercial strategy and investment mobilisation.
Stakeholder Engagement
Work with a broad range of partners including private-sector actors, governments, civil society, and donors.
Coordinate closely with Systemiq’s partners, including Palladium (Feker Tadese will take part in partner interviews).
Mindset, Skills & Experience We Are Looking For
Essential
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, including financial modelling.
Prior management consulting experience.
Experience developing business cases, commercial strategies, and financial models.
Excellent verbal and written communication in English.
Experience delivering high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders across sectors (private, government, civil society).
Knowledge of sustainability, markets, and supply chains.
Strong personal qualities: integrity, results orientation, inclusiveness, and resilience.
Comfortable with regional travel.
Master’s degree in economics, engineering, sciences or similar.
Desirable
2+ years’ advisory/consulting/project experience in international or high-calibre environments.
Experience with DFID/FCDO-funded programmes.
Grant management experience in development contexts.
Experience in agricultural or forest commodities (e.g., cocoa, coffee, palm oil, timber, soy).
French or East African languages.
Candidate Profile
You are mission-driven and passionate about sustainability, combining analytical strength with relationship-building capability. You thrive in entrepreneurial settings and are excited by the opportunity to contribute to meaningful system change in East Africa’s landscapes and markets.
Additional Information
Applications from candidates legally eligible to work in Kenya will be considered.
Visa sponsorship/relocation costs will not be provided
