Job description

About Deal Flow Facility

The Deal Flow Facility, a first of its kind in-country, being incubated at FSD Uganda, is being set up with the support of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Uganda and the European Union. This match-making facility between investors and potential investees has the ambitious target of facilitating at least 40 investments in five years. 

The key role of the DFF is making medium-to-large enterprises ‘investment worthy’ and attractive to potential investors. The Facility is sector-agnostic and is looking to solve a critical constraint in the market – The Lack of Long-Term Finance, impeding the growth of enterprises, consequently resulting in slower job growth and economic development. 

On the demand side, enterprises in Uganda, much like those on the African continent, are bridging their long-term capital needs with short tenor bank financing – financing that is expensive and does not match the growth trajectory of these businesses. 

Similarly, on the supply side, investors report a shortage of high-quality investment opportunities as a challenge. Most enterprises seeking investments are not investment-ready and often need internal reorganization before engaging outside investors. This makes them unattractive to both domestic and foreign investors – resulting in a small deal flow pipeline for the private and public capital markets.

Expectation of the DFF

The primary objective of the DFF is to match-make investors to high-quality investment-ready enterprises. It is expected to achieve this by stitching together a fragmented investment ecosystem of various actors, including tax advisors, investment bankers, legal advisors, auditors, accounting firms, and more – all necessary to enable successful investments. The Facility that will run multiple cohorts for enterprises each year, will build the tools and capacity building curriculum that will make participating enterprises stronger and put them on a fast-track to seeking investments when ready. Currently, the Facility is designed to be a catalyst and not make investments itself. 

The following are the expected outcomes of the DFF:

1. Creating an investment-worthy deal-flow pipeline.
2. Providing capacity building/advisory support that will assist potentially high-growth companies to boost their growth and make them attractive to investors.
3. Match-Making investors to investees strengthening the market ecosystem.
4. Based on challenges witnessed, inform and educate various actors in the ecosystem, beginning with the regulators to industry associations and the Ministry of Finance so that systemic constraints and misalignment of incentives are known and addressed through reforms. 
5. Strengthening a fragmented ecosystem by forming alliances with organizations and networks that are able and willing to contribute to Uganda’s investment climate and the growth of capital markets. 

About the role

The Portfolio Relationship Manager will be tasked with engagement with businesses for whom the interventions in the Facility are designed. The role holder needs to have a demonstrable track record of sourcing and building a pipeline of businesses. He/She will come with extensive networks and relationships inside and outside Uganda that will enable her / him to quickly build a strong pipeline of businesses and engaged investors. The PRM will ultimately balance the concerns and needs of the business with the offering of the Facility. 

The PRM will report to the Director – DFF. They will support the Director in developing and driving the strategy for engagement with DFF’s network, including investors, enterprises, fund managers, regulators, DFIs and the financial industry

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategy Development and Execution:

• Along with the Director DFF build a strong value proposition for enterprises and investors that distinguishes and attracts them to the DFF. 
• Establish exceptional relationships with enterprises that enter the DFF and alumni after they graduate. 
• Ensure a pipeline of strong enterprises for each training cohort at the DFF.
• Build a network of investors, investees, mentors, and trainers.

Program Management and Delivery:

• Conduct diagnostic assessments/evaluations to identify relevant enterprises that will be admitted into the capacity building program.
• Source, recruit and manage contractors, ecosystem support partners that will be required in delivering various program activities of the facility with the ultimate aim of providing genuine value to the enterprises that are part of the facility. 
• Manage expectations of and hold participants, investors and mentors to a high standard of quality and methodology of work outputs.
• Coordinate with the different partners in the implementation of the diverse program interventions.
• Effective closure of program interventions/cohorts.

Client Experience and Communication:

• Develop a stakeholder engagement and management process that is client centric (whether enterprise or investor) before, during and after their engagement with the facility.
• Develop and maintain a contact database and a communication plan that targets key stakeholder groups.
• Broaden awareness as well as increase visibility across key audiences through media relations, public engagement, and marketing initiatives.

Knowledge Management and Thought Leadership:

• Coordinate and participate in program engagements such as workshops, roundtable discussions.
• Write and publish blogs, research papers, policy briefs and other publications relevant to the DFF.

Does this sound like you?

The facility is looking for a candidate who has demonstrable experience that she/he can bring to bear immediately to the program. This could be either through incubators, innovation facilities, or as part of an investment outfits or trade association or other experiences. 

• Minimum of 7 years of experience working within the SME investment ecosystem preferably within accelerator/incubation hub set-ups.
• Demonstrable experience in building relationships and managing a diverse range of stakeholders. 
• Ability to deliver and communicate complex issues clearly and succinctly, and in a compelling manner.
• A background in private equity, venture capital, investment banking, capital markets or building similar facilities like the Deal Flow Facility would be of advantage.
• Master’s degree would be an advantage. 
• Self -motivated, confident, energetic, team player and creative

Nice to have:

• Demonstrable experience in marketing and communication with the ability to develop and implement a strategic social media/marketing/communications plan.

Persons of all gender, race, sex, orientation, age, and identity are encouraged to apply.