Investment Specialist for Asia Pacific, IPSA11 (Homebased)

The Investment Specialist will contribute to the development, structuring, approval, and execution of investment transactions, focusing on blended finance solutions to support sustainable development goals in Asia Pacific. The role involves strategic research, market analysis, project design, execution of investment transactions, technical assistance, capacity building, and project management of investment-linked initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead systematic market scoping to inform investment strategies and identify opportunities to support underserved beneficiaries through appropriately designed financial instruments and technical assistance.
• Advise on structuring blended finance solutions tailored to specific market and project needs and identify investment opportunities across priority sectors.
• Map the financing landscape in target countries, identifying key capital providers and financial intermediaries.
• Analyze prevailing financial terms, instruments, and market conditions to inform structuring decisions.
• Identify regulatory and policy barriers affecting investment flows and propose mitigation strategies.
• Monitor trends in blended finance, climate finance, and impact investing relevant to UNCDF’s mandate.
• Draft investment strategy documents, operational guidelines and structural frameworks for investment vehicles or funds.
• Provide input on fund governance, operational models, and overall design to ensure alignment with UNCDF’s strategic objectives.
• Support the design of blended finance solutions tailored to market conditions and specific project needs.
• Design derisking and blended finance approaches that crowd in private capital while ensuring development additionality.
• Propose innovative structures and support facilities/platforms/pooled mechanisms to address market fragmentation.
• Recommend appropriate de-risking instruments to catalyze private sector investment.
• Offer technical guidance on investment readiness for project developers and enterprises.
• Identify and engage with potential co-investors, development finance institutions, and private sector partners.
• Contribute to the development of country-specific investment roadmaps, pipelines, and strategic partnerships.
• Contribute to knowledge products, case studies, and analytical briefs related to investment and blended finance.
• Support strategic planning, reporting, and donor engagement related to UNCDF’s investment portfolio.
• Represent UNCDF in investment related meetings, working groups, and partner discussions at the country level, as delegated.
• Identify and screen investment opportunities aligned with UNCDF’s strategic priorities, supplementary guidelines and SDG targets.
• Conduct comprehensive due diligence (desk-based and on-site) on selected transactions.
• Analyze financial statements including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flows.
• Build and refine financial models to assess investment viability and risk-return profiles.
• Score credit risk and assess the financial health of prospective investees.
• Draft investment appraisal memorandums and internal documentation for approval processes.
• Coordinate with UNCDF’s Investment and Finance Oversight Division to ensure compliance with internal investment policies and supplementary guidelines.
• Support transaction structuring using UNCDF’s financial instruments (e.g., concessional loans, guarantees, capitalization grants and performance-based payments).
• Present investment opportunities to UNCDF’s Investment and Disbursement Impact Committee (IDIC).
• Track and document progress of transactions through the investment cycle including performance monitoring and learning; identify early risks and mitigation; collect and analyse financial and development data.
• Provide ongoing technical assistance for the financial instruments deployed.
• Design and implement capacity-building initiatives tailored to enhance operational capacities and financial management of the investees to strengthen local deal origination.
• Assist investees in developing viable business plans and financial strategies.
• Advise government counterparts and partners on investment related constraints, as appropriate, and contribute to dialogue on enabling environments for private investment.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building by sharing best practices and lessons learned with local financial institutions and stakeholders.
• Lead preparation and implementation of annual work plans (AWPs), budgets, and activity schedules.
• Coordinate day-to-day project operations, partner engagement, and delivery of technical assistance that supports investment readiness or transaction preparation.
• Prepare high-quality donor reports (narrative and financial) and ensure compliance with UNCDF and donor requirements.
• Oversee M&E processes, ensuring indicators capture both programme and investment results (e.g., pipeline progress, capital mobilisation, enterprise capacity).
• Maintain project documentation, track financial delivery, and support steering committee meetings.
• Lead project close-out, including final reporting and documentation of lessons learned.
• Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Requirements

• An Advanced (Master’s level) university degree in development, business administration, finance, marketing, economics, accounting or related fields is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 7 years (with a Masters’ Degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s Degree) of relevant work experience in either the financial sector and/or the private sector, preferably with investment and/or business management expertise, is required.
• A minimum of 5 years investment experience in at least one, but preferably several, of the following areas: Agricultural SMEs, Clean energy SMEs, SMEs promoting digitalization in the context of financial inclusion (FINTECH), Project finance, Micro Finance Institutions, Guarantee instruments within the space of development finance is required.
• Experience working in venture capital and/or banking within an international financial environment, preferably in development finance institution, impact investor or similar is required.
• Experience in project preparation and/or in development of investment opportunities, especially for investment projects with social and environmental objectives in developing countries is required.
• Competency with financial modeling and analysis in Microsoft excel is required.
• Computer literacy, including proficient use of research and applied software is required.
• Experience in private credit and/or equity for investments with a development impact in emerging/frontier markets, is highly preferable.
• Understanding investment needs of enterprises and the mix of debt/equity required at different growth stages—from incubation to scaling up to commercial viability is an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of financial markets and financing for sustainable development, with ability to apply it to strategic and/or practical situations is desirable.
• Strong analytical writing skills; experienced in producing concise, executive level reports (PowerPoint) and presentations, training modules and materials is an advantage.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in working for/in the UN System or similar international development finance institution is desirable.
• Experience working in or with the Asia-Pacific region, or being based in a compatible time zone, is considered an advantage
• Written and spoken fluency in English is required.

Skills

• Investment Management
• Financial Modeling
• Project Financing
• Microfinance Lending
• Venture Capital
• Development Finance
• Financial Analysis
• Private Equity
• Credit Analysis
• Agricultural SME Investment
• Clean Energy Investments
• Digital Financial Inclusion
• Financial Markets Knowledge
• Investment Proposal Preparation
• Strategic Research
• Market Analysis
• Capacity Building
• Project Management
• MS Excel
• Power Point

Languages

English