Investment Officer – Africa Climate Innovation Fund (ACIF)

Mastercard Foundation is seeking a seasoned Investment Officer to join the Africa Climate Innovation Fund (ACIF) team. This is a high-impact role at the intersection of finance and development, offering professionals the rare opportunity to make, manage, and exit direct investments in African champion companies while contributing to the Foundation's broader mission of enabling dignified and fulfilling work for young people across Africa.

The Investment Officer will be central to executing ACIF's investment strategy — spanning direct equity and credit investments in African businesses, as well as intermediated investments through private equity and private credit funds. The role demands deep financial acumen, strong analytical capability, and a genuine commitment to impact investing on the continent.

• Evaluate and execute direct investments in African firms aligned with ACIF and the Mastercard Foundation's strategic objectives.
• Analyse investment opportunities by developing and stress-testing assumptions, building financial models, assessing historical performance, and drafting comprehensive investment memoranda.
• Develop valuations, investment structures, and key transaction terms in collaboration with the ACIF team.
• Lead deep-dive analysis to refine investment cases and defend assumptions, forecasts, and investment theses before the broader ACIF team and Investment Committee.
• Coordinate with financial, legal, tax, and impact advisors to design and manage end-to-end due diligence processes.
• Support transaction execution including legal documentation, transaction structuring, conditions precedent oversight, and deal closing.
• Partner with portfolio company management teams to align on financial and impact forecasts and support sustainable operational growth.
• Assist portfolio companies in delivering on expansion objectives including M&A, product growth, and market development strategies.
• Evaluate and execute intermediated investments in Africa-focused private equity and private credit funds.
• Conduct due diligence on fund managers, assess fund proposals, and benchmark against impact thesis, returns, and budget analyses.
• Draft internal investment memoranda and support legal negotiations and documentation of fund commitments.
• Conduct sector thematic research to develop internal expertise and originate investment opportunities aligned with ACIF's investment themes.
• Disseminate research insights internally to support Foundation-wide objectives.
• Lead periodic internal reporting and annual portfolio reviews for direct and fund investments, contributing to portfolio-wide performance reporting.

• Must be able to independently build and interrogate complex financial models across multiple sectors and investment types (equity, debt, blended finance).
• Must demonstrate ability to originate, structure, and close private market transactions in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Must be capable of presenting and defending investment theses to senior investment committees with confidence and rigour.
• Must be able to manage multi-party due diligence processes involving legal, tax, financial, and ESG workstreams.
• Must demonstrate experience working with or investing in African private equity, venture capital, or private credit markets.
• Must have the ability to engage and support portfolio company management teams on strategic and operational growth challenges.
• Must be proficient in conducting sector and thematic research to generate investment leads and market insights.
• Must hold a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, or a related discipline from a recognised institution; a Master's degree or CFA designation is strongly preferred.
• Must have a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, with at least 5 years in private markets investing, investment banking, or structured finance.

Mastercard Foundation offers a competitive compensation package benchmarked to international NGO and development finance standards. While the specific salary for this role has not been publicly disclosed, Investment Officers at this seniority level within major foundations and DFIs in Kenya typically earn between KES 350,000 and KES 600,000 per month, inclusive of allowances. Additional benefits reflect the Foundation's commitment to employee wellbeing and mission-driven work.

Ideal candidate: A driven finance professional with deep roots in African private markets who is passionate about leveraging investment capital to create dignified employment and drive climate innovation across the continent. You are equally comfortable in a spreadsheet and a boardroom, and you bring both technical rigour and strong relationship skills to every engagement.

Do NOT apply if: You have fewer than 5 years of direct private markets experience, have no prior exposure to African investment markets, or are looking for a purely advisory or public markets role. This position requires hands-on transaction execution and portfolio management experience.

• Visit the Mastercard Foundation careers portal at mastercardfdn.org/careers.
• Search for the Investment Officer – ACIF position and click Apply Now.
• Submit your updated CV and a cover letter clearly articulating your private markets experience and your motivation for joining ACIF.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial screening interview followed by a technical assessment and panel interviews.
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Mastercard Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.