Senior Financial Advisory

Purpose of the Job:

• Lead and be responsible for the valuation and risk analysis of new projects (including review of financial models) and for the preparation of financing plans, selection of funding sources / banks (in coordination with the Head of AIFA India), structuring, and execution of acquisitions and project financings.
• Supervise and approve non-project related AIFA activities (e.g., annual impairment tests, lookbacks, etc.).
• Manage, supervise, train, and coach junior members of the team.
• Flexibility required to support other sub-regions/countries within the AMEA region.

Key Accountabilities:

• Monitor and assess liquidity, terms, and trends of project finance debt markets (including international and local banks, export credit and multilateral agencies, other funding institutions).
• Monitor and assess competitors approaches to financing/funding projects.
• Monitor developments in debt capital markets.
• Ensure compliance with investment guidelines and methodology.

Objectives:

• Lead the valuation of development projects.
• Analyze financial (or financing related) risks and their impact on accounting.
• Lead the structuring and execution of financing plans for new projects.
• Review and approve financing, accounting, and tax-related inputs in financial models.
• Propose appropriate financing plans and be responsible for selecting financing plans as delegated by the Head of AIFA AMEA.
• Assist the business development decision-making process, including developing market forecasts with consultants.
• Propose and implement sensitivity analysis for investment files.
• Advise on risk allocation, bankability, tax structuring, and optimization.
• Identify project economic and financial risks and advise on appropriate mitigation and contingency strategies.
• Manage Financial Advisors and Junior Financial Advisors on an assignment basis.
• Train, develop, and support junior team members.

KPIs:

• Prepare financing plans and deliver financing commitments within the agreed timeframe (e.g., bid deadlines).
• Cooperation with Finance function in the preparation of medium-term plans (PAMT) and budgets.

Planning:

• Coordinate and manage junior members of the team for PAMT/other planning activities.
• Lead negotiations with lenders/financial institutions or delegate as necessary.
• Propose alternative financing plans and assess the impact on project economics and execution risks.

Implementation:

• Propose resource allocation for projects/assignments.
• Responsible for preparing requests for proposals for banks/advisors.
• Lead or co-lead negotiations with lenders/financial institutions.

Monitoring & Reporting:

• Monitor the performance of junior members of the team and report to the Head of AIFA India.
• Report any material developments in banking/financing markets and any unexpected project-specific developments.

Audit & Control:

• Support any group or external audits.

Qualifications:

• MBA Finance / Economics / CA-based degree or a professional qualification such as CFA, CIMA, ACA, ACCA (or equivalent).

Experience:

• 8-12 years of relevant experience, including at least 4 years in AIFA/M&A or project finance.
• Experience leading valuation efforts for acquisition deals and financing efforts for bids (including leading projects/transactions to financial close).
• Proven experience in managing processes and people within a project team environment.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong capabilities to structure and lead financing aspects of acquisitions or project financings.
• Strong negotiating, analytical, and financial modeling skills.
• Commercial acumen and good understanding of accounting and tax structures.
• Planning ability and capacity to deliver on plans.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to multitask and work effectively under pressure.
• Presence and interpersonal credibility to represent the company with key financial stakeholders, banks, financial institutions, government agencies, and partners.

Business Understanding:

• Strong understanding of the power business, merchant market dynamics, and power forecasts, including long-term key drivers.
• Sound understanding of banking and funding processes/issues.
• Knowledge of the competitive environment in emerging countries.
• Direct knowledge of the business environment in India would be a plus.

Language:

• Fluent English (mandatory).
• Standard Hindi (and/or other language(s) widely spoken in India) would be a plus.
• French or Dutch is valuable.

Location/Travel:

• Primary Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India.
• Some travel within India and to Dubai may be required.