Blended Finance and Investment Manager

Workplace Circumstances

• Environment: Office
• Languages: English, Khmer
• Location: Phnom Penh

Position Summary

 Location: National Office, Phnom Penh

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Lead WVI-C's WASH blended-finance strategy by building a viable pipeline of financeable investments that expand and sustain safe, affordable and reliable water services for underserved rural and peri-urban communities. Identify, assess and negotiate financing opportunities and partnerships, while strengthening water operators' investment readiness and sustainability through financing and targeted technical assistance.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and periodic refinement of WVI-Cambodia's rural water blended-finance strategy, translating it into annual plans, budgets, milestones and financing targets.
• Maintain alignment with WVI WASH plans, operator professionalization priorities and government sector directions; identify, screen and prioritize opportunities with WVI-C teams and sector stakeholders.
• Build partnerships with financial service providers and VFI/Blue Thread Global Water Fund, and ensure financing arrangements are policy-aligned, legally permissible, institutionally supported and supported by affordability safeguards and targeted institutional strengthening.
• Identify, assess, design and guide blended-financing and VGF opportunities for new/improved water access in WVI-prioritized villages and households.
• Assess and negotiate financing terms with existing water operators for network expansion, co-investment and sustainable service delivery.
• Leverage partnerships including CAPRED, Aqua Bridge, UNICEF and SFF to co-design and implement financing strategies.
• Recommend appropriate combinations of debt, grants, guarantees, VGF, results-based financing, technical assistance and contributions.
• Develop and negotiate financing proposals, partnership arrangements and transaction documentation with WVI-C, WVUS and relevant functions.
• Lead or supervise financial and business-performance analysis of prioritized WMCs, ACs and PWOs.
• Identify revenue-generation and cost-saving measures that can be supported through repayable financing.
• Develop cash-flow projections, DSCR analysis, downside scenarios, borrowing capacity and tariff/affordability scenarios.
• Support operators to strengthen business plans, investment plans, financial projections and financing applications to become investment-/credit-ready.
• Develop partnerships with banks, MFIs, DFIs and guarantee providers and coordinate targeted technical assistance for operator capacity.
• Establish and maintain a blended-finance performance dashboard covering financial and service-delivery results.
• Monitor transaction implementation and identify financial, operational, technical and partnership risks requiring corrective action.
• Capture lessons from initial transactions and use them to refine subsequent financing structures.
• Contribute to WVI-C, WVUS and global learning on WASH financing through evidence, tools and lessons.
• Set clear performance expectations and provide technical guidance, mentoring and coordination to staff and consultants supporting blended-finance activities.
• Maintain effective working relationships across WVI-C, water operators, government, financial institutions, development partners and investors.

Languages

• Khmer - Good
• English - Good

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Finance, economics, business administration, development finance, water supply engineering, public policy or related discipline.

General & Technical Skills

• 8-12 years of progressively responsible experience in microfinance, blended finance, investment/infrastructure finance, commercial/development finance and/or SME lending, including product development, business analysis and financial projections.
• Professional qualifications/certifications in finance, investment, project finance, financial modelling or related fields are an advantage.
• Knowledge of loan product design; financial modelling and cash-flow analysis; commercial/infrastructure finance; blended-finance structuring; guarantees and concessional instruments; project/investment appraisal; water utility/rural water economics; government engagement; private-sector development; institutional strengthening; and multidisciplinary team management.
• Knowledge of Cambodia's rural water sector, WMCs, PWOs, MRD, MISTI and local financial markets is a substantial advantage.
• Experience working with financial institutions, investors, development-finance partners, guarantee providers or other capital providers to develop and/or execute financing solutions.
• Experience developing business cases, investment proposals, financing applications and/or negotiating commercial or financing arrangements.
• Approximately 25% of domestic travel required; occasional international travel.
• Proficiency both Khmer and English