Head: Pre-Investment
Listing reference: nef_000130
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 19 August 2025
Position summary
Industry: Financial Services
Job category: Asset and Fund Management
Location: Sandton
Contract: Fixed Term Contract
Remuneration: Market Related
EE position: Yes
Introduction
The NEF is seeking an experienced investment professional with strong leadership and mentoring abilities to lead the Pre-Investment Unit team (12-months Fixed-Term Contract period). The incumbent will be responsible for overseeing the initial assessment of all funding applications and ensure alignment with the NEF’s strategic objectives. This includes managing the screening of applications against eligibility criteria, evaluating their commercial viability, and guiding the preparation and packaging of qualifying proposals for submission to the relevant funds for due diligence. The successful candidate will lead a high-performing team, driving efficiency, quality and fair decision-making in handling large transaction volumes within reasonable turnaround times. Thus, strong leadership, mentoring skills and a deep understanding of investment processes are essential.
Job description
1. Application Screening and Assessment
- Oversee the systematic screening of all incoming funding applications against NEF’s eligibility criteria, funding mandate, and strategic priorities.
- Ensure robust commercial viability assessments, including market analysis, competitive positioning, and operational feasibility.
- Approve recommendations for progressing applications to due diligence or declining them with clear, documented reasons.
2. Deal Structuring and Pre-Packaging
- Guide the preparation of investment proposals, financial models, and transaction structures for SMEs and MSMEs.
- Demonstrated ability to structure deals using various funding instruments (debt, equity, quasi-equity, blended finance) and match them to the specific needs of SMEs.
- Conduct credit analysis of financial statements to design funding that enhances the client’s financial position and operational performance.
- Maintain completeness and quality of investment packages to facilitate efficient due diligence.
3. Leadership and Team Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Pre-Investment team to achieve productivity and quality targets.
- Implement effective work allocation and workflow systems to ensure turnaround times are met.
- Foster a culture of accountability, performance, and client service.
4. Stakeholder and Client Engagement
- Engage with applicants to clarify requirements, provide feedback, and manage expectations.
- Liaise with investment teams for smooth handover of qualified applications.
- Represent the NEF at industry forums and stakeholder engagements to promote understanding of funding requirements.
5. Operational Excellence
- Monitor and report on pipeline performance, bottlenecks, and KPIs.
- Ensure compliance with governance, legislative, and internal policy requirements.
- Continuously improve processes to increase throughput without compromising quality.
Minimum requirements
Qualification Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Entrepreneurship, Economics or a related field
- Postgraduate business qualification (Masters, MBA etc.) is strongly preferred
Experience / Skills Required
- Minimum of 8–10 years’ experience in deal-making, transaction packaging, investment proposal writing, and financial modelling across multiple sectors, with a focus on SMEs.
- Proven track record in assessing investment opportunities, conducting financial viability analysis, and preparing bankable proposals.
- At least 5 years’ management experience leading investment teams and driving performance.
- Strong understanding of development finance, corporate finance, and the South African SME landscape.
- Demonstrated ability to structure deals using different funding instruments (debt, equity, quasi-equity, blended finance) aligned with SME needs.
- Proven ability in credit analysis of financial statements to design funding solutions that strengthen client financial performance.
- Technical expertise in SME funding, including cash flow forecasting, break-even analysis, working capital management, profitability modelling, and scenario analysis.
- Ability to handle high transaction volumes while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.
- Excellent leadership, mentoring, and coaching skills.
- Strong communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Knowledge of industry trends, funding mechanisms, and market dynamics.
- Proficiency in financial modelling, valuation, and investment appraisal tools.
Personal Attributes/Behaviours/Attitudes
- Strong commercial and financial acumen.
- Resilient and results-driven.
- Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities.
- Strong ethical standards and governance orientation.
- Client-focused, balancing developmental impact with commercial sustainability.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate challenges and develop effective solutions.
- Able to align departmental outputs with NEF’s strategic goals, KPIs, and overall mandate.