About Us

Karandaaz Pakistan is a not-for-profit organization, based out of Islamabad, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under Section 42 of the Companies Act 2017. The entity has been seeded by the Enterprise and Asset Growth Programme of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and our digital finance initiatives are being funded by the Gates Foundation.

Karandaaz is guided by the vision of Investing for Shared Prosperity, and driven by the mission to enhance the capabilities of the financial and digital ecosystem through investments, innovations, and strategic partnerships for inclusive, green, and sustainable growth.

Karandaaz Capital provides wholesale structured credit and equity-linked direct growth capital investments in micro, small and mid-size enterprises that have the potential to contribute to sustainable growth and employment generation in Pakistan.

Karandaaz is a pioneer in green projects and is looking at interventions in the Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency (RE/EE) space in which it does both credit and equity transactions. The longer-term view is to set up a Green Fund that will bring in international and local investors.

Position Summary 

The Principal Green will be responsible for and will have expertise in solar/renewable energy project financing.  The incumbent will interact with key stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, banks, small and medium enterprises, and renewable energy solution providers, and should have the ability to originate structure and finance investments while keeping in mind the development impact.

Job Responsibilities

Green Financing Portfolio Creation & Management

• Develop a strategy for the Green Financing function and create a detailed work plan to be executed over the fiscal year
• Lead detailed industry analyses (market size and growth, industry structure and value chain, competitive landscape etc.) for key target industries.
• Review and oversee the tracking of government incentives in adoption of RE/EE technology in Pakistan and build financing products around those schemes in partnership with financial institutions
• Structure equity and credit products to invest long-term Green capital with the potential for profitable growth and sustainable job creation
• Assess the impact and additionality that will be created through Green Capital
• Conduct Energy Audits either directly or through consultants to determine eligibility and viability of replacing existing equipment with energy-efficient

Project Proposal and Documentation

• Prepare structure equity, quasi equity, credit, and/or investments to invest long-term Green capital with potential for profitable growth and sustainable job creation
• Prepare project proposals and essential documents, presentations, and research reports necessary to make an investment decision.
• Review and participate in investment negotiations and finalization of transaction documentation
• Establish and maintain quality client relationships to ensure responsive client service and to enhance new business opportunities
• Liaison effectively with other teams (i.e., Risk, Finance, Procurement, Monitoring and Evaluation, and banking partners) to ensure the most efficient credit service for debt portfolio companies.
• Prepare high-quality submissions for the Investment Committee including memoranda

Portfolio Monitoring

• Monitor, track, and manage the performance of portfolio companies including performance vis-a-vis business plan and KPIs, and maintain liaison with internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Finance and Monitoring & Evaluation to track, monitor, and evaluate the portfolio performance and financial situation of the clients, including analysis and trends in the industry, and external and internal early warning signals.
• Take adequate actions to mitigate identified risks and generate impact assessment reports
• Prepare documentation for Karandaaz’s internal processes including creating and maintaining annual work plans and support in internal and external audits
• Engage external consultants, track performance progress and ensure final reports are delivered in a timely manner and cover the scope of engagement.
• Any other task necessary to ensure the optimum performance of the CIC department.

Team Leadership

• Responsible for leading a team of Associates and Analysts and ensuring their professional development through coaching, mentoring, shadowing, and empowerment.
• Assist the CIO in managing and leading transaction teams across all sub-functions of CIC.

Eligibility

Education & Experience

• Preferably a Masters level degree in Finance, Business, Economics, Accounting, or a related discipline from a reputable institution. A certificate or degree in alternate energy will get an additional advantage.
• Specialization in Finance preferred including CFA, CA and ACCA.
• At least 8-10 years of work experience in structured finance and commercial banking
• Preference will be given to candidates having experience with:
  • solar/renewable project financing;
  • energy audit of equipment either directly or through consultants;
  • working with an energy generation equipment supplier;
  • funding of alternate energy projects at a bank or a private equity fund.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of a not-for-profit organization
• Expertise in green project financing, in particular, solar and renewable energy.
• Exceptional knowledge of business finance and financial analysis
• Excellent knowledge of impact investing principles and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Expert-level skill in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Suite
• Strong command over oral and written English and Urdu
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong networking and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated teamwork skills
• Sound business judgment to identify issues and present creative and practical solutions
• Ability to manage and complete multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines under pressure

Culture and Values at Karandaaz

Karandaaz Culture is guided by our values of Integrity, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Appreciation, and Learning Acumen  (IDEAL). These values shape our choices on what we do and how we do it, both with colleagues internally and partners externally. We also believe that we are all responsible for creating a great place to work and are constantly looking to hire individuals who bring the same level of passion and commitment to the purpose of the organization.

If you believe in Karandaaz vision and values and feel excited about the work we are offering, please send us your application for this position.

Karandaaz is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications by all population groups.

Note: We will conduct interviews for this position on a rolling basis as applications are received. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.