Background

The Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project is a landmark Public-Private Partnership in the energy sector of Malawi, currently being developed by EDF, TotalEnergies / SN Power, the Government of Malawi, and the World Bank Group. With an estimated project cost of approximately USD 1.5 billion, Mpatamanga stands as one of the largest PPPs under development in Africa. It is set to revolutionize Malawi's energy landscape, doubling the country's installed generation capacity, driving significant economic growth, and positioning Malawi as a regional exporter of electricity.

MANDATE

The Project Finance Director will report directly to the Managing Director and take a leadership role in managing all project finance aspects for the Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project. This critical position focuses on overseeing lenders and shareholders relations, ensuring compliance with financing agreements, managing disbursements, maintaining effective stakeholder engagement, and delivering robust financial reporting to shareholders, lenders and the World Bank.

The Project Finance Director will play a key role in the successful execution of financial close and the long-term financial sustainability of the project during the construction and operational phases. In addition to managing project finance, the Project Finance Director will collaborate closely with the Corporate Finance team, ensuring effective alignment of project budgets with the company’s broader financial goals.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

a) Strategic Project Finance Management

• Lead and manage interactions with lenders, the World Bank, and shareholders to ensure compliance with all financing agreements and covenants.
• Drive the financial strategy of the project, ensuring timely funding flows and alignment with the project’s critical path and milestones.
• Collaborate with the Corporate Finance team to align project finance operations, reports, and budgets with overall company-level objectives.

b) Disbursement Oversight

• Oversee the disbursement process with lenders, shareholders and World Bank, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant fund flows in line with financing agreements and prerequisites (incl managing advisor reports as required).
• Prepare and submit disbursement requests in coordination with sponsors, ensuring all requirements and documentation are fulfilled.
• Monitor fund utilization and reconcile disbursements to maintain transparency and compliance with audit standards.

c) Financial Reporting

• Provide strategic financial reporting to shareholders, lenders, and World bank, ensuring accurate and transparent communication of the project’s financial performance.
• Coordinate with the Corporate Finance team to integrate project-level budgets and forecasts into the company’s broader financial reporting framework.

d) Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the lead financial representative for the project, fostering strong relationships with shareholders’ finance teams, Lenders, and World Bank.
• Represent the project in financial and lender meetings, including negotiations and disbursement discussions.
• Ensure proactive communication and alignment across all financial stakeholders, addressing concerns and advancing solutions as needed.

e) Documentation and Financial Close

• Play a key leadership role in achieving financial close, working closely with sponsors, lenders, and advisors to finalize financing agreements and CPs satisfaction.
• Liaise with the Project Finance Structuring Team (which will be primarily responsible for the structuring of the financing up to Financial Close) with a view to ensuring that the proposed Financing agreement and documentation requirements are adequate and manageable for the project post-closing.

f) Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and mentor the project finance monitoring team, ensuring high-performance delivery of Project Finance related financial management, compliance, and reporting.
• Foster collaboration across departments and create a culture of accountability to ensure alignment with project milestones and financial goals.

g) Risk Management

• Identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks, including those. Implement robust financial controls and risk mitigation strategies.

CRITICAL INTERFACES

All MHPL Project Teams, Shareholders, Lenders, World Bank, Lenders Advisors and Creditor Agent.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; CFA or CPA certification is highly desirable.
• At least 7-10 years of experience in project finance, with a focus on disbursements and lender relations.
• Strong knowledge of PPPs, DFI’s, and World Bank financing structures.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in English is required.

Required Skills

• Leadership skills
• Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills
• Hard-working, proactive, and self-motivated
• Personal and professional integrity and commitment to ethical business practices
• Ability to work under pressure and be solution oriented
• Excellent communication
• High intercultural competence

• Lead and manage interactions with lenders, the World Bank, and shareholders to ensure compliance with all financing agreements and covenants.
• Drive the financial strategy of the project, ensuring timely funding flows and alignment with the project’s critical path and milestones.
• Collaborate with the Corporate Finance team to align project finance operations, reports, and budgets with overall company-level objectives.
• Oversee the disbursement process with lenders, shareholders and World Bank, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant fund flows in line with financing agreements and prerequisites (incl managing advisor reports as required).
• Prepare and submit disbursement requests in coordination with sponsors, ensuring all requirements and documentation are fulfilled.
• Monitor fund utilization and reconcile disbursements to maintain transparency and compliance with audit standards.
• Provide strategic financial reporting to shareholders, lenders, and World bank, ensuring accurate and transparent communication of the project’s financial performance.
• Coordinate with the Corporate Finance team to integrate project-level budgets and forecasts into the company’s broader financial reporting framework.
• Act as the lead financial representative for the project, fostering strong relationships with shareholders’ finance teams, Lenders, and World Bank.
• Represent the project in financial and lender meetings, including negotiations and disbursement discussions.
• Ensure proactive communication and alignment across all financial stakeholders, addressing concerns and advancing solutions as needed.
• Play a key leadership role in achieving financial close, working closely with sponsors, lenders, and advisors to finalize financing agreements and CPs satisfaction.
• Liaise with the Project Finance Structuring Team (which will be primarily responsible for the structuring of the financing up to Financial Close) with a view to ensuring that the proposed Financing agreement and documentation requirements are adequate and manageable for the project post-closing.
• Lead and mentor the project finance monitoring team, ensuring high-performance delivery of Project Finance related financial management, compliance, and reporting.
• Foster collaboration across departments and create a culture of accountability to ensure alignment with project milestones and financial goals.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks, including those. Implement robust financial controls and risk mitigation strategies.

• Leadership skills
• Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills
• Hard-working, proactive, and self-motivated
• Personal and professional integrity and commitment to ethical business practices
• Ability to work under pressure and be solution oriented
• Excellent communication
• High intercultural competence

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; CFA or CPA certification is highly desirable.
• At least 7-10 years of experience in project finance, with a focus on disbursements and lender relations.
• Strong knowledge of PPPs, DFI’s, and World Bank financing structures.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluency in English is required.