Project Finance Specialist

Project Finance Specialist Department: Finance Employment Type: Contract / Temp Location: South Africa Reporting To: Lead Consultant – Project Preparation

Description Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.

High-Level Overview

Client is an organization supporting national efforts to enable an inclusive and sustainable transition to a low-carbon economy; whose implementing partner has identified a need for targeted project preparation support to strengthen governance, financial readiness, and alignment of community and sectoral projects with funder requirements. This assignment focuses on improving the structure, quality, and fundability of projects in an existing portfolio, thereby enhancing their ability to attract both domestic and international financing.

Project:

The Project Finance Specialist will evaluate and strengthen the financial viability, funding structures, and investment readiness of projects across a varied portfolio. Working closely with the Lead Consultant, Technical Consultant, and subject matter experts, the specialist will ensure that each project has a coherent financial model, realistic assumptions, and a sound structure aligned with potential funder or investor requirements.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in financial modelling, project structuring, and blended or concessional finance, with the ability to translate complex financial information into actionable recommendations. They should demonstrate experience across diverse sectors relevant to low-carbon and inclusive development, with strong analytical, advisory, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Role and Responsibilities Role: Project Finance Specialist Direct Report: Lead Consultant – Project Preparation Candidates Required: 1

Key Deliverables:

• Financial assessments and viability analyses for priority projects.
• Review of financial models, including revenue projections, cost structures, and sensitivity analyses, with recommendations for improvement where applicable.
• Recommendations for suitable funding and investment structures tailored to project type and stage.
• Advisory inputs to strengthen investment-readiness and alignment with funder expectations.
• Contributions to project readiness assessments and consolidated portfolio reports.
• Portfolio-level insights and learnings on financing trends, barriers, and lessons from project-level assessments to inform future preparation and pipeline design.

Requirements

Experience Required:

Demonstrated experience in project finance, financial structuring, or investment analysis across sectors such as clean energy, green transport, industrial decarbonization, circular economy, climate-resilient agriculture, and community infrastructure. Proven ability to assess financial viability, design funding structures, and advise on blended or concessional finance mechanisms. Experience preparing financial documentation and models for investment or donor-funded projects. Strong understanding of risk mitigation, capital structuring, and funder requirements.

Technical Requirements:

• Advanced skills in financial modelling and quantitative analysis.
• Strong grasp of project finance principles, capital stack structuring, and risk-return assessment.
• Experience with financial modelling tools and frameworks used in development or blended finance.
• Ability to synthesize technical and financial insights into concise, actionable recommendations

Other Skills:

• Excellent analytical, written, and presentation skills..
• Strong collaboration skills and openness to multidisciplinary teamwork.
• Attention to accuracy, financial integrity, and practical implementation.
• Ability to manage deadlines and deliver outputs independently while coordinating with the broader project team.

Working Arrangement

• Location: South Africa (Hybrid/Remote)
• Travel: Occasional in-country travel for workshops, consultations, or investor engagement sessions.

Terms of agreement:

Start Date: January 2026 Contracting Period: 6 month, part-time – To be determined by project pipeline