CFM was established in 2015 as a joint venture between the Dutch Development bank FMO based in the Netherlands and Sanlam InfraWorks – part of the Sanlam Group of South Africa. Headquartered in The Hague in The Netherlands, our offices span across the emerging markets we serve, located in Singapore, Vietnam, South Africa, and Colombia.

As one of the leading blended finance investment managers, our business is focused on responding to the climate crisis. We use blended finance structuring to attract public and private capital to invest in high-impact sectors in emerging markets aimed at addressing the thematic areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, including renewable energy, water and oceans, sustainable land use, and sustainable cities.

Job purpose

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Climate Fund Managers is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the operational functions of the organization. This position requires a seasoned professional with a proven track record in Fund Management and a demonstrated ability to scale a multi-billion USD investment business. The ideal candidate will have global experience.

The COO at Climate Fund Managers plays a pivotal role in driving the organization's growth, ensuring operational excellence, and contributing to its mission of sustainable and impactful investments in the climate sector.

The COO is preferably based in CFM’s Africa office location in Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa.

The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Start date: at earliest availability.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Operations Officer role will deliver operational excellence to CFM and CFM Funds.

The role will have oversight of several departments.

The role will chiefly:

• Provide strategic direction and contribute to the development of the overall business strategy.
• Collaborate with the executive team to align operational objectives with the organization's mission and vision.
• Oversee departments that manage day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency, scalability, compliance with regulatory requirements and alignment with the risk management strategy.
• Work closely with the relevant teams to ensure financial performance, budgets, and financial reporting is effective and scalable.
• Implement best practices to enhance operational processes and drive continuous improvement.
• Support the evaluation and implementation of technology solutions to enhance operational efficiency and the organization's digital transformation.
• Prepare regular reports for the executive team and board of directors, providing insights into operational performance and key metrics.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, fostering transparency and trust.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Master’s degree or MBA in related field
• Minimum 15 years’ post qualification experience in a leadership and operational role within the Fund Management industry on a global level
• Proven track record with experience scaling a multi-billion USD Fund Manager.
• Strong leadership and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent financial acumen and risk management expertise.
• A proven track record of stakeholder management with effective communication, reporting and interpersonal skills.
• Negotiation skills and ability to influence.
• Fluent in written and spoken English.

Competencies & Skillset

• Strategic Leadership
• Operational Excellence
• Financial Management
• Fund Management Expertise
• Global Expansion
• Team Leadership and Development
• Risk Management
• Technology Integration
• Reporting and Communication