Associate/Senior Associate, Asia-Pacific
Convergence SingaporeFull TimeSingaporeHybrid
Location: Singapore
Convergence is the global network for blended finance. Blended finance is the use of catalytic public or philanthropic capital to increase private sector investment in places that need it most. We are the source for everything blended finance, including deals, data, reports, trainings, webinars, and much more. We believe that blended finance can disrupt traditional development finance as we know it, by attracting private sector funds to developing countries in volumes never before seen.
Convergence is a not-for-profit headquartered in Toronto. We operate globally and have a presence in Singapore, La Paz, Kigali, and Washington DC. Over the last nine years, we have built a robust network of over 170 public, private, and philanthropic investors as well as sponsors of blended finance transactions. To accelerate advances in the field, Convergence also provides grants through its Design Funding program, which funds the design of new blended finance solutions.
We are small but mighty. Join us if you want to be part of a global and energetic team with a unique role at the intersection of development and finance. We are passionate about and united around the goal of directing money to where it’s needed most – into developing countries and towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have built a culture defined by our diversity, inclusivity, and ability to get things done. As part of our relatively new and growing organization, you can be sure that you’ll have a voice and leave your mark. Finally, we take our team members’ growth and well-being seriously, and we offer opportunities for professional development and team building as well as flexible schedules and generous time off policies.
Convergence has built a robust network of members and partners across the Asia-Pacific and seeks to further expand its Asia presence. We are looking for someone with strong experience in impact investing, grant making or development finance with an orientation toward client service, and relationship/account management. The Asia-Pacific Region Associate/Senior Associate is expected to be based in Singapore and will work closely with all our staff globally and report into the Senior Advisor, Asia-Pacific, who is also based in Singapore and support the Manager, Asia-Pacific in all the initiatives.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Associate/ Senior Associate will be instrumental in supporting the firm’s ability to execute on Convergence’s strategy in the region and will focus on maintaining existing relationships as well as generating membership and partnership leads with local and regional stakeholders.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The following comprises the core responsibilities of the Associate/Senior Associate, Asia-Pacific; however, the scope will evolve over time to match the region’s dynamic requirements.
Member Engagement, Training & Content
- Support the execution of Convergence’s regional strategy in the Asia-Pacific, working on key activities to deepen our presence in the region and build a robust network of stakeholders and partners on the ground.
- Onboard investors and deal sponsors, including follow-on support (operational and administrative) to ensure maximum use of the platform.
- Assist the compliance team to ensure the timely set-up and approval of members and transactions.
- Act as a relationship manager for a portfolio of Convergence’s Asia-based members, interfacing directly with members, providing a single point of contact.
- Support and work closely with manager to develop and execute training programs in the region.
- Support organizing convergence events in the region and coordination with the comms team.
- Support in developing content and insights coming from Asia-Pacific engagements in coordination with the Content team.
- Maintain open, thorough, and regular communication with cross-functional teams.
Design Funding & Market Acceleration (DFMA) Program
- Support Convergence’s DFMA program including activities ranging from grantee pipeline generation, screening applications' concept notes, reviewing full proposals, and supporting due diligence
- Contribute toward stakeholder engagement for the DFMA program in the region such as engaging with technical partners and donors, recording key metrics and programmatic results for donor reporting, and providing inputs to the development of funding proposals
- Act as a relationship manager and point of contact for Asia based DFMA grantees
- Support business development and fundraising activities for the various DFMA programs
- Collaborate with the Content and Comms teams to support development of thought pieces profiling Convergence's DFMA portfolio in the region
- Support general cohort learning, knowledge exchange, and acceleration support to build the capacity of the DFMA program's Asia grantee portfolio
The Associate will be based in Singapore and will be required to engage with global organizations, therefore, will have early morning or late evening/night telephone meetings. These working hours will be accommodated through flexible working arrangements.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
We are looking for candidates with 3+ years of experience (or 5+ years for Senior Associate) in some combination of finance, investment/corporate banking, impact investing, deal experience, or grant making. The ideal candidate will have:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, finance, or a related field with an excellent academic record from a reputable institution.
- Previous experience in investment/corporate banking, impact investing or grant making, that demonstrates an understanding of advanced finance concepts and track record of conducting due diligence.
- Demonstrated strengths in analytics (quantitative and qualitative); communications (the ability to present information in an insightful and structured manner, especially written).
- Strong project management skills and a track record of on-time delivery.
- Good interpersonal skills, including communication, networking, prospect identification, and relationship-building.
- Interest in and knowledge of private sector participation/development issues in emerging and frontier markets.
- Climate finance experience is a plus.
- Must be a Singapore National or Permanent Resident.
APPLICATION
Interested and qualified applicants should submit a single PDF document for a cover letter and a one-page CV. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. SGT on JANUARY 17, 2025
Your cover letter should discuss your interest in development, blended finance, and Convergence, and identify the main challenges faced by Asia-Pacific countries in their quest to finance SDG related projects. Please note that due to the high volume of applications, we will only contact those selected for interviews.