Job Description
Forvis Mazars South Africa is seeking a Project Finance Executive to join its Project Finance Advisory team, with a strong focus on financial modelling and transaction execution. The role is critical to supporting the structuring and financing of infrastructure and energy projects across South Africa and the wider African continent, in both public and private sectors. You will work in a fast paced, collaborative environment alongside senior advisors, building investment-grade financial models, supporting capital raises, and contributing to bid submissions under flagship programmes such as the IPP Office's Renewable Energy Programme, TIPP, and strategic PPP initiatives.
Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Modelling
- Build, review, and maintain project finance models for infrastructure and energy transactions.
- Perform detailed valuation and financial analysis including IRR, NPV, DSCR, LLCR, and debt sizing calculations.
- Integrate and stress test key financial assumptions (e.g., tariffs, capex, gearing, inflation, FX).
- Produce clear and concise modelling outputs, dashboards and scenario analyses to support investment decisions.
Transaction Advisory
- Support deal teams in delivering financial advisory services across the full transaction lifecycle: feasibility studies, procurement, capital raising, and financial close.
- Assist with reviewing and drafting financial sections of bid documentation, business cases, investor memoranda, and funding applications.
- Contribute to lender and investor engagement processes, including preparation of presentations, data room content, and Q&A responses.
Market Research & Analysis
- Undertake sector specific research and benchmarking to inform project assumptions and structuring.
- Track regulatory developments, infrastructure investment trends
Minimum Requirements
Education & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering or a related field.
- Progress toward CFA, CIMA, or CA(SA) qualification will be advantageous.
- Financial modelling training or certification preferred (e.g. FMVA).
Experience:
2-4 years’ experience in project finance, preferably within:
- A financial advisory or consulting firm;
- Development finance institution (e.g. DBSA, IFC);
- Commercial/investment bank;
- Infrastructure investment fund or PPP unit.
- Proven ability to develop and manage project finance models using Excel.
- Exposure to South African regulatory and procurement frameworks (e.g. MFMA, PFMA, PPP Manual) will be an advantage.
Key Competencies
- VBA & Excel modelling skills (including circularity, macros, sensitivity analysis).
- Understanding of non-recourse financing, risk allocation, and PPP structuring.
- Familiarity with key infrastructure sectors: energy (renewables, gas, storage), transport, logistics, digital, and water.
- Ability to synthesise financial concepts into client facing outputs.
- Highly analytical, detail oriented, and proactive.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in cross functional teams.
