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About the Company 

Our client, a financial service agency, offers various tailored services to support, develop, and expand the international business of Canadian companies. Its services include financing, insurance, bonding solutions, and trade expertise. The company’s investment branch operates CAD 2 billion in committed and invested capital with a mandate in three general areas: middle market, venture capital, and cleantech. As a result of continued growth, the company seeks to add a Senior Investment Manager to increase their investment footprint in private equity and mezzanine financing.

Scope of Position

The Senior Investment Manager will be a lead contributor to the Investments Team with an emphasis on private equity and mezzanine financing expertise. The appropriate individual will have approximately 10 years work experience in private equity with at least five years of mezzanine financing experience. They will have demonstrated skills in originating, executing, managing, and exiting investments. The successful candidate will also need to be a mentor to others in the organization and work with other departments to help achieve the company’s overall business objectives within the context of the Investments program.

While the position is ideally located in Ottawa, the firm is willing to consider candidates residing in Toronto or Montreal who can commit to frequent travel to Ottawa.

Functional Tasks 

• Originates, structures, and delivers tailored financial solutions through active involvement within the domestic and international private equity communities.
• Identifies, negotiates, and monitors opportunities for private equity investments or mezzanine financing for Canadian companies focused on international expansion.
• Assesses the needs of clients to determine value-added means of financing, directing, and supporting their business plans.
• Oversees a portfolio of clients and assists in the growth and progress of these companies, ultimately leading to the execution of successful exit strategies.
• Leverages a personal network that can be additive to the company’s existing networks to originate transactions.
• Works with business development and underwriting teams to cross-sell and deliver a full range of financial solutions to clients.
• Interacts comfortably with senior management of existing or proposed investments, evaluates the caliber of the management team, determines financial eligibility of customers, borrowers, and other counter parties for consideration.
• Leading by example, drive and support the business development organization related to value-added services in attaining revenue and margin goals by market and geography.

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific additional measures of performance will be discussed with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of Senior Investment Manager:

Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role. Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods. Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.

Boundary-Spanning
Incorporates information about the organization’s structure and protocol into decisions. Attentive to the internal politics and alert to shifting interpersonal dynamics. Establishes the necessary support networks and cross-functional relationships through rapport building. Recognizes, maintains and effectively balances the interests and needs of one’s own group with those of the broader organization.

Team Skills
Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support. Balances personal goals with those of the team. Fosters collaboration among team members.

Industry & Market Awareness
Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them. Aware of competitor’s products, services and position.

Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.

Information Seeking
Consults widely for business or technical advice, probes for facts, and obtains information from a wide variety of sources. Differentiates the critical from the irrelevant or trivial.

Strategic Approach
Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems to focus on more far reaching ideas.

Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls to ensure that desired results are realized.

Preferred Experience / Education

The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables:

• Approximately 10 years direct, relevant work experience in private equity investments.
• Approximately five years direct, relevant work experience in mezzanine financing.
• Graduate level studies in a relevant field.
• Track record of positive investment outcomes.
• CFA designation or similar.
• Have a background with deep modeling skills. Need to be able to review the work of others and oversee the development of complex cash flow models.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret highly complex terms.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with very senior parties (VC partners, and CEOs).
• Demonstrated deal sourcing and personal Venture Capital networks (Canadian, US and International).
• Excellent financial analysis, credit and modeling skills.
• Ability to travel.
• Clear understanding of complex contracts and potential legal implications of clauses.
• Effective negotiation and presentation skills (external and/or internal).
• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal).
• Broad multiple sector knowledge.
• Solid knowledge of international business practices and international trade.
• Demonstrated ability to operate collaboratively in a high performing culture.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset.

Remuneration & Benefits

• Competitive and innovative base pay, variable and long-term incentive plan.