Senior Associate – Investment Banking (Sovereign & Development Finance)

The Opportunity

An established international investment banking and advisory firm specialising in frontier and emerging markets is seeking an experienced Senior Associate to join its Sovereign & Development Finance team.

This is an exciting opportunity for an investment banking professional to work with governments, public sector institutions and development finance stakeholders – supporting the structuring and execution of innovative financing solutions across emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The successful candidate will contribute to high-profile advisory mandates while helping clients access capital and strengthen sovereign financing strategies.

The position offers exposure to complex, cross-border transactions within a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment where professionals are encouraged to take ownership, build client relationships and contribute to business development.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the origination, structuring and execution of sovereign financing and public sector advisory mandates.
• Assist in the development of debt management and capital raising solutions for government and public sector clients.
• Prepare financial models, market analysis, presentations and investment committee materials.
• Support business development activities, including proposal preparation, client engagement and competitive tender submissions.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, development finance institutions, multilateral organisations and financial market participants.
• Coordinate transaction execution with legal advisers, technical consultants and other external stakeholders.
• Conduct sovereign credit analysis, debt sustainability assessments and macroeconomic research.
• Assist with transaction documentation, due diligence processes and financial structuring.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to knowledge sharing across the wider business.
• Maintain high standards of governance, compliance and professional integrity throughout all engagements.

Requirements

The successful candidate is likely to possess:

• Approximately 4–7 years’ experience within investment banking, sovereign advisory, debt capital markets, structured finance or a closely related discipline.
• Experience working with sovereign, public sector or development finance transactions.
• Experience working across emerging or frontier markets, ideally including Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and/or Central Asia.

• Strong understanding of African capital markets, regulatory environments, and macroeconomic dynamics.

• Strong understanding of debt capital markets, credit structuring and financing instruments.
• Excellent financial modelling and analytical capabilities.

• Ability to operate independently in complex, frontier market environments.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to prepare high-quality client presentations.
• Ability to manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business or a related discipline. A postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• Fluency in English is essential. Additional language skills, particularly French, would be beneficial.
• Willingness to undertake international travel as required, including Africa.

Desirable Experience

Candidates with exposure to any of the following will be viewed favourably:

• Sovereign debt management advisory.
• Credit ratings or sovereign risk analysis.
• Development finance institutions (DFIs) or multilateral development banks (MDBs).
• Blended finance, guarantees or innovative financing structures.
• Emerging market infrastructure, energy or sustainable finance transactions.

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to work on landmark sovereign and development finance transactions.
• International exposure across multiple emerging markets.
• A collaborative, high-performing team environment.
• Genuine opportunities for career progression and professional development.
• Exposure to senior decision-makers and complex cross-border transactions.
• Competitive remuneration and benefits package.