COMPANY OVERVIEW

The mission of ZamGridCo is to modernise and expand Zambia’s national electricity distribution grid under the Grid Resilience Program. Established after a first-of-its-kind debt-for-development transaction between the Government of Zambia and the African Development Bank, ZamGridCo is a Zambian private company limited by guarantee with not-for-profit objectives. Headquartered in Lusaka, it is an independent, legally separate entity whose remit is to channel the resulting debt-conversion savings into distribution network investment and upgrades, in line with Zambia’s Integrated Resource Plan, Integrated Distribution Plan, and wider national energy reforms.

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Lusaka

Employment Type: Full-time on Fixed term contract

1. ROLE SUMMARY

The CEO is responsible for achieving the Company’s objectives and for the general and active management of the affairs of the Company, subject to the supervision and control by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). The CEO shall provide overall strategic leadership, direction, and vision to the team, operating within the framework set by the Company’s Operations Manual, its Articles of Association, and such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

The CEO is accountable to the board and is responsible for maintaining effective reporting relationships with the Company’s key stakeholders and partners, in line with the relevant financing agreements. As the Company commits and disburses funds to counterparties and recipients, including project financing and development partner relationships where applicable, the CEO is the principal steward of those funds and is accountable to the Board for their proper management, control, and use.

The CEO must ensure that all monies are received, safeguarded, disbursed, accounted for, and reported in accordance with the relevant funding agreements, the Company’s policies, and applicable law, and that robust internal controls and a strong culture of financial accountability and transparency are maintained at all times.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reporting to the Board and participation in Board meetings as a non-voting attendee.
• Reporting to the Chairperson of the Board.
• Authority to sign contracts.
• Liaise with government, businesses, donors, investors and capital partners, industry, communities, and media.
• Capital raising and funding.
• Preparation of plans, strategies, budgets, and RFPs.
• Coordination with other initiatives.
• Hiring and supervision of staff.
• Maintaining financial records and accounts.
• Administration, monitoring and evaluation of project funding.

3. QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Education: Undergraduate degree in engineering, energy, infrastructure, finance, economics, business administration or a related field from a recognized university.
• Work Experience: At least 20 years of experience in a similar position or senior executive position. This must include demonstrable experience managing, controlling, and accounting for significant sums of money, with a proven track record in the stewardship of funds and in the disbursement, deployment, and monitoring of funds to counterparties or recipients.
• Industry Knowledge: Experience working with and reporting to a Board of Directors, interacting with Board members and submitting memoranda and reports thereto.
• Financial Stewardship and Accountability: A strong record of financial accountability and the responsible stewardship of funds, including budgeting, financial controls, the disbursement and deployment of funds, expenditure verification, monitoring of recipients and counterparties, and compliance with funder, investor, and audit requirements. Experience in the management of project financing and development partner reporting would be an advantage. The CEO must be able to demonstrate sound judgement and unimpeachable integrity in the handling of money.
• Language: Exemplary verbal and written skills in English.

PREFERRED

• Education: A postgraduate qualification such as an MBA, master’s degree in engineering, energy, finance, project management or public policy strongly preferred. Professional certification or registration in engineering, project management, finance, governance or related disciplines are advantageous.
• Work Experience: Experience working with leading corporates, investors, and capital providers is advantageous, as is a track record in mobilising, structuring, and deploying capital and in the stewardship and oversight of funds on behalf of stakeholders. Direct experience managing the disbursement, deployment, and monitoring of funds to counterparties or recipients, with accountability for their proper use, is strongly preferred. Experience working on the continent, especially the SADC countries is advantageous.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with electricity distribution and related activities.
• Capital Programme: Proven ability to oversee a multi-year capital programme and annual capital rolling plan of approximately USD 25 million or more, including project prioritization, budgeting, procurement oversight, contract management, disbursement planning and performance reporting.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated skill, experience and success in marketing and fundraising with an emphasis on raising funds from multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, foundations, and corporations.
• Demonstrated skill, experience and success in raising and mobilising capital, with an emphasis on attracting funding from investors, lenders, capital partners, and corporations, and structuring and closing transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to represent the company credibly with Government representatives, including engagement with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, regulators, public utilities and other senior public-sector stakeholders.
• Experience engaging with development finance institutions, multilateral and bilateral partners, commercial lenders, investors and development partner agencies, including partners such as the African Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, development agencies and private financiers.
• Strong financial stewardship and accountability: the proven ability to manage, control, disburse, and account for funds with integrity and transparency, including budgeting, internal controls, monitoring of recipients and counterparties, fraud and risk prevention, and funder, investor, and audit compliance.
• Strong understanding of public-sector decision-making, regulatory interfaces, procurement governance, environmental and social safeguards, and the accountability requirements typically attached to development-financed infrastructure programmes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work with groups and organizations.
• Be a highly energetic, self-starting, entrepreneurial and creative individual who can express and recognize ideas and opportunities, and communicate goals and objectives clearly.
• An ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.

• Reporting to the Board and participation in Board meetings as a non-voting attendee.
• Reporting to the Chairperson of the Board.
• Authority to sign contracts.
• Liaise with government, businesses, donors, investors and capital partners, industry, communities, and media.
• Capital raising and funding.
• Preparation of plans, strategies, budgets, and RFPs.
• Coordination with other initiatives.
• Hiring and supervision of staff.
• Maintaining financial records and accounts.
• Administration, monitoring and evaluation of project funding.

• Demonstrated skill, experience and success in marketing and fundraising with an emphasis on raising funds from multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, foundations, and corporations.
• Demonstrated skill, experience and success in raising and mobilising capital, with an emphasis on attracting funding from investors, lenders, capital partners, and corporations, and structuring and closing transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to represent the company credibly with Government representatives, including engagement with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, regulators, public utilities and other senior public-sector stakeholders.
• Experience engaging with development finance institutions, multilateral and bilateral partners, commercial lenders, investors and development partner agencies, including partners such as the African Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, development agencies and private financiers.
• Strong financial stewardship and accountability: the proven ability to manage, control, disburse, and account for funds with integrity and transparency, including budgeting, internal controls, monitoring of recipients and counterparties, fraud and risk prevention, and funder, investor, and audit compliance.
• Strong understanding of public-sector decision-making, regulatory interfaces, procurement governance, environmental and social safeguards, and the accountability requirements typically attached to development-financed infrastructure programmes.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work with groups and organizations.
• Be a highly energetic, self-starting, entrepreneurial and creative individual who can express and recognize ideas and opportunities, and communicate goals and objectives clearly.
• An ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.

• Undergraduate degree in engineering, energy, infrastructure, finance, economics, business administration or a related field from a recognized university.
• At least 20 years of experience in a similar position or senior executive position. This must include demonstrable experience managing, controlling, and accounting for significant sums of money, with a proven track record in the stewardship of funds and in the disbursement, deployment, and monitoring of funds to counterparties or recipients.
• Experience working with and reporting to a Board of Directors, interacting with Board members and submitting memoranda and reports thereto.
• A strong record of financial accountability and the responsible stewardship of funds, including budgeting, financial controls, the disbursement and deployment of funds, expenditure verification, monitoring of recipients and counterparties, and compliance with funder, investor, and audit requirements. Experience in the management of project financing and development partner reporting would be an advantage. The CEO must be able to demonstrate sound judgement and unimpeachable integrity in the handling of money.
• Exemplary verbal and written skills in English.
• A postgraduate qualification such as an MBA, master’s degree in engineering, energy, finance, project management or public policy strongly preferred. Professional certification or registration in engineering, project management, finance, governance or related disciplines are advantageous.
• Experience working with leading corporates, investors, and capital providers is advantageous, as is a track record in mobilising, structuring, and deploying capital and in the stewardship and oversight of funds on behalf of stakeholders. Direct experience managing the disbursement, deployment, and monitoring of funds to counterparties or recipients, with accountability for their proper use, is strongly preferred. Experience working on the continent, especially the SADC countries is advantageous.
• Familiarity with electricity distribution and related activities.
• Proven ability to oversee a multi-year capital programme and annual capital rolling plan of approximately USD 25 million or more, including project prioritization, budgeting, procurement oversight, contract management, disbursement planning and performance reporting.