Do you want to use your investment expertise to drive sustainable growth and development impact in emerging markets? Swedfund is now seeking an Investment Director to join its Food Systems & Strategic Investments team – a unique opportunity to work with high-impact investments across developing markets, with a particular focus on corporate debt investments.

About the Role

Swedfund’s Food Systems & Strategic Investments team invests across the entire Food Systems value chain through direct equity, corporate debt and fund investments. In addition, the team manages Swedfund’s portfolio of generalist PE and VC funds, as well as direct equity co-investments that have been made alongside these fund partners.

As an Investment Director, you will work across the full investment cycle, from identifying and developing pipeline opportunities through due diligence, structuring, approval, negotiation, documentation, closing and portfolio management. The role will primarily focus on driving corporate debt investments and further developing the processes and ways of working that support this part of the portfolio. Depending on pipeline and priorities, there will also be opportunities to contribute across the team’s other investment areas.

The role involves investments across Africa, South and Southeast Asia. You will work closely with colleagues across investment, legal, sustainability, impact and business integrity functions, while also engaging with companies, financial institutions, fund managers, co-investors, other DFIs and investment partners. The position is based in Stockholm and involves regular travel abroad.

Key Responsibilities

• Originate and develop new investment opportunities through proactive market engagement and relationship-building with companies, financial institutions, fund managers, co-investors, other DFIs and investment partners

• Lead and take senior responsibility for corporate debt investments throughout the full transaction lifecycle, including origination, due diligence, structuring, approval, documentation, closing and portfolio management

• Structure, negotiate and execute corporate debt investments, including financing structure, pricing, repayment profiles, security, covenants and other key commercial terms

• Lead financial and commercial due diligence and prepare high-quality investment memoranda

• Further develop the team’s processes, tools and ways of working for corporate debt investments

• Drive value creation and monitor risk across existing investments

• Lead cross-functional project teams throughout transaction processes, ensuring high-quality execution and effective collaboration across investment, legal, sustainability, risk, impact and business integrity functions

• Contribute across fund investments and equity co-investments depending on pipeline and priorities

• Provide guidance, coaching and mentorship to colleagues and contribute to the continued development of the team’s investment capabilities

Your Profile

We are looking for an experienced investment professional with at least 20 years of relevant experience and a strong track record of transaction execution and investment leadership across the full investment lifecycle. Particular weight will be placed on corporate debt experience and the ability to independently structure, negotiate and lead complex transactions.

Candidates may come from a leading development finance institution (DFI) or multilateral finance institution, such as EBRD, EIB or NIB. A background in corporate banking, structured finance, private credit, investment banking or similar may also be highly relevant.

Prior experience within Food Systems is an advantage, but not a requirement.

You are fluent in English.

To succeed in this role, you are likely:

• Commercially driven and relationship-oriented

• Confident in leading complex investment processes and engaging with senior external stakeholders

• Analytical, structured and comfortable managing complex transactions

• Proactive, structured and committed to delivering high-quality results

• A strong communicator with sound judgment and high professional integrity

• Motivated by combining financial expertise with measurable development impact

• Collaborative, with a demonstrated ability to lead, coach and develop colleagues

What we offer

You will be offered the opportunity to work with sustainable investments in an international environment. At Swedfund, you will become part of a committed and generous culture. We share experiences, support one another, and work together to make a real difference.

Our offices are located on attractive premises in central Stockholm at Drottninggatan 92.

In this recruitment process, Swedfund is partnering with Jurek Executive Search. For more information about the position, please contact the responsible recruitment consultant Malin Sjöström at +46 709 721 470 or malin.sjostrom@jurek.se.

We warmly welcome your application!

About Swedfund

Swedfund is Sweden’s development finance institution with the mission to reduce poverty through sustainable investments in developing countries. We finance and develop businesses that contribute to sustainable growth, job creation and increased access to essential products and services.

Swedfund is a state-owned company established in 1979 and has over 100 employees, with head office in Stockholm and regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Nairobi, Kenya, Kyiv, Ukraine and Bangkok, Thailand.

Jurek Executive Search identifies and attracts leaders who accelerate change and deliver results. We combine deep business insight with experience from assignments across all industries and markets, delivering precise placements regardless of geographic location. Our approach is based on sharp analysis, traditional search, and modern, data-driven tools. We know that the right leaders not only strengthen the business today but also shape tomorrow’s success.