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British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution, owned by the UK Government. We invest with the aim of solving the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.
We have over 70 years of experience successfully supporting the sustainable, long-term growth of businesses in Africa and Asia, and have recently expanded to invest in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean.
Our Mission and Objectives
We invest to achieve impact and a financial return which is then reinvested for more impact. Over the past five years, we have committed almost £7 billion of new investments, with our net assets growing in value to approximately £7.5 billion.
We are now invested in 1,200 businesses which directly employ over 900,000 workers and support many more. Over the next five years, we plan to grow further, and aim to commit around £9 billion of new investments over the period.
Our new five-year strategy responds to the opportunities and challenges facing developing and emerging economies. To ensure our capital is used in the best way possible to meet these opportunities and challenges, it sets out three clear strategic objectives – to invest in productive, sustainable and inclusive development.
These objectives mean an increased focus on climate finance, including investing in green infrastructure; on financing digital transformation; and on driving inclusive outcomes, including through gender and diversity finance.
As part of our new strategy, we have changed our name to British International Investment (from 4 April 2022), to more accurately reflect our central role in the UK Government’s international financing offer.
In the last few years, we have expanded our presence in Africa and Asia by opening new offices in Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan and Ghana; with additional locations opening soon.
We take an entrepreneurial approach to investment. We think innovatively about ways to deploy our capital, attract, and mobilise other investors, and drive transformational impact.
Deliver impact. We are a growing team of over 500 and place immense value on diversity within our organisation.
The Team
BII’s Gender Finance strategy focusses on how to advance women’s economic empowerment throughout our investment lifecycle, by identifying interventions across the corporate value chain that would help to optimise the underlying social and economic value for the companies and markets in which we invest. More information about the strategy can be found here.
The Gender Finance team sits within the Impact Group, which provides advise and expertise to our investments across ESG, development impact, climate, gender and diversity.
The work is nuanced, challenging and varied. Our Gender Finance team is simultaneously working to build the field of gender smart investing, while also developing products and services that can be practically deployed to our investees.
As a team we work hard, we move quickly, and we expect a lot of ourselves and each other. More importantly, we love the work we do, and we have fun doing it. We’re looking for someone who’ll feel and do the same.
Responsibilities
We are looking for someone who to support across all aspects of our work, with particular focus on data analysis and research on gender across BII’s portfolio and target markets.
The role may also include developing tools and projects to promote gender equality for BII and the wider market and providing support to BII’s investment teams and investees on gender equality challenges and opportunities
Typical workstreams our intern could support might include: data analysis of our portfolio annual impact reporting; building our research library, developing case studies, and writing blogs supporting the commercial case for gender smart investing; developing and refining gender guidance notes and tools for investment teams; supporting BII’s participation in building the gender smart investing field through external engagements and partnerships (such as the 2X Challenge).
The Candidate
Background
- Currently studying for an advanced degree (MSc, MA or MBA) & have a strong background in consulting, finance and/or international development
- Demonstrated interest in gender-smart investing and gender equality and women’s economic empowerment through a private sector lens
- On the ground experience in Africa/Asia is preferred
Desired Skills and Experience
- Practical and results-oriented individual with a track record of delivering successful projects or products
- Ability to deliver high quality work within tight timelines
- Excellent Excel and PowerPoint skills
- Excellent analytical and communication skills
- Interest in development finance
- Experience working or living in emerging markets preferred
Our Cultural Values
We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:
- Impact-led, commercially rigorous
- Tenacious in the face of challenges
- Collaborative and caring
British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.
Application Process
- Please provide a cover letter with your application, and tell us why you would like to join the Summer Internship at BII, and why you have chosen to apply for this business area/team
- Please apply for one internship only
- Position opened: 24th October 2022
- Position closes: 9th December 2022
- Salary: £58, 135 (pro-rated over 8 or 10 weeks)
Please note BII will pay for flights to London for those studying internationally.
