Advisory & Valuations - Energy, Infrastructure & Environment - Associate Director

Forvis Mazars' Energy, Infrastructure & Environment practice is trusted by the world's leading investors and developers in the sector to deliver a broad range of services. Within this practice, the Infrastructure Finance business unit provides modelling, model audit, valuations, training and advisory services to clients across EMEA and the Americas, from regional hubs in London, Paris, New York, Toronto, Johannesburg and Delhi.

Job Purpose

To support Partners and Directors in further developing the Advisory and Valuations service lines within Forvis Mazars through the delivery of a high-quality service across a range of clients within the energy & infrastructure sector - acquisitions, valuations, sales, fundraisings, bid advisory and debt raisings.

We are now looking for the right person to help drive the business forward. The right person would:

• Be able to lead advisory and valuation assignments, both through proactive project management and by providing commercial and sector-based direction to a broader team of sector specialists (it is expected that an individual will split his time 50:50 between advisory and valuations assignments, however this may be flexed based on client requirements from time to time).
• Have excellent client relationship building skills, combining commitment to first-rate client service with the curiosity to understand the client's business and assets.
• Have first-rate powerpoint skills, report writing skills, combined with natural intellectual curiosity.
• Be comfortable interpreting, sense-checking and running Excel-based financial models with 3-way financial statements.
• Be committed to business development as well as project execution.
• Have significant experience in the energy and infrastructure sector already.

The role could be at the Associate Director level or at the Manager level, depending mostly on the candidate's level of experience. At the AD level, we would expect more autonomous client relationships, more business development responsibilities and more leadership within the team.

Professional Responsibilities

Project Delivery

• Manage the delivery of advisory engagements. This will include:
• Preparing transaction documentation – business plans, information memorandum and financial models.
• Researching and approaching potential buyers / sellers for clients.
• Taking the day to day lead role in running assignments, typically with a portfolio of assignments at any one time.
• Project managing aspects of larger transactions and project managing, in full, smaller ones.
• Building strong working relationships with the client, ensuring any problems or requests are dealt with promptly.
• Providing clear tactical advice on larger and more complex transactions, under the supervision of more senior team members.
• Maintaining control and stability under pressure whilst recognising the deadline or urgency to be dealt with.
• Ensuring that clients are billed according to the agreed billing plans under each engagement.
• Ensuring that projects are managed in accordance with Mazars' quality and risk procedures.
• Ensuring budget is set and managed, with appropriate financial management on the jobs.
• Manage the delivery of valuation engagements. This will include:
• Producing a project plan and managing other team members to ensure that this plan is delivered.
• Analysing information received, identifying key valuation issues, raising questions with clients and reflecting these in our valuation conclusions.
• Reviewing market evidence produced by valuation researchers; sense-checking and adding to this by building a network of contacts and getting informal market feedback on current market conditions.
• Analysing financial models, ensuring sensitivities are run correctly and reviewing valuation calculations.
• Report writing and/or reviewing drafts of reports written by team members.
• Financial management of projects, including financial forecasting, billing and debt collection, and reporting on their progress to the Director/Partner.
• Ensuring projects are managed in accordance with Mazars' quality and risk procedures.
• Over time, developing direct relationships with clients, gaining their trust.
• Leading, coaching and reviewing the work of more junior valuation professionals.

People & Product Development

• Help to develop our client deliverables, processes and our team technically by ensuring that they are properly informed by relevant sector dynamics and a commercial understanding.
• Acting as a mentor to junior team members: help individuals to achieve their potential through coaching, training and development.
• Reviewing the work of others and provide informal feedback throughout the fieldwork stage.
• Help to ensure that our deliverables and other outputs are visually effective and clear.
• Build broader market relationships and knowledge that will help to ensure that our valuations are up to date and informed by the latest market insights; help to build the culture of the team so that junior team members also become used to doing this.
• Help to promote a general culture of learning and development across the team from one job to the next.
• Potential for line management responsibilities for staff in London, Delhi and Pune.

Business Development & Broader Team Engagement

• Develop market intelligence and sector knowledge to prepare for new deal opportunities and pitches.
• Take lead on proposal documents for new opportunities and help to convert these.
• Build an external network, developing a strong rapport with both existing and target clients and key market constituents.
• Support the team in marketing activity as well as building own market profile.
• Build an internal network within Forvis Mazars (both in the UK and internationally), to maximise the value we bring to clients and opportunities for the firm as a whole.
• Work as part of an integrated deal advisory offering, working closely with colleagues across Transaction Services, Tax and other advisory teams.
• Promote Forvis Mazars energy and infrastructure sector knowledge both within the broader teams at Forvis Mazars and to other relevant parts of the firm.

Key Requirements

• The right person is likely to have several years of experience doing deal advisory and valuation work in the energy and infrastructure sector (at least 6 years for the manager role, or 8 years for the associate director role).
• Strong track record in the energy & infrastructure sector, gained through M&A or financing transactions.
• Good understanding of the industry, key sector trends and the key players in the market.
• Demonstrable project management skills and ability to work toward demanding timetables.
• Strong, proven financial modelling capabilities, including proven knowledge of market standard valuation techniques in the energy and infrastructure sector.
• Track record of building enduring relationships with clients through repeat work.
• Ability to interpret and present results, identify issues through sound analysis and application of commercial acumen in all situations.
• Be a highly pro-active, confident team player with a proven ability to build constructive professional relationships at all levels.
• Ability to develop self and others, with proven track record of managing junior members of the team (for Manager level).
• Detailed understanding of engagement and risk processes used in an accountancy firm context, and experience of applying these.
• Accounting and/or broader finance knowledge, including qualifications such as the ACA or CFA, would be desirable but not essential.
• Fluency in English both written and verbal is mandatory and fluency in a second EU language is desirable.
• Self-motivated, ambitious and hard working. Driven by a passion to provide excellent client service and to build a growing business, with a strong team ethic.
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills.
• Excellent MS Office skills.

About Forvis Mazars

Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network. The network operates under a single brand worldwide, with just two members: Forvis Mazars LLP in the United States and Forvis Mazars Group SC, an internationally integrated partnership operating in over 100 countries and territories.

Both member firms share a commitment to providing an unmatched client experience, delivering audit & assurance, tax and advisory services around the world. Together, our strategic vision strives to move our clients, people, industry and communities forward. Through our reach and areas of expertise, we help organisations respond to emerging sustainability issues in the global marketplace including human rights, climate change, environmental impacts and culture.

We are one diverse, multicultural, multi-generational team with a huge sense of connection and belonging. This is a place where you can take ownership of your career, get involved, believe in yourself and put your ideas into action.

At Forvis Mazars, we empower our people and celebrate individuality. We thrive on teamwork and are agile. We have bold foresight and give people the freedom to make a personal contribution to our shared purpose. We support one another to deliver quality, create change and have a deeper understanding, to help make an impact so that everyone can reach their full potential.

Central London based office location with a hybrid working model!

Being inclusive is core to our culture at Forvis Mazars; we want to ensure everyone, whether in the recruitment process or beyond is fully supported to be their unique self. To read more about our approach click here.

Our aim is to make the recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible - please contact us to discuss any changes you may require so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.

Visit forvismazars.com/uk to learn more.