Principal/Senior Principal Private Investments Principal Investing – Agriculture recruitment

In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, the CPP Investment Board invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, inflation-linked bonds, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in London and Hong Kong, the CPP Investment Board is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. For more information about the CPP Investment Board, please visit www.cppib.ca. 

Role Summary

Based in Toronto and reporting to the Senior Principal – Head of Agriculture, the Principal/Senior Principal will play a key leadership role in originating, making and managing farmland and agriculture investments around the world.  The Principal/Senior Principal will play a senior role in evaluating potential principal investment opportunities, conducting research, developing investment recommendations, negotiating terms and executing transactions. The Principal/Senior Principal will also have primary responsibility for managing relationships with portfolio companies and monitoring investments.  This will be a particularly exciting and challenging role for the right candidate who will have the opportunity to help shape and drive CPPIBs agriculture investing strategy from its early stages.      

Role-Specific Accountabilities

Analyze Investment Opportunities:

Review:

• Play a senior role in the research, analysis and evaluation of a variety of investment opportunities including managing the overall evaluation process

• Oversee the development of complex dynamic financial models to analyze investment opportunities (including testing assumptions and sensitivities)

• Oversee valuation analysis, including DCF, precedent transactions and comparable company/farmland analysis

• Play a senior or lead role in due diligence on opportunities including past and projected financial performance, quality of management teams, quality of tenants, investment merits and risks, expected returns, regulatory environment, industry dynamics and other relevant factors

• Review 3rd party due diligence reports (legal, accounting, industry strategic reviews, environmental, etc.)

• Meet with company management, with managers and review past performance, strategy, outlook, industry issues, and other relevant topics as required

• Apply “Total Portfolio Approach” as it applies to investments, including PME and analysis

Recommend:

• Make investment recommendations based on the results of the team’s due diligence and analysis

• Oversee the drafting of investment recommendations outlining potential investment opportunities

• Participate in or lead the presentation of investment recommendations to the Private Investments department and the Investment Department Decision Committee

Execute Principal Investments:

• Primary or secondary responsibility (as assigned by deal) for managing relationships with investment partners (lead GP, other co-investors) service managers and financial advisors (financial, legal, etc.)

• Play a lead role in the negotiation and execution of agreements and transaction-related documentation

• Be prepared to play a lead role in proactively and interactively shaping and negotiating investment structures with counterparties in a relatively immature sector to find solutions for all parties

Monitor Investments:

• Review and approve capital calls and distributions related to Farmland and Agriculture investments

• Coordinate with CPPIB Finance Operations group with respect to monitoring ongoing investments

• Monitor ongoing financial performance of portfolio companies and farmland portfolios

• Oversee the reviews of valuations for portfolio companies and farmland portfolios

• Attend board meetings as required

• Play a senior or lead role in building and leveraging relationships with portfolio company management teams and private equity sponsors and key partners/service providers

• Co-ordinate with other departments including Funds and Secondaries, Infrastructure and Debt teams to ensure that optimal solutions are established across each opportunity

• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of potential exit alternatives

Build the Team:

• Provide thought-partnership for the head of Agriculture, especially during the early stages of the strategy 

• Represent CPPIB externally and be an active communicator of the organization’s strategies and objectives

• Review, analyze and comment on investment recommendations prepared by other members of the team

• Assist in the strategic decision making process for the Agriculture group

• Participate in and contribute to weekly departmental meetings; share information by coordinating and entering information into the central network system

• Assist in the training, mentoring and development of the team and other departmental colleagues

• Assist in recruiting activities including liaising with universities, networking, sourcing candidates and interviewing prospective hires, as required

• Other relevant duties and projects as assigned

If you possess the following, we’d like to hear from you:

• Background and Experience in the International Agriculture/Timber sector

• 5-10+ years of private equity, investment banking or other relevant investment experience

• MBA, LLB or equivalent postgraduate degree is considered an asset

• CFA, CBV or CA designation and additional languages (Portuguese) are considered assets

• Strong research, financial modeling, analytical and valuation skills

• Experience in leading deals (e.g. process, agreements, relationships, teams, etc.)

• Superior interpersonal skills; solid, demonstrated communication skills (oral and written) as well as exceptional presentation skills

• Proven track record of successful investment recommendations

• Significant relationship management experience

• Experience building a team (e.g. recruiting, training, coaching, etc.)

• Experience of proactively leading new programs is considered an advantage

• Superior interpersonal skills; solid, demonstrated communication skills (oral and written) as well as exceptional presentation skills

• Strong focus on integrity, partnership and high performance

• Flexibility, adaptability, initiative and creativity

• Excellent judgement and “sense of the deal”

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure

• Team player who enjoys a high performance culture

• Willingness to travel

If you are looking for an exciting opportunity and to build a career in an innovative and dynamic investment organization, please hit APPLY ONLINE below submit your resume online

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only candidates
Selected for an interview will be contacted.
CPP Investment Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer.