Funding Analyst

Funding Analyst

Remote: South Africa

Prodigy Finance - Who are we?

Prodigy Finance is a platform that delivers socially responsible financial services, making it possible for students from more than 150 countries to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools by financing their international postgraduate studies. Our purpose is to democratise access to life changing education, whilst delivering competitive financial and social returns to alumni, institutional and private investors. 

Our borderless and innovative model enables education loan financing to students from across the globe, whilst using predicted post-degree affordability rather than present-day salary in assessing creditworthiness. Since 2007, Prodigy Finance has extended over US$2.5 billion through the platform to fund over 66,000 students.

Prodigy Finance is fuelled by impact investors and other privately qualified entities who invest in tomorrow's leaders whilst earning a financial and social return. Prodigy Finance’s borderless lending model enables students to apply for a loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history.

What will you do in the role?

Strategic Finance is responsible for enabling and improving the strategic and financial decision-making for Prodigy. Our responsibilities combine more traditional elements of financial planning and analysis (FP&A), such as financial forecasting and trend analysis, with commercial and strategic tasks, including value creation frameworks, capital allocation decisions and broader financial problem-solving. This is a growth role, where you will begin in a funding analyst capacity and expand into strategic financial modelling as you build depth and context within the business.

You will work together with the team on maintaining the financial forecast model, but with a specific focus on the various underlying funding facility models and ensuring those forecasts are accurately captured in our business plans.  You will work closely with our Capital Markets team as they hand over the models built during the originating/structuring phase to our team for ongoing monitoring once deals have been executed. You will contribute to ongoing analysis around the existing facilities, including any securitisations or other exit modelling. 

What are some of the responsibilities of this role?

• Building and maintaining financial forecasts and models
• Building and maintaining funding facility models and supporting the capital markets team on transactions and the funding ops team on funding operations where required
• Assist with funding documents, required notices and monthly interest calculations
• Assist in answering queries from existing / new lenders
• Translating numbers/analysis into useful insights and tools to guide and support executive team and broader business in their decision-making 
• Bringing intelligent and insightful opinions to the table
• Automation of workflows across cash flow modelling and reporting to enhance financial decision-making, reduce manual processing time, and strengthen data integrity across the finance function.
  
  

What would the ideal candidate be great at?

• Works well independently, showing initiative and ownership, but knows when to ask the right questions or seek guidance
• Great at making complex things simple
• Strong quantitative skills, including excellent financial modelling skills
• Takes real care with accuracy and presentation: someone who double-checks the details, has a keen eye for detail and takes pride in producing clear, reliable work
• Well-developed problem-solving abilities
• Adeptness in the use of logic
• Strong sense of integrity in handling sensitive topics and data
• Balance conflicting demands and interests
• Excitement for cross-area partnership and collaboration
• Has a steady, can-do attitude, resilient, pragmatic, and willing to roll up their sleeves to get things done in a dynamic, fast-moving environment

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Finance, Mathematics, Engineering, Accounting or other relevant field. CA/CFA is an advantage 
• 4-5+ years of relevant experience with financial modelling (e.g. investment banking/capital markets, structured finance, project finance etc.) 
• Excellent proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets. Whilst not required, experience with accounting software / Xero and Metabase is an advantage
• Demonstrated experience leveraging automation and AI tools (e.g. Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) to enhance financial analysis, reporting efficiency, and decision-making
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• Consistent track record of success and career progression
• Adaptable to change and the fast pace of a dynamic Fintech company

Prodigy Finance Benefits

• Competitive remuneration package
• Company contribution to healthcare/medical aid scheme
• Remote Work
• Generous leave policy (24 days annual leave + 1 day for every year worked to a max of 29 days, birthday leave, 6 months' primary caregiver / 2 months' secondary caregiver parental leave, 4 weeks sabbatical leave after 5 years of continuous service).