Associate (Portfolio Strategy and Investments)

Purpose of the Role
The Associate supports PFI's core mission: defining PFH's portfolio composition and executing capital and transaction decisions. This role provides analytical rigor and execution support across portfolio strategy, capital allocation, transactions, and investment underwriting, both at holding level and in a quality assurance role toward strategic assets.
Strategic Context
The Associate works closely with the Portfolio Strategy and Investments Director and partners across PFH functions and OpCos to shape portfolio decisions, track capital deployment, and support transactions. The role combines rigorous financial analysis with the preparation of materials that inform decisions by PFH's Chief Strategy and Portfolio Officer, CEO, and governance bodies.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Strategy and Shaping

• Analyse each asset's strategic role within PFH, including fit, contribution, and optionality
• Build and maintain models that support portfolio mix decisions and guardrail definitions
• Research comparable holding structures, ownership models, and portfolio composition benchmarks
• Prepare materials that frame portfolio choices for the CSPO and PFH CEO
  

Capital Allocation

• Maintain capital deployment tracking across OpCos, covering growth funding, major capex, dividends, and buffers
• Model trade-offs and scenario analysis to support capital priority recommendations
• Prepare supporting materials for capital allocation decisions as they move through PFH governance
  

M&A, Partnerships and Capital Events

• On transactions owned by PFI at holding level, support the full cycle: opportunity screening, preliminary valuation, investment memo drafting, due diligence coordination, and adviser management
• On IPO preparation and private capital attraction, contribute to equity story development, data room maintenance, and financial model upkeep
• Where transactions are led by strategic asset teams, support PFI's quality assurance and methodology role: review analytical outputs against PFH standards, prepare briefing notes ahead of steering and investment committee sessions, and help maintain PFI's methodological toolkits (valuation frameworks, memo templates, due diligence checklists) for use by strategic asset teams
  

Investment Underwriting and Board Materials

• Build valuation models, risk-return analyses, and downside cases for major capital and transaction decisions
• Draft Investment Committee and Board packs to a standard that requires only senior review, not reconstruction
  

Key Relationships
Internal: PFH Executive Committee members, employees across PFH functions, OpCo Boards of Directors, OpCo teams
External: Financial advisors, consultants, national and international investors, commercial institutions, shareholders
This role is based in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Requirements
Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business or a related field
• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills
• Ability to work under ambiguity and tight deadlines
• Strong written and presentation skills
• 3-5 years of experience in investment banking, M&A advisory, strategy consulting, or corporate development
• Fluency in English is essential
  

Preferred:

• Financial services exposure
• Proficiency in Azerbaijani and/or Russian