Senior Associate - Project Finance
Johannesburg
Exceptional by design. A career at the forefront of Structured Project Finance.
Join a market‑leading Structured Project Finance team where your work directly supports the delivery of some of the Africa and UK’s largest and most innovative energy and infrastructure projects. Pinsent Masons is seeking a talented Associate (4–7 PQE) to join its Structured Project Finance Team in Johannesburg. This is an opportunity to develop specialist expertise in a strategic, high‑growth sector, working alongside leading practitioners on complex, high‑value transactions.
You will be part of a highly regarded Projects Group advising on the development, financing and acquisition of energy and infrastructure assets across South Africa and internationally. The role offers exposure to premium clients, early responsibility and the chance to build deep sector knowledge within a collaborative and forward‑thinking environment.
The Opportunity
You will play a key role in advising on major energy and infrastructure finance transactions, supporting clients across the full lifecycle of their projects. Working closely with colleagues in London and across Pinsent Masons’ international network, you will advise banks, sponsors, developers, funds and financial institutions on a broad range of project finance, acquisition finance and refinancing matters.
At Pinsent Masons, your career is exceptional by design: intentionally structured to support early responsibility, technical excellence and long‑term progression. You will be embedded in a market‑leading team acting on flagship transactions across renewable energy, infrastructure and low‑carbon projects, whilst developing strong client relationships and benefiting from first‑class training and development.
What You’ll Do
Bring your project finance expertise and commercial approach to a team trusted by leading lenders, sponsors and investors. Your role will include:
Advising on project financings, refinancings and acquisition financings across the energy and infrastructure sectors, including renewables, battery storage, biogas, transport, utilities and telecommunications
Supporting transactions from early‑stage term sheets and lender RFPs through to financial close and post‑completion matters
Drafting, reviewing and negotiating finance and project documentation, working closely with sponsors, lenders and advisers
Advising on operational support matters and M&A activity relating to energy and infrastructure assets
Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Projects Group and international offices on cross‑border mandates
Building strong client relationships and contributing to business development within a growing and dynamic practice
About The Team
Pinsent Masons LLP‘s finance and projects team, led by Apicksha Patel, guides clients through the full lifecycle of infrastructure and energy projects. Apicksha specialises in infrastructure and energy finance, especially in the transport, renewables, healthcare, education, and accommodation sectors, while Emma advises public and private sector clients on infrastructure development projects, offtake agreements, and power procurement. Themba Chauke and Rob Morson also stand out for their contributions.
The team advises on some of the most significant energy and infrastructure projects in the UK and internationally, acting across the full project lifecycle.
Key clients include:
IFC
Sola
Pele
Voltalia
BII
NatWest
Lloyds Banking Group
KfW
Zenobe Energy
The team is known for its technical excellence, collaborative culture and market‑leading expertise in structured project finance.
Why Pinsent Masons
At Pinsent Masons, we are a purpose led professional services business committed to creating a career experience that is exceptional by design. We offer:
High-quality, intellectually stimulating work with market leading clients
A supportive, inclusive and collaborative culture where people can thrive
Clear and transparent opportunities for development and progression
Flexible and agile working
Our Commitment
We are committed to recruiting and retaining the best talent and building an inclusive, fair and supportive workplace. We value the strength that comes from different experiences and strive to create an environment where everyone feels they belong.
We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates across jurisdictions. If you require reasonable adjustments, we will work with you to identify a suitable approach.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted via our recruitment portal only.
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact our Talent Acquisition Advisor, Anwen Wallington:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anwen-wallington-36177ba1/
Email: [email protected]
#LI-LRAW
Skills Required
- 4–7 years post-qualification experience (PQE)
- Project finance expertise
- Experience advising on energy and infrastructure finance transactions
- Ability to draft, review, and negotiate finance and project documentation
- Commercial approach and strong client relationship skills
- Ability to work collaboratively on cross-border transactions
What We Do
Pinsent Masons is a multinational law firm with a reputation for delivering high-quality legal advice rooted in its deep understanding of the sectors and geographies in which our clients operate. Our expertise is recognised globally. In recent years we have achieved more tier 1 rankings in The Legal 500 UK guide than any other firm, and been counted among the most innovative law firms in Europe and Asia Pacific by the Financial Times. With over 1,500 lawyers operating from 27 locations throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, we are well-placed to advise on complex multi-jurisdictional matters across a full range of legal disciplines. The firm has significant international credentials in the global energy, infrastructure, financial services, real estate and technology, science and industry sectors. Pinsent Masons looks at your business needs differently. This means we don't just apply lawyers to solve clients' problems; we deploy a wider range of professional disciplines, enabled by people, process and technology, to deliver a global professional service with law at its core.
