Investment Officer

Investment Officer

Description

IFC a member of the World Bank Group is the largest global developmentinstitution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in morethan 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to createmarkets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFCcommitted a record US$43.7 billion to private companies and financialinstitutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the privatesector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapplewith the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visitwww.ifc.org

IFC has embarked on an ambitious new growth strategy (IFC 3.0) to stimulate more investment activity. This strategy calls for generating unique opportunities by proactively working Upstream to create, deepen, and expand markets and to imagine, design and implement investment projects. It requires taking a systematic approach to understanding the regulatory and sector bottlenecks that prevent the flow of private capital into productive investment in our member countries and addressing these bottlenecks through World Bank Group engagement on policy reforms and programmatic interventions at the country and sector level. This strategy also calls for working with Governments and World Bank colleagues to first seek private sector solutions to address development challenges – where such solutions are advisable and can be effective – and reserve public financing for projects only when other options are suboptimal. This approach is called the Cascade.

IFCs Infrastructure Department is looking to hire an Investment Officer to join IFCs infrastructure Upstream & Advisory team covering primarily the MCT Region (Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan). The selected candidate will be based in one of the IFC Offices in Riyadh, Tashkent or Almaty, and will be an integral part of the upstream and advisory team working across the full business cycle (business development, upstream, new investments, and portfolio) across core infrastructure sectors.

Duties and Accountabilities:

Lead the sourcing, structuring, and execution of upstream and advisory interventions that can lead to a pipeline of bankable projects across core infrastructure sectors, by engaging with the private sector and senior officials in governments, sub-national governments, WBG and other development organizations, and by uncovering needs through strategic analysis, including IFC country strategies and WBG strategies.
In alignment with the integrated upstream, investment, portfolio team culture of the MCT Infrastructure Team, play a fungible role by taking a lead role in and/or supporting the execution and monitoring of the new business and portfolio transaction as per the business needs.
Collaborate in developing sector and/or regional strategies and support related promotion work, including targeting potential investments and policy advisory work.
Proactively engage with clients with a focus on demonstrating and delivering IFCs value-add, optimizing risk-return profile and development impact of IFCs investments as well as exploring future business possibilities.
Prepare and lead the approval cycle of necessary upstream portfolio supervision documents (PSRs), and report development results internally and externally, on a timely and expeditious basis and using best practice standards.
Work closely with the country managers and officers joint work to include developing client, country and sector strategies.
Coordinate closely with global infrastructure colleagues, social, environmental, and technical assistance colleagues to add value to our clients’ businesses, find pragmatic solutions to the specific sector challenges, and achieve sustainable development impact.
Support World Bank and MIGA colleagues on sector reforms and unblocking constraints for attracting private sector investments.
Support the Regional Upstream and Advisory manager in the development of a fundraising strategy and donor outreach.
Speak and represent IFC at external events.
Mentor and coach more junior team members and help provide leadership in actively managing the business and client relationships.

Selection Criteria

Master’s degree or equivalent professional qualification in Business, Finance, Economics, or other relevant field.
8+ years of relevant professional experience in investment/corporate banking, project finance, infrastructure project development
Prior experience in IFC/World Bank operational countries in the MCT Region (Middle-East, Central Asia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan).
Sound analytical and financial structuring skills (including reviewing and advising the development of financial models) and sound business judgment.
Demonstrated client relationship skills, and ability to build long-term engagement with clients and credibility by demonstrating knowledge of their business, sector, and culture; maintain an ongoing dialogue on their business needs, operations, and strategies as well as opportunities for strategically aligned business deals.
Ability to interact effectively with working level WBG staff and participate in collaborative interventions or /projects that enable private sector investment by exercising sensitivity to differences in corporate cultures, priorities, and operating practices and /requirements.
Ability to participate and constructively contribute in meetings with mid-level government officials on constraints to private sector investment in their countries and opportunities for private sector participation, public private partnerships.
Genuine commitment to development and to the World Bank Group and IFC’s mission, strategy and values.
Excellent people skills, openness to feedback, new ideas, and ability to guide, and motivate others.
Strong inter-personal skills, ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are required; fluency in other languages is a plus.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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