Operations Officer

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record US$43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises.

The WBG estimates that by 2030, half the world’s extreme poor will live in countries characterized by fragility, conflict, and violence. In these settings, the private sector can help transform livelihoods by creating jobs, providing goods and services, generating tax revenues, and rebuilding infrastructure.  Fragile economies demand innovative approaches that go beyond country, regional, or sectoral strategies. In recognition of this, IFC has identified supporting stability and growth in fragile and conflict-affected situations as a top priority, pledging that 40 percent of its annual commitments will be in International Development Association-eligible (IDA) and Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations (FCS) countries by 2030.

Private sector investment has the potential to unintentionally exacerbate conflict and violence if the allocation of benefits and jobs sparks tensions among conflicting groups. IFC continues to develop new tools and guidance to assist teams working in FCS settings. Pilot programs incorporating conflict-sensitivity approaches are under way including screening for systematically identifying high risks that are context-specific; and guidance to define approaches to project-level conflict analysis. At the forefront of these efforts is the FCS Africa team, who have been collaborating across the WBG on mainstreaming conflict and fragility lens into IFC operations and strategy.

IFC’s Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations (FCS) in Africa program is dedicated to developing and piloting innovative and integrated tools and approaches to enable IFC to scale up its engagement (investment and advisory services) in and across all fragile countries in Africa. The team helps IFC to deliver on its FCS commitments under the World Bank Group’s Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) Strategy, and the 2018 Capital Increase Package.

The FCS Africa team delivers through three main workstreams: (1) engagement with the domestic private sector; (2) developing approaches for economic inclusion in forced displacement settings and (3) delivering on conflict sensitivity by developing tools, piloting projects and integrating conflict sensitivity into projects in the region; and across all workstreams, building and sharing knowledge on private sector development in fragile situations.

The FCS Africa team is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Operations Officer to be the thematic lead for Conflict Sensitivity to support IFC’s roll out of conflict sensitivity tools, knowledge and operational solutions in FCS markets. The role will work with the FCS Leads for Domestic Private Sector and Forced Displacement across frontier markets in Africa to develop innovative approaches to doing more responsible and sustainable investments and maximize positive impact in FCS.

The role will report to the Chief Investment Officer and Head of Fragility for Africa.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Conflict Sensitivity Lead will be responsible for:

• Product level research and development:
• Lead the integration of conflict and fragility lens for private sector into core diagnostics, strategy and analysis, and targeted advisory and investment project design, due diligence and monitoring.
• Piloting client conflict sensitivity support and tools to targeted projects in FCS markets.
• Development of conflict sensitivity screening tools for projects in collaboration with other WBG teams, such as IFC Environmental, Social and Governance teams and the WB FCV teams in the area of Risk and Resilience Assessments.

Staff enrichment:

• Development of lessons learned on conflict sensitivity approaches, tools and fragility lens application for internal WBG audiences.
• Deliver training and capacity building on conflict sensitivity for internal audiences.
• Thought leadership with partners:
• Development of common approaches, tools and learning with DFIs and partners on conflict sensitivity.
• Developing and contributing to internal and external knowledge products:
• Development of external guidance and learning to inform private sector fragility lens application and good industry practice in collaboration with other WBG teams and external partners.
• Support to broader FCS Africa and FCV Reporting and knowledge sharing.

Core Competencies :

• Demonstrated thematic knowledge and leadership of conflict sensitivity concepts and application to DFI private sector investments in FCS.
• Familiarity with quantitative data for conflict analysis and contextual risk indices, with a key attention to detail. Knowledge of social sciences research methods and ability to produce high quality analysis using credible qualitative and quantitative data sources.
• Significant operational experience in implementing conflict sensitivity practices and project-based approaches.
• Understanding of IFC and WBG products and approaches to conflict sensitivity (dashboards, analytical tools, operational approaches) and opportunities for cross organizational collaboration.
• Ability to design and lead efforts to develop client offerings that reflect in-depth knowledge of conflict sensitivity and understanding of how to develop a business case to the client.
• Ability to design research and analytical projects to credibly produce new understanding of conflict sensitivity or potential opportunities to unlock client facing work.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with E&S teams and country and regional teams in the design of client solutions that have sustainable impact and incorporate lessons learned.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach other members of the FCS team on conflict sensitivity.

Selection Criteria:

• Master’s Degree in a related field or area of expertise specific to a sector, subject matter, or industry specialty.
• Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in data analysis, social sciences research, and project operations, including ability to undertake complex research on country and conflict risks and applying those to projects on the ground.
• Experience working with Development Finance Institutions, with a good understanding of IFC Performance Standards and business requirements is preferred.
• Experience in analyzing contextual risk, fragility and conflict trends in FCS markets and translating this for private sector audiences, particularly in African countries.
• Fluent in English, strong knowledge of French preferred.
• Excellent knowledge of Word, PPT, Excel and ability to manage WBG dashboards.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=27603&site=1