Description

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. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

The Risk & Finance Vice Presidency Unit (CRFVP) helps to ensure that IFC is sufficiently profitable and capitalized to sustain and grow its operations through prudent risk management at the corporate, portfolio, project, and client levels. It sets best practice standards in risk management to drive sustainable private sector development in emerging markets. CRFVP works in partnership with other IFC Vice Presidents to ensure IFC meets its corporate objectives.

The Department of Special Operations (CSO) is housed within CRFVP. Its primary responsibility is to resolve the problems and special issues in IFC’s portfolios related to debt, equity, quasi-equity, and other types of investment instruments, and to optimize the Corporation’s overall return on a net present value basis (including for B-loan Participants) while minimizing reputational risk and maximizing developmental impact.

CSO is seeking to recruit a Senior Special Operations Officer to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. The successful candidate will lead restructuring and recovery efforts on individual projects, provide restructuring advice to Portfolio teams, and enhance IFC’s branding and thought leadership in the market. The successful candidate is expected to understand the dynamics of IFC’s portfolios and to actively communicate and work with relevant counterparts to disseminate restructuring best practices as well as to identify and implement areas of CSO value addition, including upstream policy work and new investment structures. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Successful candidates will
•  Lead, develop and implement restructuring and recovery efforts for IFC debt and equity investments that have shown signs of distress.
•  Work closely with investment colleagues, industry specialists and legal counsels to develop and manage client relationships and to foster cross- departmental collaboration in order to tailor pragmatic solutions that would maximize returns for IFC and meet project and client-specific requirements.
•  Develop innovative and appropriate financial structures for complex restructuring transactions incorporating lessons of prior portfolio management experience.
•  In addition, the candidates will be expected to develop an understanding of the dynamics of the regional portfolios in several sectors and to actively engage with the respective portfolio officers to explore areas of potential CSO value addition.
•  Collect insights and lessons learned from CSO’s portfolio experiences, connect trends from different areas of the business and portfolio, regularly present these in collaboration with CSO and investment colleagues to relevant audiences to ensure portfolio experience and perspective is fed into how these could improve and transaction structuring.
•  Cultivate and maintain relationships with peer investment colleagues, credit, legal and country teams in the region.
•  Keep abreast of macro-economic developments that can impact IFC’s activities in Asia region and provide regular inputs to regional and industry teams. Gather market intelligence, analyze strategically important portfolio trends, and emerging risks.
•  Mentor and coach more junior team members and help provide leadership in actively managing the portfolio and client relationships.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidates would be expected to have the following general attributes:
•  Master’s degree in finance, business, law, economics, international affairs, or similar fields and a minimum of 10 years of experience working for a major financial institution, restructuring advisory firm, or MDB focusing on the private sector in Emerging Markets.
•  Relevant experience in structuring and executing complex and innovative transactions, managing invested portfolio or special assets, preferably in multiple sectors and/or regions.
•  Ability to work within and lead teams and set strategy for complex deals within tight deadlines.
•  Sound business judgment and strong analytical skills.
•  Strong negotiation and transaction execution skills, including the ability to manage and resolve conflicts constructively when stakes are high and multiple stakeholders are involved.
•  Ability to interact directly and independently with senior management of portfolio clients, financial and technical partners, co-lenders, and with senior government officials.
•  Demonstrated passion for working internationally in low- and middle- income countries and ability to travel accordingly.
•  Ability to play an active role in sharing knowledge and lessons learned.
•  Excellent people skills, openness to feedback, new ideas, and ability to guide, and motivate others;
•  Ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
•  Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are required.

NOTE: It is mandatory that you limit your cover letter and CV to a maximum of 2 pages each. Any application which exceeds the limit may be rejected

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.