Current Vacancies at World Bank Group

Job Description

• IFC is looking to recruit an Investment Officer for its Africa Infrastructure department.
• The hiring group is responsible for sourcing, executing, and supervising investment transactions in the energy, transport, telecoms, and municipal & environmental infrastructure sectors in Southern Africa. IFC’s Investment Officers are responsible for the origination, negotiation, structuring, and subsequent supervision of IFC’s investment projects.
• This position is expected to cover all infrastructure sectors and is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The selected candidate will report to the Manager Infrastructure, Southern Africa.  

Duties and Accountabilities

• The Investment Officer will identify new investment opportunities, execute transactions and actively manage portfolio projects predominantly in Southern Africa.
• Business Development: Source and assess opportunities, identify bankable projects anticipating market trends and employing sector/country knowledge; synthesize information into internal reports for decision-making purposes.
• Structuring and Negotiation: Evaluate, structure, negotiate, and close new debt and equity transactions, portfolio restructurings, capital increases, equity sales, etc. Develop innovative and appropriate financial structures for complex transactions.
• Deal Execution and Transaction Management: Deliver all transactions and accountabilities of the role efficiently, on a timely and expeditious basis, and using best practice standards. Ensure that defined transactional requirements recorded in the documentation are executed accordingly. Monitor the portfolio and report development results internally and externally. Coordinate closely with social, environmental, legal, and technical assistance colleagues in structuring transactions, to add value to our clients' businesses, find pragmatic solutions to project and sector challenges, and achieve sustainable development impact.
• Strategy Development and Knowledge Sharing: Contribute to drafting strategies for sectors, countries, or regions for business development; and develop and execute strategies for more complex client engagements with the objective of building a robust investment pipeline. Build IFC's knowledge base for best practices and participate in knowledge sharing and dissemination. Initiate collaboration and share expertise as a subject matter expert, providing advice, peer review, and contribution to knowledge products across the World Bank Group (WBG) to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. Promoting the IFC brand and representing IFC at various conferences and workshops.
• Coordination with WBG: Support World Bank and MIGA colleagues on sector reform and unblocking constraints to attracting private sector capital.
• Mentoring and coaching of less-experienced colleagues to help build talent and grow the skill base of staff.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree in business, finance or similar education relevant to infrastructure investments.
• 6+ years of experience with a commercial bank, a financial advisor, a development finance institution, or a private equity firm with tasks related to private sector project development or financing.
• Proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing private investment projects in infrastructure sectors, ideally including investments in Africa.
• Strong business development and client relationship skills demonstrated by track record; sound business judgment in screening and identifying leads.
• Deep industry and market knowledge of at least one infrastructure sector (energy, transport, telecoms, or municipal & environmental infrastructure); telecoms experience is a plus; understanding of infrastructure challenges faced by countries within the region.
• Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of potential clients, financial and technical partners as well as senior government officials.
• Project/corporate finance and/or equity investment experience.
• Track record of portfolio supervision of complex projects.
• The position requires regional and international travel; hence the candidate should be willing and open to travel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; French or Portuguese is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.

go to method of application »

Job Description

• The Principal Country Officer will play a critical role in developing and operationalizing IFC’s strategy at the country level, in coordination with stakeholders across the WBG.
• The Principal Country Officer will establish and maintain senior public and private sector relationships within South Africa, carry out business development efforts, provide strategic oversight of IFC advisory, upstream and investment programs in the country as well as oversee the Johannesburg office administratively. 

Duties and Accountabilities:

South Africa Country Operations

• In collaboration with relevant IFC and WB teams, (i) support the Regional Director in the formulation and execution of country strategies and diagnostics. 
• Oversee the implementation of IFC/WBG’s strategy for South Africa and the integrated delivery of investment, upstream and advisory services to meet the needs of clients and advance the growth of IFC/WBG business in South Africa.
• Cultivate and maintain high level relationships with key partners in South Africa, including government agencies, private sector, industry organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, World Bank, MIGA, CSOs and other partners.
• Keep abreast of macro-economic developments that can impact IFC’s activities in South Africa and provide regular inputs to Country and Regional Industry management teams as needed. 
• Identify areas of new strategic engagement to be considered by IFC, in close coordination with regional industry colleagues, the World Bank, and other stakeholders.
• Oversee IFC business development efforts in the country, closely working with relevant IFC and Bank colleagues, as relevant.
• Provide strategic input on local issues to investment, upstream and advisory teams.
• Lead missions, country portfolio review meetings and appraisal of new projects, as needed. 
• Liaise with IFC investment teams to monitor progress and performance of IFC projects in South Africa.
• Identify, analyze, monitor, and help address key country and sponsor related reputational risks that may be associated with any IFC engagements in South Africa.
• Disseminates best practices and lessons learned and manages learning and knowledge flows, including full suite of IFC products and solutions related to IFC’s country program with various stakeholders.
• Analyze issues and make recommendations on matters requiring Regional Director approval. 
• Provide effective oversight to the Country Office analysts and officers and undertake quality control of key Country office outputs including strategies, monthly reports, and briefs.
• Develop and/or review memos for senior management approval.
• Represent IFC and/or support the Regional Director to represent IFC in key private and public sector, donor, World Bank or other DFI-led events and meetings as appropriate.
• Participate in targeted business events and conferences to support IFC’s activities in South Africa.
• Communicate key developments in South Africa to relevant corporate stakeholders in coordination with the Regional Director. 
• In partnership with the Regional Director, Communications, and other relevant colleagues, develop and implement appropriate communications strategies for IFC in South Africa.

Johannesburg Office Administration 

• Oversee day-to-day running of IFC’s Johannesburg office, including being responsible for office budget, facilities, security, and logistics. 
• Supervise members of the South Africa Country Team (operations and administrative staff) and provide mentoring. Ensure quality control of work products and efficient use of resources.
• Represents the IFC in the country-level UN Security Management System.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree in Business, Economics, or a related field;
• More than 15 years of professional experience in banking, consulting, relationship management in public and/or private sector/technical advisory services particularly related to private sector development and/or business environment. Experience of development related investment and/or advisory work will be a positive. 
• Experience in investment transactions, with shown success in developing client relationships as well as sourcing, negotiating, structuring, and closing quality investments; Portfolio management experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated strong country knowledge including politics, history, social dynamics, culture, economics, local markets, and regulatory framework. 
• Deep understanding of sector drivers, business/market development cycles within a country, as well as implications of environmental and social sustainability issues, and how sector dynamics may evolve.
• Strong eye for identifying potential investment and advisory opportunities; capacity to identify and help address gaps and barriers for market creation opportunities in assigned country by tapping into relevant internal expertise and synthesizing information on local regulatory and economic context, industry/sector structure, and constraints clients are facing to grow their business.
• Good business analytical, financial analysis, credit, and integrity assessment skills to recognize viable projects, what is bankable and what is not, and how to assess and approach risk/reward trade-offs.
• Proven track record of developing and maintaining senior level public and private sector client relationship skills. Ability to focus on client needs effectively, and ability to operate independently with senior counterparts in a credible manner.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, ability to work successfully in multicultural teams and across boundaries, to build networks across IFC, including the ability to mentor and coach others to achieve results.
• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills in English.
• Proven track record of excellent organizational, administrative, and time management skills; ability to deliver in tight deadlines.
• Willingness to travel.