IFC - Investment Officer

Investment Officer

IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is the largest multilateral provider of financing for private enterprise in emerging markets. Investing in progress, innovation and partnership, IFC is at the forefront of private sector development. IFC provides loans, equity, structured finance and risk management tools; it mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability and provides advice to governments and businesses. The Corporation is active in nearly all sectors, emphasizing those with a high developmental impact.

IFC Investment Officers lead business development, execute transactions, and actively manage portfolio projects. The overall goal of an Investment Officer is to maximize the impact of IFC’s intervention and to contribute to the regional and/or sector/industry development in our client countries by executing innovative, developmental, and profitable investments for IFC.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Identify, evaluate, negotiate and close investments
• Manage portfolio companies until exit; propose portfolio restructurings, capital increases, equity sales, etc
• Develop new business and provide innovative and flexible financial structures for complex transactions

·         Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, global and regional private businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop specific investment opportunities as well as to develop industry sectors with a high developmental impact

• Set standards for thoroughness in quality control and make recommendations to strengthen transactions
• Lead and manage projects teams; mentor and develop junior staff

·         Contribute to sector and regional strategies; support promotion and policy advisory activities

·         Coordinate closely with social, environmental, and technical assistance colleagues to add value to our clients' businesses; find pragmatic solutions to the specific sector challenges to achieve sustainable development impact.

Qualifications required:

·         MBA or equivalent qualification

·         At least 8+ years experience in finance with a proven track-record of sourcing, structuring and closing investments, possibly with a focus on projects in emerging markets 

·         Knowledge of industry sector trends, and expertise in one or several of the  following sectors

o        Financial markets

o        Infrastructure 

o        Agribusiness

o        Information and communication technologies 

o        Manufacturing and services

o        Oil, gas, mining and chemicals

o        Health and education

·         Strong business development and client relationship skills, ability to focus effectively on clients needs 

·         Excellent financial and credit skills; demonstrated ability to structure a variety of complex financial instruments (debt and equity)

• Robust analytical and problem solving skills to identify issues and present creative and practical solutions

·         Sound business judgment to identify potential business partners

·         Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of potential clients, of financial and technical partners as well as senior government officials

·         Proven track record in mentoring junior investment staff

• Capacity to deal with conflicting priorities and deliver high quality work on schedule; facility to work successfully in multicultural teams and across boundaries

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; fluency in other languages, in particular Chinese, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian or Arabic a plus

·         Genuine commitment to highest ethical standards and to sustainable development 

·         Willingness to travel extensively and geographic flexibility (openness to re-locate to one of IFCs regional hubs).

Positions are based….. and require international travel.