The position is being advertised across four locations as noted above, ultimately reporting to the Regional Upstream Manager, Infrastructure, Africa.
• Coordinating with key stakeholders to create the enabling environment to mobilize private sector investment through regulatory and policy reforms.
• Developing business models and platforms that can be scaled across regions, countries and sectors, and facilitating transformational projects.
The timeline for these activities to progress from concept launch to final investment is 2-3 years or longer and, as such, staff in these roles have multi-year objectives with concrete deliverables (i.e., milestones) for each fiscal year. The overall objective is to create enabling environments and advance sector markets across Africa, especially in LIC / FCS countries.
The specific roles and responsibilities of the position will include but not be limited to the following:
• Work with IFC and other World Bank Group (WBG) stakeholders to prioritize Upstream projects and initiatives and ensure they are incorporated in the relevant sector, country, and regional strategies.
• Scope and prioritize work program based on these agreed-upon strategies and stakeholder engagements.
• Create development metrics and monitoring approaches to ensure continuous progress in all aspects of the team’s work.
• Identity and harness technologies, business models, and opportunities for new approaches that can accelerate development impact within a region or across countries and sectors.
• Work across IFC and WBG to facilitate standardization and wholesale approaches to increase scale and efficiencies as well as innovate, including through warehousing and blending to de-risk projects and diversify the investor base.
Transformational Project Facilitation
• Source projects and initiatives by engaging with senior officials in WBG, governments, other development organizations, and the private sector and by uncovering needs through strategic analysis, including WBG Country Private Sector Diagnostics, Country Strategies, and similar initiatives.
• Connect expertise from investment and advisory staff, and external partners to projects and initiatives.
Sector Engagement
• Participate in the identification of needed market and regulatory reforms and design of sector interventions to create enabling environments in new markets.
• Partner with sister organizations in the WBG and others to provide input to the development of sector-specific development strategies, from diagnostics to implementation.
• Provide input and guidance to the development of IFC’s country strategy and provide substantive input to country diagnostics and WBG strategy documents.
• Coordinate a network of staff working on upstream activities across their sectors to ensure efficiency and collaboration of efforts.
General
• Develop innovative, scalable approaches for creating enabling environments for private sector investment, with a focus on digital economy.
• Manage individual initiatives that support Upstream priorities.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders related to initiatives and disseminate knowledge across teams.
• Draw on investment and advisory staff, industry specialists, and external consultants as needed.
• Mentor and coach junior staff and share experiences.
Investment
For the investment stage, the successful candidate will be responsible for:
• 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, 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 client’s businesses, find pragmatic solutions to project and sector challenges, and achieve sustainable development impact.
Selection Criteria
• At least a Master’s degree, or equivalent professional qualification, in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or Law.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in the developing world on non-routine financing or development of private or PPP infrastructure projects in challenging environments. Familiarity with project development, management, documentation, and negotiations (PPAs, concessions, EPC and O&M contracts, etc.) and limited recourse project financing. A deep understanding of bankability constraints for greenfield projects is a must.
• Excellent understanding of digital technologies, digital transformation of society, and digitally enabled business model trends relevant to socio-economic development in the African context and enthusiasm to stay abreast of new innovations is a plus.
• Knowledge of the various infra core sectors (power, transportation, utilities, telecoms, natural resources); equity investment, project finance, and renewable energy finance experience is essential.
• Excellent analytical, investment, business development, networking, integration, negotiation, and relationship management skills to facilitate working successfully across IFC/WBG, industry sectors, regions, business lines, and external stakeholder groups (both public and private sector).
• Commitment to the mission, strategy, and values of IFC and the wider WBG.
• Good understanding of IFC’s strategies, systems, functions, and abilities.
• Experience in IFC (or other DFI) ‘mainstream’ investment operations a distinct advantage.
• Mastery of IFC/WBG’s products (including de-risking products) and services as well as approaches for mobilizing private sector funding.
• Track record of engaging with client companies, shareholders, and government officials to encourage pioneering business and market development.
• Strong capacity for innovation and challenging the status quo to build the business.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
• Proven ability to function effectively as a team member of multi-disciplinary teams and resolve conflicts constructively.
• Prior work experience in Africa and good knowledge of the digital sector issues in the region is a plus.
• Ability to mentor and coach junior staff, share experiences and ensure quality.
• Willingness and ability to travel.
• Genuine commitment to sustainable development.