Regional Upstream Lead - Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, Africa at International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Job #:     req5506
Sector:     Operations
Grade:     GH
Term Duration:     3 years 0 months
Recruitment Type:     International Recruitment
Required Language(s):     English
Preferred Language(s):     French
Closing Date:     1/15/2020 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities where they are needed most.

IFC has embarked on an ambitious new growth strategy (IFC 3.0) to stimulate more investment activity, especially in Low Income Countries (LICs) and Fragile and Conflict affected Situations (FCS). This strategy calls for generating our own opportunities by proactively working “Upstream” to create, deepen, and expand markets and to imagine, design and implement investment projects. It requires taking a systematic approach to understanding the regulatory and sector bottlenecks that prevent the flow of private capital into productive investment in our member countries, and addressing these bottlenecks through World Bank engagement on policy reforms and programmatic interventions at the country and sector level. It also requires capacity to leverage WBG programs and projects to (i) develop our own proactive sector interventions and (ii) to imagine and design self-standing projects even in the absence of reforms.

IFC has created Global and Regional Upstream Units in the Global and Regional Industry Departments (Financial Institutions Group, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services) to identify the relevant market/investment gaps, and how they can be closed by addressing regulatory/sectoral/transaction blockages. Ultimately, it is about incubating impactful multi-year pipeline of market opportunities and bankable projects.

IFC is seeking a Regional Upstream Lead - Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, Africa, to be based in Nairobi, to drive the Upstream work for the sector in the region. The selected candidate will focus on developing high-quality Upstream pipeline under direction of the Regional Industry Director and in partnership with the relevant Country/Regional Managers, Regional Industry Managers, Global/Regional sector teams and other Regional Upstream Leads, and in close coordination with Global Upstream Managers. S/he will also support integration of advisory services, policy work and other interventions across the World Bank Group to prioritize various initiatives and to maximize the impact of Upstream efforts. The position will report to the Regional Industry Director.

The roles and responsibilities of the position will include but not be limited to:

 Business Responsibility

• Identify, assess and prioritize Upstream opportunities based on country and sector strategies and market creation potential.
• Imagine, design (i.e. develop feasibility studies, market assessments, implementation plans, etc.) and structure Upstream projects that lead to IFC investments.
• Develop scalable solutions and platforms similar to “Scaling Solar” that can be replicated across markets.
• Spot game-changing trends, technologies and business models that can help bring solutions to emerging markets.
• Support staff across IFC in developing proposals and supporting materials for Upstream seed funding and evaluate seed funding proposals.
• Lead the administration of and reporting of the assigned Upstream portfolio including monitoring progress against KPIs and preparing regular reports on the status of the Upstream portfolio to enable portfolio decision-making.

Client and Stakeholder Responsibility

• Work with country and sector teams to generate ideas about new investment opportunities, new products and platform businesses by leveraging sector-specific data analysis, stress-testing various operating models, dialogue with stakeholders, and information sharing across the WBG.
• Work with the World Bank to identify and implement sector and regulatory reforms that are needed to unlock opportunities for private investment, including leveraging the Bank’s lending program.
• Proactively convene stakeholders, form partnerships and connect expertise from investment and advisory staff, industry specialists, the World Bank Global Practices, sponsors, clients and other external parties to enable delivery of Upstream projects.

Knowledge Capture and Management

• Connect global and regional teams, ensure solutions and knowledge flow across IFC and the World Bank Group, and promote adoption of new approaches and best practices.
• Build external recognition of IFC’s distinctive capabilities in working Upstream to catalyze greater flow of investment opportunities in the sector.

People and Resource Responsibility

• Mentor and manage staff working on Upstream activities.
• Support relevant manager(s) in staff recruitment and skills development.
• Support the creation and implementation of incentives to motivate and reward Upstream activities.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree or equivalent professional qualification in Business, Finance, Economics, International Relations, Science, Engineering, or other relevant field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in project and/or program development, producing feasibility studies, hands-on advisory and/or consulting functions in emerging markets.
• Genuine commitment to development and to the World Bank Group and IFC's mission, strategy and values.
• Understanding of IFC’s strategic priorities and changing business model against the backdrop of IFC 3.0.
• Demonstrated capacity to innovate and challenge the status quo and proven track record of new idea generation, business development, and creating projects/programs from scratch.  
• Deep understanding of the manufacturing, agribusiness and services sectors and ability to link policy reforms, advisory interventions, investment, and mobilization to deliver solutions at a country level via the Cascade approach.
• Track record of engaging with private sector clients, local and national governments and other stakeholders to encourage pioneering business and market development.
• Demonstrated experience in project/program management, including executing against implementation plans with defined business development milestones.
• Demonstrated experience in monitoring and reporting on a portfolio of projects/programs/initiatives.
• Outstanding analytical and critical thinking skills; demonstrated ability to synthetize complex information and make concrete strategic and tactical recommendations.
• Gravitas to interact directly with senior management of clients, technical partners and with senior government officials.
• Sensitivity for working in multicultural environment, commitment to diversity, and ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues/clients/partners across regions, sectors and business lines.
• Excellent people skills, openness to feedback, new ideas, and ability to guide, and motivate others.
• Ability to mentor and coach junior staff, share experiences and ensure quality.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.

Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. 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