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 IFC Southern Cone Region is seeking an experienced professional as a Country Officer to join the team to help build IFC’s activities across all industries in Paraguay and Uruguay, in particular, but working as part of the Southern Cone regional team that covers Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The position will be based in Buenos Aires and report to the Southern Cone region’s IFC Senior Country Manager.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

•  Work with the Senior Country Manager and the Senior Country Officer to oversee the formulation, development, and implementation of IFC’s strategy in Paraguay and Uruguay, including preparing business plan updates and progress review meetings. Coordinate the development of IFC’s strategy.
•  Support the preparation of WBG strategy documents, including IFC strategies, Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSD 2.0), Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF), etc.
•  Work closely with IFC investment, advisory, upstream, and relevant WBG teams to roll out IFC’s strategy and help develop the project pipeline. Establish and maintain working-level relationships across IFC, WBG counterparts, and private sector clients, governments, and other relevant stakeholders to create business opportunities.
•  Oversee integration and delivery of IFC’s investment and advisory activities in Paraguay, Uruguay (and other relevant countries, as required) to ensure clients’ needs and objectives of IFC strategies are met.
•  Identify, evaluate, and support complex investments and sector projects by providing critical insights into the country’s context and the political economy.
•  Participate in client selection and help ensure IFC works with appropriate sponsors. Share accountability for the quality and performance of IFC’s portfolio.
•  Oversee or supervise assigned staff and consultants.
•  Oversee and support members of the broader team through mentoring, coaching, and providing on-the-job learning opportunities.
•  Establish and maintain working-level relationships across IFC, WBG counterparts, and private sector clients, academia, governments, and other relevant stakeholders to develop business opportunities and strengthen portfolio management.
•  Ensure quality control of work products.
•  Ensure efficient and effective use of resources.
•  Provide input and guidance to the development of IFC’s country strategy and provide substantive input to country diagnostics and WBG strategy documents.
•  Participate in designing approaches and interventions to create upstream markets and identify needed market and regulatory reforms.
•  Prepare/coordinate the preparation of high-quality briefs for IFC senior management.
•  Develop various communication and briefing materials for internal and external audiences.
•  Provide support for high-profile events and high-level visiting missions.
•  Support IFC’s brand and overall communication strategy.
•  Represent IFC externally and provide visibility for IFC through organizing and participating in high-profile events (high-level visits, seminars, and conferences). Ensure internal and external requests are addressed.

Selection Criteria

•  Master’s degree, preferably in economics, finance, business administration, public policy, or a similar field, and at least 6-8 years of relevant experience. Relevant experience could include a proven track record in the financial sector, business consulting or investment banking, or experience with a multilateral organization.
•  In-depth understanding of how IFC works and its strategies and priorities.  Understanding WBG and IFC’s mission, objectives, and work at the country level will be critical to the role.
•  Ability to collaborate with WBG organizations to leverage its products and instruments.
•  Ability to identify opportunities for collaboration on high-value projects and recognize potential COIs based on a good understanding of WBG, IFC (investment and advisory), and WBG products and project requirements.
•  Ability to initiate and guide collaborative efforts with WBG organizations to leverage its products and instruments.
•  Capacity to understand, enable, and participate in market creation opportunities and interventions to strengthen investment climate by demonstrating long-term perspective, open-mindedness, persistence, and understanding of IFC/WBG roles and value-add in new markets.
•  Ability to participate and constructively contribute to meetings with government officials on constraints to private sector investments in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
•  Capacity to identify and promote specific interventions to remove or mitigate market creation barriers in sectors and geographies using approaches beyond IFC, business line, or industry to enable private sector investment.
•  Ability to understand the political context and mindset of government officials.
•  Good analytical, financial, credit, integrity assessment, business skills, and strategic perspective to intuitively recognize project viability, bankability, and expected sustainable development impact early on, identify portfolio management vulnerabilities, and determine best approaches for managing complex transaction and portfolio risks.
•  Industry/Sector Knowledge: Broad knowledge of Paraguay and Uruguay’s key sectors and industries, including their viability for market growth and market challenges, as well as implications of environmental and social sustainability issues and how sector dynamics may evolve.
•  Ability to tap into and leverage resources with expertise in sectors and industries, including risks, market dynamics, and regulatory structures. Able to read and anticipate shifts in market trends and the implications for IFC’s current and future business.
•  Country Knowledge: Demonstrated extensive knowledge of Paraguay and Uruguay, including its politics, history, social dynamics, culture, economics, local markets, and regulatory framework.
•  Ability to develop a coherent and compelling storyline or rationale for why specific deals are proposed and how they fit into IFC’s long-term strategies.
•  Excellent critical thinking, analytical, and presentation skills, and ability to work with or supervise the use of data utilizing standard office software Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
•  Fluency in English and Spanish, both verbal and written skills are required. 

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.