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. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.
IFC is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and economic inclusion as laid out in IFC’s 2030 Roadmap for Gender and Inclusion to deliver game-changing private sector partnerships and programs to accelerate gender equality and inclusion in emerging markets. Aligned with the new World Bank Group (WBG) Gender Strategy (2024-30): Accelerate Gender Equality to End Poverty on a Livable Planet, IFC’s Roadmap is built on six priorities offering high potential for impact in and through the private sector. These areas aim to:
1. Allocate Capital that Drives Inclusion
2. Make Supply Chains Inclusive
3. Remove Barriers to Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Leadership (including addressing gender-based violence). Equally important are two cross-cutting themes that are foundational to achieving sustainable results across the priority areas and require action
4. Bridging the Digital Divide
5. Accelerating Inclusive and Gender-Smart Climate Action, and
6. Ending Gender-based Violence and Harassment.
As part of its mandate, IFC’s Cross-Cutting Vice Presidency includes a dedicated team, the Gender and Economic Inclusion (GEI) Department (GEID), that works with IFC’s investment and advisory teams to support private and public sector clients in providing all genders and underserved communities with equal economic opportunities as leaders, employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, and community members. GEID leads strategy development and implementation for the organization; provides tailored operational solutions and client advice; innovates and incubates novel approaches; serves as a thought leader and disseminator of knowledge on GEI issues; supports mobilization through impact investing and sustainable financing; and forges public and private sector partnerships to create economic opportunities and development for all.
Beyond GEID, IFC industry and cross-cutting departments implement investment and advisory projects that are flagged for their contributions to IFC’s corporate commitments and targets on gender via its Corporate Scorecard (CSC) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). To trigger a Gender Flag, an investment or advisory project needs to be intentionally designed and implemented with an explicit focus on closing gaps between women and men. GEID will track and report on gender-flagged projects across IFC and provide regular portfolio analyses of IFC’s GEI engagements.
The Global Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officer will report to the Manager, Global Operations, and coordinate a team of Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers reporting to Regional Gender Hub Leads.
Duties and responsibilities
Gender Value Creation and Reporting
• Lead work on the Gender Flag, IFC’s key internal tool for identifying investment and advisory projects with gender and economic inclusion components. This includes (but is not limited to) leading the quality assurance process for IS and AS, building staff capacity, and creating processes to facilitate coordination and efficiency.
– Build a strong team with Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers, and with Regional Gender M&E specialists across GEID
– Support quality assurance of the flag: manage the periodic ex-post review of gender-flagged projects to ensure timely monitoring and updating of projects to ensure quality of the flagged projects that contribute to IFC’s Corporate Scorecard/KPIs, in collaboration with Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers; support them in performing ex-ante reviews (and associated processes) as needed
– Ensure strong coordination with global industry gender teams
– Serve as Gender Flag anchor to troubleshoot questions and respond to requests from industries’ gender teams, regional gender teams, portfolio officers, and others
– Develop support materials, guidance notes and tip sheets to build staff capacity to flag adequately, including via delivery of trainings
– Update and maintain GEID’s Gender Flag intranet page
• Ensure timely and high-quality reporting on the Gender Flag and gender indicators included in IFC’s CSC/KPIs, and as needed on the gender capital increase commitments.
– Create quarterly reporting files with details on gender flagged projects, to share with regional and industry gender teams. Coordinate with Inclusive Business (IB) team on their reporting files
– Collate key examples, information and inputs for reporting purposes (e.g. MD Front Office Quarterly Gender Info Sheet), review quarterly regional reports as needed
– In coordination with regional portfolio officers, review and analyze Advisory and Investment project data and other key indicators to prepare regular progress updates and analysis on Gender Flag and IFC Corporate Scorecard/KPI gender indicators to help inform management as/when needed
– Ensure Flag and IFC CSC/KPI gender data and information is reflected across various IFC’s operational dashboards and reports, including for e.g. Reporting and Analytics Team KPI report, IFC Operations Report (IOR), Portfolio and Risk Report (PRR)
– Coordinate with the Reporting and Analytics Team, IT, regional and industry gender teams to ensure gender flags are appropriately reflected in IT systems, such as iPortal along with the required documentation.
– Ensure inputs related to gender indicators is reflected in various corporate reports, including for e.g. the IBRD-IFC Capital Package and the Forward Look
– Ensure alignment between gender flag reporting and the data in internal IFC systems and on IFC dashboards, requiring close collaboration with relevant internal stakeholders, such as Advisory/Upstream Secretariat, Portfolio, and IT teams.
Impact and M&E
• Work closely with GEID TL/Impact team on gender-related impact data in project results frameworks
– Participate proactively in “refreshing” the Flagging process under IFC Impact Task Force to create greater accountability for outcomes throughout the project cycle.
– Coordinate with GEID TL/Impact and M&E colleagues to help create standardized approach to impact for gender interventions across investment and advisory project results frameworks (aligned with WBG Scorecard).
– Support Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers to ensure consistent application of standardized gender indicators, once finalized, across gender flagged investments, in close coordination with GEID TL/Impact.
• Work with GEID TL/Impact team and sector economists on integration of gender through IFC’s anticipated impact measurement and monitoring (AIMM) system and inclusion of gender indicators in the AIMM navigator and other respective IT systems. Also, support the implementation of gender related inclusion uplift in the AIMM framework.
– Support regional GEID M&E specialists to ensure consistency in M&E approach across gender standalone projects and in country programs, in close coordination with GEID TL/Impact.
– Review projects and provide inputs, as requested, to support impact generated by integrating gender on AIMM scores.
Regional/Country Strategy
• Provide support, oversight and guidance to Regional Gender Hub Leads and Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers to ensure consistent and timely creation (and subsequent monitoring) of IFC Regional Gender Action Plans, liaising with GEID Strategy team.
• Provide oversight and guidance to Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers to ensure consistent and timely GEID contributions to various WBG country engagement such as Country Partnerships Framework (CPFs), Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs), Country Strategies, and Country analytics, in coordination with Regional Gender Hub Leads and Regional Portfolio and Strategic Engagement Officers. The objective is to support country offices in analyzing gender gaps that restrict economic growth, and implications of policies for women-led businesses, and ultimately to help prioritize specific gender equality outcomes in CPFs.
• Help collate data, information and inputs as needed across regions and/or Hubs to respond to requests from management
• Provide support on One WBG “focus” countries as needed, in coordination with the Bank
Partnerships, Donor reporting, and Communications
• Actively prepare and coordinate with subject matter experts and regional staff to facilitate partnerships building.
• Collect data and report on progress and results to development partners, donors and internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaise and coordinate with GEID TL/Partnerships team as and when needed to ensure consistency in approach and engagement with development partners and donors.
• Assist in preparing internal corporate briefing materials, talking points, and speeches for Operations Manager as well as regional and senior management.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and management across regions, liaising with GEID TL/Knowledge team as and when needed.
Selection Criteria
• Master’s degree in business, economics, finance, international relations or other relevant discipline required
• At least seven years of relevant work experience
• Analytical Skills and Technical Proficiency: Strong attention to detail and ability to analyze financial and performance data across multiple industries and regions.
• Demonstrated experience in effectively utilizing advanced Excel and dashboard reporting tools. Familiarity with R or STATA is a plus.
• Demonstrated excellent communication at all levels of the organization; ability to communicate insights from data effectively.
• Proven ability to manage and coordinate with diverse stakeholders, fostering strong internal relationships across departments to drive collaboration and achieve project goals.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, positive and collaborative attitude, ability to participate effectively in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication skills (written and spoken) in English.
• High degree of passion, commitment to development impact and gender equality. Understanding of the key concepts around gender and private sector development. Familiarity with IFC is a plus.
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.