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.

Private sector financial development is essential to the promotion of successful and sustainable economies in low and middle-income countries around the world. Sound and efficient financial markets can ensure that resources are allocated where they are most productive, assisting job creation and spurring economic growth. IFC’s goal is to prioritize investment in the financial sector because it promotes development in all other sectors.

The Financial Institutions Group (FIG) is one of IFC’s key Departments responsible for a significant portion of IFC’s business volume, profitability and development reach, approximately 40%. FIG engages in a wide range of sub-sectors including Microfinance, SME, Gender, Climate, Insurance, Capital Markets, Housing, Distressed Assets, and other areas, with both investment and advisory services delivered globally to IFC’s clients through IFC’s global network.  FIG has three main objectives: 1) financial inclusion 2) servicing the real economy and 3) mobilizing third-party resources. The goal is to develop efficient financial systems that will increase financial inclusion and fuel economic growth in client countries and enhance IFC’s developmental impact.

FIG West Africa (FIG WA) team is based across the region with main hub and offices in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and the Sahel region. The team members work on both new business development and portfolio management across the region. With a diverse network of markets, the pipeline of new transactions ranges from investing fresh equity or guarantees in banks to structured finance products to help develop local capital markets. 

FIG WA Regional Industry Team is recruiting an Investment Officer with good local market and industry experience to help grow and develop its business in West Africa as well as across the continent. The Investment Officer will report to the FIG Regional Industry Manager covering West Africa and will be based either in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire or in Dakar, Senegal.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The roles and responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
•  Handle client relationships and provide insight into sector developments in client countries to anticipate new investment opportunities and/or performance issues.
•  Establish and maintain relationships with mid-level clients and other stakeholders (government, development partners, WBG) to explore business opportunities.
•  Engage with mid-level clients of projects to understand their business directions and challenges that may lead to new opportunities, and support design of client engagement plans, as applicable.
•  Lead investment transactions incorporating lessons learned from IFC’s earlier investments and portfolio management.
•  Work with the team on developing new opportunities, managing internal and external stakeholders, investment processing and portfolio management.
•  Understanding of industry drivers, business/ market development cycles, and how business performance and long-term competitiveness/viability are measured within industry and how industry dynamics may evolve within a country/ region.
•  Capacity to identify barriers for market creation opportunities in a targeted country by tapping into relevant internal expertise and synthesizing information on local regulatory and economic context, industry/ sector and landscape, and constraints clients are facing to grow their business.
•  Capacity to build productive and mutually beneficial relationships/networks internally and externally to identify business opportunities, discuss structuring alternatives, and resolve issues.
•  Work closely with other Industry teams to support development of strategic partnerships with clients and expand IFC’s FIG services to include among others, innovative digital technologies.
•  Collaborate in developing client strategies/ engagement plans and pitch books for industry and countries.
•  Provide key support, and in some cases lead in identification, appraisal, structuring and negotiation of financial sector investments.
•  Analyze operational and financial performance as well as credit and integrity risks of potential clients/projects.
•  Build complex financial models (including for equity valuations), perform due diligence and financial analysis, and/or provide quality control over financial analysis/projections developed by analyst to evaluate benefits and risks of transactions.
•  Identify and analyze fundamental competitive strengths and weaknesses of projects or portfolio companies and identify non-financial issues, opportunities and risk/reward factors (e.g. business environment, country, and sponsor).
•  Perform assessments related to Paris Alignment and Climate Risk in investments.
•  Coordinate with internal stakeholders to identify ways to strengthen development impact and financial sustainability of projects.
•  Actively keep abreast of regional and industry developments and incorporates trends into the processing or supervision of projects.
•  Handle disbursements, waivers and complex client interactions such as restructurings; monitor and value equity investments and recommends/executes the sale of holdings.
•  Follow up-with mid and senior level clients to resolve problems on projects.
•  Monitor existing investments in portfolio companies, comprising various types of financial entities.
•  Review and analyze the financial and operating performance of clients, including covenant compliance reviews and impact reporting; prepare quarterly risk ratings, annual supervision and other management reports as well as country strategy papers, briefs and project profiles.
•  Responsible for rating reviews or loan loss reserve on a quarterly basis for the overall assigned portfolio and monitor changes to risk flags to determine performance of assigned portfolio with limited supervision.
•  Apply knowledge of project/portfolio lifecycle to identify and meet critical path milestones, and to implement tasks (including production of documents) in a timely and high-quality fashion for the processing or supervision of projects.
•  Supervise and ensure quality of portfolio reporting information prepared by junior staff, providing broader industry, sub-sector and country perspective into project risks and issues.

Selection Criteria

•  Master’s degree in finance, economics or other related areas; accreditation as CFA or CPA is considered equivalent.
•  At least 7-9 years of relevant experience in the financial sector, with a proven track-record of sourcing, structuring and closing investments preferably both in equity and debt, including Capital Markets.
•  Good understanding of the perspective of the commercial banks, insurance companies and other financial intermediaries, including their business drivers, the scope of their operations, and their interests, so as to be able to successfully engage.
•  Clear experience and expertise in identifying, evaluating, structuring and negotiating debt and equity transactions; experience in portfolio management.
•  Good understanding of financial and operational characteristics of financial institutions.
•  Good understanding of IFC’s financial instruments, requirements, main investment agreements/ standard contracts and provisions, all aspects of transactions to provide input for optimal structuring of a prospective opportunity, and internal deal and portfolio processing.
•  Proven analytical, financial analysis, equity valuation, and financial modelling skills to analyze and form conclusions on company financial information or projects and industry indicators. Able to oversee and provide quality control feedback on financial models prepared by analysts.
•  Understanding of credit and non-financial risks associated with straightforward projects and specific aspects of a complex project, and how to satisfactorily mitigate those risks based on understanding of how IFC assesses risk/ reward tradeoffs.
•  Ability to draft documents and reports that are concise, well-organized, and appropriately focused on most critical points that are relevant to the target audience.
•  Sound business judgment and strong problem solving/negotiation skills, as well as ability to work effectively on simultaneous projects under time pressure.
•  Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills in English and French or Portuguese
•  A keen interest in development finance and working in a multicultural environment.

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.