Senior Operations Officer at IFC – International Finance Corporation

DescriptionIFC — 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.

The IFC 3.0 strategy aims to stimulate more investment activity across emerging markets, especially in Low Income Countries (LICs) and Fragile and Conflict affected States (FCS). Our goal is to create, deepen, and expand markets and design and develop impactful investment projects. This strategy is, in part, premised on improved country/sector diagnostic, strategic, and public sector engagement capabilities, which seek to: 1) resolve obstacles to private sector growth via diagnostic and strategic work that informs both IFC operations and relevant IBRD/IDA policy operations; and 2) overcome the shortage of investable projects in priority markets by proactively improving the private sector ecosystem at the country and regional level.

The Country Advisory And Economics Team For The Eastern And Southern Africa Region (CAEAE) Supports The Region Through Provision Of Country Economic Diagnostics, Strategy, And Engagement Products As Well As Through Direct Support To Operational Teams And Country Units, In Collaboration With Economists Throughout The World Bank Group. Specifically, The Team Has Four Principal Functions

• Producing both regional and country-level economic assessments to support IFC’s strategy and operations.
• Collaborating with regional and industry colleagues to produce analytical products such as Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs) and IFC Country Strategies.
• Significantly contributing to WBG products such as Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDR), and IBRD/IDA lending operations; and
• Putting IFC’s country strategy and diagnostic recommendations into practice through Advisory projects that engage with governments, regulators, civil society, development partners and other relevant stakeholders to reform markets and sectors and address key bottlenecks to private sector development.

CAEAE is hiring a Senior Operations Officer to be based in Nairobi, Kenya working closely with IFC country, industry, and upstream teams in select countries in the Eastern Africa Region. The Senior Operations Officer will report to the Country Advisory & Economics Manager for Eastern & Southern Africa. The position is based in Kenya but the roles and responsibilities will include other countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Roles and ResponsibilitiesRoles and Responsibilities

The selected candidate will be responsible for delivering market-creating client solutions by leveraging local and regional resources. In this respect, the focus will be to ensure that CAE programs are responsive to IFC’s strategic priorities, and focused in countries and sectors to enable and create private investment opportunities. The Senior Operations Officer will be part of the sub-regional CAE leadership team and will work closely across all core functions of CAE.

Client and Stakeholder Management:Client and Stakeholder Management:

• Responsible for new business development in line with client and market needs; lead key sector diagnostics with the client and work closely with country and sector economists and industry specialists in shaping innovative and impactful CAE advisory engagements aligned with IFC country priorities.
• Engage and communicate with senior levels of the Government and private sector; to identify and articulate the case for improvements to the business environment to unlock investment potential and promote, attract and sustain private investments – both domestic and foreign.
• Provide technical oversight of the CAE programs in Kenya as well as other countries in the region quality and consistency of approach.
• Work collaboratively with Investment/Advisory Anchors across Industry teams to align advisory to help build a pipeline of private investment opportunities and provide solutions to key clients.
• Engage with the relevant teams at the World Bank and IFC to identify, articulate and make the case for systemic reforms needed to unlock new markets and new job creating investment opportunities and to work collaboratively with IFC Upstream teams and CMUs.

Design and Operationalize Solutions:Design and Operationalize Solutions:

• Review and contribute to the development and approval of relevant project documents and client deliverables to ensure standards and objectives are met in line with IFC Advisory Governance;
• Participate in senior level client meetings to provide technical advice and monitor progress in implementing investment climate reforms.
• Leverage relationships with Government officials, private sector and World Bank Group staff to design and implement reforms using existing or new projects and tools to support reform implementation.
• Improve the design and delivery of client solutions by incorporating global good practices and lessons from past. Proactively partner with results team in developing appropriate theories of change and results frameworks and indicators to strengthen the development impact and sustainability of client solutions and continuously learn from client projects/ engagements.
• Ensure high quality of project supervision and completion documents and provide quality control over client deliverables and efficient use of financial resources. Moreover, support client in implementing recommendations and help trouble shoot as needed.

Create and Share Knowledge:Create and Share Knowledge:

• Identify and participate in conferences to showcase IFC offerings and value proposition, which includes serving as panelist/ moderator for internal and external events.
• Host knowledge transfer sessions across the region,
• Conduct research to shape ongoing and future offerings in investment climate reform and develop new tools and guidance to incorporate internal and external best practices.

Build Capacity:Build Capacity:

• Design and deliver training and communication strategy for Investment and Advisory staff to better enable them to be advocates of CAE programs, and for external stakeholders to generate interest in investment climate reforms and understanding of why it is important/ advantageous to businesses, community and/or economy.
• Drive strengthening the value proposition of Advisory products through embracing new trends and partnerships.
• Help build a bench strength of experts and consultants in the thematic areas of leadership across the region.

Staff Supervision:Staff Supervision:

• Oversee/ supervise assigned staff and consultants.
• Develop technical capabilities of the assigned staff and members of the broader practice group team through mentoring, coaching, structured training program and by providing on-the-job learning opportunities.
• Ensure quality control of work products and outputs
• Determine resources needed to support projects and ensure efficient/ effective use of resources.
• Manage project budgets and align staffing needs. Selection Criteria
• Master’s degree in Economics, Law, Finance, Business or a closely related field.
• At least 12-15 years’ experience in private sector development, with a focus on delivering IFC government facing advisory programs and experience in legal/regulatory reforms in at least 2 regions and across a variety of IDA and FCS markets. Extensive experience in engaging very senior levels of government in design and delivery of IFC advisory programs.
• Strong skills and demonstrated track record in delivering impact through advisory engagements in the area of business enabling/investment climate reform. Previous experience on sector specific engagements that leverage technology or climate solutions would be an added advantage.
• Robust understanding of IFC and WBG products/ instruments and where there are opportunities for cross-organizational collaboration. Demonstrable experience working on IFC and WBG products will be an advantage, including experience of leading or supporting cross industry engagements.
• Able to design, negotiate and lead efforts to develop client offerings that reflect in-depth knowledge of thematic area and understanding of business case for how thematic focus will help client to improve their business.
• Able to identify how changes in markets, business climate, regulations or emergence of new/ successful innovators/ disruptors may create new opportunities for IFC to accelerate its mandate in a thematic area.
• Able to design research and analytical projects of complex projects to credibly produce new understanding of a thematic issue and/or potential opportunities to unlock new markets or new streams of business. A strategic mindset that can develop innovative programs within a cross industry narrative and proactively forge partnerships; both internal and external.
• Excellent knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and aptitude to learn new systems is a must. Ability to use project management systems is a plus. Proficiency in use of IFC tools such as Iportal would be an added asset.
• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills plus fluency in English is must.