Job Description
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. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
The Financial Institutions Group (FIG) is one of IFC’s key departments responsible for a significant portion of IFC’s business volume (approximately 40%), profitability, and development impact. 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 FIG South Asia Regional Industry Team is seeking an Investment Officer with significant market and industry experience to help grow and develop its business across the region. The selected candidate will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and will focus on supporting new business development and portfolio management across the region. With a diverse network of markets, the region’s pipeline of new transactions ranges from equity investment opportunities in financial institutions and fintech companies to structured finance products that help develop local capital markets.
Roles and Responsibilities
• Analyze operational and financial performance as well as credit and integrity risks of potential clients and projects; present recommendations to the business development team on whether to pursue a straightforward deal and alternatives for structuring it
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• Collaborate in developing client strategies, engagement plans, and pitchbooks for various sectors and countries, including IDA and FCS countries; conduct sector analysis to be used as input to sector strategies
• Collect financial and operational information from clients; research pricing information, policies, and procedures
• Build complex financial models, perform due diligence and financial analysis, and/or provide quality control over financial analysis and projections developed by an analyst to evaluate the benefits and risks of straightforward transactions
• Ensure adequate and systematic capture of project, sector, and country benchmarking information to capture lessons learned and support decision-making in future transactions
• Assess and articulate development impact, IFC’s role, and additionality in straightforward transactions; engage with the IFC economics team to develop AIMM story, including any market creation impact
• Prepare content to convey persuasive and convincing ideas following investment banking quality standards, financial models reflecting different transaction structures, and valuation of companies
• Draft memos and concept notes for repeat business; independently handle waivers, amendments, and ESAM for straightforward portfolio projects (in coordination with relevant departments) under the general supervision of senior investment officers
• Follow up with mid- and senior-level clients to resolve problems on straightforward projects
• Engage with mid-level clients on straightforward projects to understand their business directions and challenges that may lead to new opportunities; support the design of client engagement plans as applicable
• Establish and maintain relationships with mid-level clients and other stakeholders (government, development partners, WBG) to explore straightforward business opportunities
• Monitor macroeconomic indicators of sector and country market conditions as well as social and political information that are relevant to the assigned portfolio
• Perform credit and risk assessments, financial projections, covenant compliance reviews (debt), and monitor changes to risk flags for determining performance assigned to a portfolio, with limited supervision
• Perform assessment of project development impact and articulate realization of AIMM story and market creation impact, if any
• Contribute to structuring the blended finance component of projects, including providing relevant inputs for the modeling of respective risks and subsidies, and assessing solutions that help rebalance the risk/return profile of investment projects
• Prepare investment committee materials for straightforward transactions, ensuring adequate applicability of IFC’s policies and procedures
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (legal, ES&G, economists, and sector specialists) to identify ways to strengthen the development impact and financial sustainability of projects
• Support senior investment officers in preparing and presenting investment proposals to the IFC Blended Finance Committee
• Hold accountability for the preparation and quality of investment committee materials focusing on financial and non-financial risk assessments and deal structuring for straightforward transactions
• Prepare quarterly portfolio reports that include analysis of trends over time, key issues, and areas of potential concern
• Prepare brief documents summarizing postmortem insights from portfolio reviews and reporting to identify improvement opportunities and best practices
• Supervise and ensure the quality of portfolio reporting information prepared by junior staff, providing broader industry, subsector, and country perspectives on project risks and issues
• Lead efforts to synthesize information from past transactions and extract lessons learned within a targeted area; identify topics warranting broader and more in-depth analysis
• Research untapped markets to identify constraints to private sector investment as input to upstream market creation decisions or Country Private Sector Diagnostics
• Responsible for doing rating reviews of loan loss reserve on a quarterly basis for the assigned portfolio; run models for equity valuations to determine the need to modify exit strategy
• Structure straightforward transactions to add value to clients and mitigate risks, taking into consideration lessons learned from earlier transactions and portfolio management
• Lead straightforward investment transactions incorporating lessons learned from IFC’s earlier investments and portfolio management; ensure timely processing, thorough due diligence, and client satisfaction
Selection Criteria
• Master’s degree in a related field and at least 5–8 years of relevant experience; related fields of education include business, finance, or economics, or an area of expertise specific to a sector, subject matter, or industry specialty; accreditation as a CFA or CPA is considered a plus; relevant experience could include a proven track record in business consulting, investment banking, private equity, or operational experience in the sector or technical or professional field
• Ability to apply and understand investment transactions to concretely assess business opportunities and possible solutions to create markets
• Capacity to identify barriers to market creation opportunities in a targeted country by tapping into relevant internal expertise and synthesizing information on local regulatory and economic contexts, industry and sector structure and landscape, and constraints clients are facing to grow their business
• Ability to identify and contribute to designing novel and/or scalable approaches, such as leveraging WB instruments or de-risking/blended finance tools
• Understanding of relevant country strategies
• Knowledge of IFC ES&G standards and how they relate to client engagement and WB products and operations
• Evidence of active listening skills by paying full attention and asking questions to clarify client and stakeholder needs and gather required information
• Ability to interact effectively with clients and stakeholders by acting professionally, responding to their requests and inquiries, delivering what is promised, and meeting deadlines
• Capacity to build productive and mutually beneficial relationships and networks internally and externally to identify business opportunities, discuss structuring alternatives, and resolve issues
• Ability to maintain a relevant network in the sector, country, and region to identify new business opportunities and markets
• Excellent written, verbal communication, and presentation skills to effectively influence the perception and support of clients/stakeholders
• Ability to draft documents and reports that are concise, well-organized, and appropriately focused on the most critical points relevant to the target audience
• Utilize charts, graphs, and other presentation techniques to simply communicate complex data and concepts
• Ability to share valid opinions and new observations relevant to project outcomes with project leaders in a manner that is concise, cohesive, and focused
• Ability to tailor explanations of IFC’s value proposition to specific clients and share relevant information on industry practices
• Understanding of market and sector drivers, business and market development cycles, regulatory environments, and how business performance and long-term competitiveness and viability are measured within a sector, and how sector dynamics may evolve within a country or region
• Proven analytical, financial analysis, equity valuation, and financial modeling 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
• Capacity to consider transactional aspects of the opportunities being created through Upstream initiatives
• Expand transaction experience by working on straightforward investment transactions with a diverse range of clients across multiple financial subsectors and by getting exposure to a variety of funded, unfunded, corporate finance, and structured finance products
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.