Operations/Senior Operations Officer at IFC International Finance Corporation

Job #: 162440

The Role of the Program Leader

• IFC Program Leaders (PLs) work closely with the CAF Regional Directors (RD), Regional Heads of Industry (RHIs) the IFC Country Managers (CM), and - where the position is joint with the Trade & Competitiveness (T&C) World Bank Group (WBG) Global Practice (GP) - with the respective T&C Global and Regional Leads.
• The PL works with the relevant staff across the WBG to design and implement Joint Implementation Plans (JIP) to achieve the country’s strategic goals identified through the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS)/ Country Partnership Framework (CPF).
• The IFC Program Leader role was introduced as a partner to the World Bank Program Leaders specifically to support the design and implementation of those joint implementation plans which have a significant private sector component and are particularly complex, requiring delivery by multiple units and departments within IFC. Joint PL positions with T&C also assist teams in the design of joint WBG agribusiness solutions that integrate cross-WB solutions according using the T&C Global Agribusiness approach.
• IFC PLs draw on their technical skills to manage dialogue with clients, define problems and possible solutions, and work with the WB PLs, Industries, Advisory units as well as the World Bank Country Management Units and the Global Practices to determine ways to meet key country challenges.
• To be effective in this role the PL will bring technical skills, strong integrative skills, effective communication and in-depth knowledge of the IFC as well as solid understanding of the program and modalities of WBG Global Practices.
• This Terms of Reference relates specifically to the joint CAF/T&C PL’s role for the implementation of relevant Joint Implementation Plans in the Agribusiness sector, specifically in West Africa. The position will be based in Accra/Lagos.
• PLs will have dual reporting lines to the IFC region and T&C Competitive Sectors unit (Global Agribusiness Team). PLs report to the IFC Region for their IFC role, which is expected to absorb 50% of the staff member’s time, while the remaining 50% of the PLs time will be used to deliver a work program for T&C’s Global Agribusiness team. The duties and accountabilities described below cover both halves of this work program.

Duties and Accountabilities
Strategy, Relationship Management:

• With the CM and Industry Managers, manages client relationships in support of the assigned JIP to the PL for program development and implementation, coordinating and integrating the engagement of various IFC units to deliver on the program;
• Connects technical expertise and knowledge across multiple IFC, and WBG units to service the Client;
• As T&C Global Agribusiness Team member, integrate T&C technical offering - as relevant to the Client - into the discussion of JIPs with IFC, Agriculture GP and other key WBG partners;
• Maintain up to date information on the total SSA JIP portfolio and milestones and integrate this into strategic planning with T&C Global Agribusiness;
• Serve as T&C Global Agribusiness team focal point for the T&C regional SSA agribusiness specialists:
  • Receiving and conveying requests for Global Agribusiness support from SSA regional colleagues;
  • Coordinating with the T&C Global Agribusiness Lead for delivery and response to regional team requests;
  • Providing direct technical support on agribusiness topics and on T&C collaboration and coordination of effort with IFC and Agric GP.

Integrated program development:

• With clients, and with the WB PL, RHis, Industry Managers and CM, finalize the development of assigned JIPs with a particular emphasis on thematic, multi-sectoral work, with clear mix of interventions and results framework;
• Facilitates collaboration across the WB, IFC and MIGA to ensure that final JIPs would provide integrated solutions to clients. Presents JIPs to the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) when needed;
• Works with RHIs, RDs and Global units to identify and mobilize the appropriate staff and donor resources (if required) to deliver the JIPs;
• Support the joint T&C/Agriculture GP technical teams formed around joint product offerings with Agri GP, like Agri Spatial Solutions, and others under development;
• Serve as a technical specialist in support of joint operations with the Agriculture GP and ensure communication and appropriate linkages with IFC MAS staff around these.

Program implementation:

• Engages pro-actively in an advisory role with IFC teams, CMs and clients on the overall program implementation and jointly with WB PL periodically reports progress to the RCM;
• Provides upstream input to teams to enhance quality, including at Concept Review Meetings, but does not play a formal clearance or concurrence role in quality assurance;
• Drawing on relevant substantive and country knowledge, ensures ongoing program is delivering expected outcomes and, works with RHI, CMs, regional staff, WB PL and clients to problem solve and make adjustments based on learning, changing circumstances and client needs;
• In collaboration with Industry or Advisory Managers, coaches and mentors in-country staff working on the program (including providing feedback on performance appraisals) and participates in Industry Management meetings related to program implementation;
• Carry the team role for joint product offerings, as described above, into implementation for SSA.

Knowledge, Learning, Solutions:

• Initiates and captures outcome of discussions around key development challenges with clients.
• Facilitates knowledge generation and promotes knowledge sharing, both under the IFC program role and as a apart of the T&C Global Agribusiness team, particularly in sharing global best practice around key agribusiness topics:
  • Develops partnerships with local and regional knowledge institutions, think-tanks and NGOs to facilitate knowledge exchange;
  • Actively participates in GP or IFC communities of practice as appropriate;
  • Contributes expertise and inputs to other countries and on global and regional tasks as required;
  • Does Peer Reviews as requested;
  • Works on corporate assignments, as feasible.

Selection Criteria
In addition to the IFC-wide core competencies, this position requires technical breadth and depth to devise development solutions and carry out client dialogue, a combination of integrative skills, strong operational experience, sensitivity to the political economy of the country(countries) concerned, in-depth knowledge of IFC services and products, and strong communication/language skills. Specifically, PLs should have:

• In-depth knowledge of IFC operations including Investment and Advisory instruments, experience in work programming, budgeting, task management;
• A basic understanding of World Bank products and preparation cycles;
• Demonstrated experience working with Agriculture GP teams and IFC teams a strong advantage.
• Demonstrated client orientation through identifying and evaluating emerging opportunities and challenging others to remove barriers and to deliver beyond client expectations
• Demonstrated achievement of results - through building a culture that consistently delivers high-quality products and services to clients and through engaging others in implementing strategies that have long-term impact
• Demonstrated leadership in teamwork and inclusion to support collaboration and working across boundaries, and ensuring diverse talent and capability is mobilized
• Master's or PhD degree in relevant fields and typically the successful candidate will have a minimum of 10-12 years’ experience in development
• French language skills highly desirable.