Investment Officer - Consumer Services and Manufacturing Sectors at International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Duties And Accountabilities

The Investment Officer will work closely with colleagues in the Africa region and in Washington, DC, on business development, investment transaction execution, portfolio supervision, and client relationship management in Consumer Services (Tourism, Retail, Property, Health and Education) and Manufacturing Sectors. The responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the development of a strong pipeline of good quality investment opportunities through proactive origination/business development and developing and employing sector/country knowledge.
• Lead transactions to evaluate, structure, negotiate, and close new transactions, portfolio restructurings, rescheduling, capital increases, equity sales, as necessary.
• Contribute to the development of innovative and appropriate financial structures for complex transactions for debt, equity and mezzanine investments and hands-on implementation of these structures.
• Clearly and succinctly communicate/present (verbal and written) credit analysis and investment proposals.
• Lead term sheet negotiation/legal documentation process; use strong negotiation skills to develop solutions and overcome impasses in straightforward and complex transactions.
• Provide high quality client service throughout the project cycle from transaction sourcing and processing to supervision. High quality work and quality control.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regional clients, businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop the sector and to develop specific investment opportunities.
• Assist in the formulation, monitoring and updating of IFC’s strategy in the Services sectors in Africa region, working with IFC’s industry and regional departments and in close coordination with the World Bank.
• Coordinate closely with social, environmental, governance, and technical assistance colleagues to add value to our clients' businesses, find pragmatic solutions to the specific sector challenges, and achieve sustainable development impact.
• Support in providing thought leadership within the team, specifically on the Services sectors- tourism, retail, property, health, and education.

Selection Criteria

• MBA, Master’s degree in Finance or equivalent
• At least 8-10 years of relevant work experience in a private equity firm, commercial bank, investment bank or international financial institution with significant emerging markets presence
• Experience in leading and processing investment transactions (corporate and project finance), with proven success and track record in developing client relationships with the ability to focus on client needs effectively as well as sourcing, negotiating, structuring and closing quality investments
• Experience in services sectors i.e. tourism, retail, commercial and residential property, health and education sectors, and relevant experience originating and structuring transactions in these sectors.
• Knowledge of and experience in investing in emerging markets
• A strong network in West and Central Africa is a plus;
• Strong business development/origination track record and demonstrated judgment in identifying/screening potential business partners and investment opportunities
• Strong financial and credit skills; demonstrated ability to structure a variety of financial instruments (debt, equity, mezzanine)
• Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of clients, financial and technical partners as well as senior government officials
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work successfully in multicultural teams and across boundaries and to build networks across the region, including the ability to mentor and coach others to achieve results
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and time management skills
• Strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability. Proven ability to work independently and deliver promptly and efficiently under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Willingness to travel extensively and geographic flexibility
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, fluency in French will be an advantage.