Senior Investment Officer at International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Job Description

• We are recruiting a Senior Investment Officer to be based in either Accra, Ghana, Lagos, Nigeria or Dakar, Senegal, as part of its Regional Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS) team in Africa.
• The selected candidate will provide expertise in the Services sectors (including tourism, retail, property, health, and education) to the IFC MAS regional industry (investment) teams in Africa. 
• This role requires strong and demonstrated technical skills in sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and executing transactions and in portfolio management.
• The Senior Investment Officer will also have a significant role in setting strategies to grow IFC’s Africa Services business, as well as day-to-day responsibilities leading transactions, and portfolio management. 
• She/he will report to IFC Regional Industry Manager, Services, for West, Central, North Africa, and Horn of Africa.

Duties and Accountabilities

• Develop a strong pipeline of good quality investment opportunities through proactive origination/business development and developing and employing sector/country knowledge. 
• 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. 
• As project team leader and sector investment expert, evaluate, structure, negotiate, and close new transactions, portfolio restructurings, rescheduling, capital increases, equity sales, as necessary.
• Develop innovative and appropriate financial structures for complex transactions.
• Lead term sheet negotiation/legal documentation process; use strong negotiation skills to develop solutions and overcome impasses in straightforward and complex transactions.
• Mentor and develop junior staff.
• 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 in order 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 (commercial and residential), health, and education.

Selection Criteria

• Candidates should possess an MBA or equivalent qualification. 
• At least 12 years of experience in corporate and/or project finance with a proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing investments. 
• Excellent financial, credit and equity skills; demonstrated ability to creatively structure a variety of complex debt, mezzanine, and equity instruments.
• Expertise in consumer services sectors i.e., tourism, retail, commercial and residential property, health and education sectors   
• Proactiveness, strong business development/origination and client relationship skills, and ability to focus on client needs effectively. 
• Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of potential clients, financial and technical partners, as well as senior government officials.
• Sound business judgment in identifying potential business partners and investment opportunities.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills in English.
• Ability to speak French is a plus but not mandatory.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues.
• Team player.  Ability to work sensitively and effectively in a multicultural setting.
• Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Willing to travel (or live) in various regions in Africa (as long as safety standards are met based on the World Bank Group standards).
• Strong passion in sustainable economic development.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong research, financial analysis, and quantitative skills.
• Strong Computer skills to develop user-friendly/punchy analyses/presentations (word, excel, and PowerPoint).