Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.
The International Finance Corporation (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 in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
The upstream/ advisory team is part of the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) at IFC. Our unit supports World Bank Group initiatives to increase financial access and facilitate job creation across Eastern and Southern Africa. We design and deliver advisory projects that enable investment opportunities, enhance investment outcomes, and improve investment conditions – critical activities for the corporation to deliver on its ambitious strategy.
IFC is seeking an Operations Officer (OO) to support strategic priorities for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) department of the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The OO will be responsible for supporting the origination, design, and implementation of client engagements, in close collaboration with Industry, Country and World Bank Group colleagues. Primary responsibilities include Business Development and Project Management.
Role Responsibilities:
• Lead the identification and assessment of opportunities in Eastern and Southern Africa, in close collaboration with the IFC investment and country teams; work with the World Bank to identify and help implement sector and regulatory reforms that are needed to unlock opportunities for private investment.
• Provide quality research and analysis for market and opportunity creation, including market mapping, comparator analysis, barrier analysis, and sector and company financial projections and models, including analysis of potential clients to help generate ideas for new Investment and Upstream/Advisory projects, new products, and platform businesses.
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of high-quality advisory initiatives and interventions.
• Lead the development of compelling pitch books and proposals for prospective clients.
• Lead discussions on specific fund-raising initiatives, collaborating closely with the Partnerships team, and deliver on donor fund raising.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and build partnerships with staff across IFC and the World Bank Group, sponsors, clients, and other external parties to enable delivery of Upstream and Investment projects.
• Lead IFC project and teams, documentation, planning, and monitoring of deliverables to ensure timely and quality delivery of the work program.
• Manage the production of regular reports on the assigned portfolio, including monitoring progress against project milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Coordinate efforts and develop initiatives to disseminate and exchange knowledge with internal and external parties, and review lessons learned to help improve current projects or processes; support thought leadership through contribution of expertise, assisting in conducting conferences and other knowledge management events, including speaking engagements, training activities that demonstrate FIG’s thought leadership in area of expertise, and exchange with other regions.
• Mentor junior team members working on Upstream/ advisory activities.
Selection Criteria
• A master’s degree in Business, Economics, Finance, International Development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience of at least 12 years in the financial sector, of which 8 should be in Banking or related consulting services.
• Excellent track record in the origination, design, implementation, management, oversight, and monitoring of technical assistance projects.
• Excellent track record in the origination, design, implementation, management, oversight, and monitoring of investment projects.
• Strong understanding of the financial sector and ability to link policy reforms, advisory interventions, investment, and mobilization to create markets and deliver novel and/or scalable solutions at a country level; strong understanding of international best practices and global trends in the banking industry; good knowledge of regional trends in Eastern and Southern Africa.
• Good knowledge of FIG Upstream / Advisory areas of work, including MSME finance, Digital Financial Services, Climate Finance, Agrifinance and Risk Management.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills; understanding of financial/portfolio indicators, budgeting, and financial projections and ability to synthetize complex information and make concrete strategic and tactical recommendations.
• Excellent leadership skills, a team builder, with a demonstrated track record of managing teams on complex projects and programs.
• 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 communicate ideas clearly and confidently, and credibly represent IFC with clients and stakeholders, including at the senior management level, in both the public and private sectors.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
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.
