(Senior) Investment Officer, Corporate Finance Services (CFS) at International Finance Corporation (IFC)
(Senior) Investment Officer, Corporate Finance Services
(CFS)
CFS is seeking a Senior Investment Officer with strong
M&A experience to help support the execution of our business strategy in
the Africa Region. The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will report
to the Global Manager, CFS. The Senior Investment Officer will support the CFS
regional teams with global capacity, with the objective of facilitating
business development and executing transactions.
Duties and Accountabilities
- Strategy:
Helping to design and implement CFS’s strategy working closely with the
regional WBG teams, with a focus on WBG’s strategic priorities in the
Africa region.
- EMP/
M&A Advisory: Collaborating with regional leads to drive the
origination and execution of buy-side and sell-side advisory;
restructuring advisory; and EMP services mandates in the Africa region.
- Pre-IPO
Advisory: Leading origination and execution of strategic pre-IPO advisory
mandates in the five regions. Execution will include supporting teams in
advising clients on listing processes, appropriateness, timing,
regulations, and relevant key issues; reviewing and advising on current
corporate structure, balance sheet structure, valuation, and business
planning; preparing detailed timetables for listing, broker selection, and
prospectus review; preparing management and the board for listing; and corporate
governance group advisory services.
- Relationship
Management: Maintaining strong relationships with internal regional and
industry counterparts in the Africa regions, with the objective of
identifying collaboration opportunities that enhance business development
and delivery that are aligned with IFC corporate objectives.
- Client
Management: Working closely with multi-regional clients and with relevant
internal resources to help clients to develop a transaction strategy, and
to undertake bankability assessment, funding feasibility, financial
modelling, business planning/restructuring.
- Processing:
Providing overview on the drafting key transaction reports and project
documentation (Marketing documents for each transaction, Information
memoranda, due diligence, and transaction structuring reports, and
transaction contracts and agreements, etc.).
- Mentorship:
Mentoring junior colleagues and helping them to achieve business targets
- Corporate
Initiative: Supporting IFC’s “brand” in the CFS space, building on IFC’s
regional brand and overall communications strategy.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate must possess the following skills
and experience:
- Commitment
to development and alignment with the World Bank Group and IFC’s mission,
strategy, and values
- A
Master’s degree or equivalent professional qualification in finance,
business, law, consulting with a minimum of 12-15 years relevant
experience. A background which combines one or more of these areas of
experience will be preferred.
- Seasoned
in equity transactions, as a principal investor, an advisor, or
underwriter, including in an investment bank, VC, PE type
institution.
- Transaction
advisory experience in buy side mandates, sell side mandates,
restructuring mandates, preferably in the disruptive technology space.
- Track
record of delivering targeted results on M&A, Restructuring and IPO
mandates under stressful timetables and environment.
- Proven
success in developing strong client relationships and executing mandates
across borders and in difficult environments.
- Experience
taking companies public on major international stock exchanges such as the
New York stock exchange, London Stock exchange etc, is plus.
- Strong
track record of business delivery, demonstrated investment experience,
superior business judgment and established professional credibility.
- Excellent
team player and demonstrated ability to work effectively with a dispersed
team in a dynamic and multicultural environment.
- Ability
to work collaboratively with superior facilitation, and interpersonal
skills.
- Strong
written and verbal communications skills.
- Ability
to represent IFC externally and to develop and manage relationships with
clients, media, donors, and other stakeholders.
Senior Investment Officer – Global Leads, CPV’s Fund Platform at International Finance Corporation (IFC)
IFC is seeking a Senior Investment Officer as the Global
Lead for CPV’s funds platforms SME Ventures and Start-up Catalyst. The
successful candidate will be based at IFC’s Nairobi, Kenya Office and report to
the Manager of CPV’s Cross-Cutting Solutions team. S/he will work across all
geographies where the platforms invest, which include Sub-Saharan Africa,
Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Central America, and other regions as
required.
Duties and Accountabilities
This is a dynamic role that requires a high level of
interest in PE and VC investments, international business, emerging markets,
and development impact. Responsibilities of the Senior Investment Officer are
divided among new business, portfolio management, program management, and
corporate strategy.
These include:
- Implement
the overall strategy for CPV’s funds platforms SME Ventures and Start-up
Catalyst, including making recommendations on strategy objectives and
adjustments as necessary.
- Lead
business development, due diligence, negotiation, and transaction
structuring of new business opportunities and liaising extensively with
colleagues across the region and industry verticals.
- Develop
an understanding of the target countries for the platforms, provide market
intelligence, and develop strong business networks.
- Conduct
market studies and develop a pipeline of potential fund investments for
the platforms, perform research to determine the level of activity and
attractiveness of fund opportunities, define future trends, identify
best-in-class managers to fulfill the mandate, and review the forward
calendar of fund managers actively fundraising.
- Communicate
IFC’s strategy for SME PE funds and early-stage VC funds and its rationale
for engaging in specific transactions to both internal and external
stakeholders.
- Develop
and make strategic SME PE fund and early-stage VC fund investments, based
on rigorous due diligence of prospective funds.
- Review
existing fund investments and investee companies, represent IFC on funds’
advisory committees, and identify and propose courses of action for any
fund-related issues that need to be addressed.
- Manage
the portfolio of global SME PE fund and early-stage VC fund investments,
helping investees leverage the resources and expertise of IFC and the
broader WBG.
- Analyze
macroeconomic data, corporate financial data and other industry
information to identify and monitor issues that may affect IFC’s
investments and recommend actions where necessary.
- Support
the identification of market creation and deepening initiatives to foster
private capital markets and SME and early-stage VC fund investing in
relevant frontier markets in alignment with country, sector, and IDA and
FCS strategies.
- Identify,
establish, and maintain strong relationships with global stakeholders in
the SME PE and early-stage VC funds space to build networks, identify new
funds, mobilize capital, manage existing portfolio, and facilitate
connections for commercial and strategic partnerships.
- Represent
IFC’s PE and VC teams in internal and external events, develop relevant
corporate initiatives, partnerships and engagement on PE and VC-related
business to enhance IFC’s strategic positioning in the PE and VC spaces
across all geographies.
- Coordinate
and host the annual SME Ventures Forum and other relevant program events.
- Collaborate
with advisory colleagues with identifying and implementing relevant
programming within the cross-cutting solutions team to support value
creation, GP institutionalization, and LP engagement for the platforms’
funds.
- Manage
a team of investment professionals working on the platforms.
Selection Criteria
- At
least 12-15 years of work experience, of which at least 6-8 years are in
investment banking, private equity, and/or venture capital investing with
emerging markets transaction experience across multiple geographies
required;
- MBA or
equivalent degree required, from a leading international institution
preferred;
- In-depth
knowledge of the PE and VC markets in multiple emerging and frontier
markets;
- Demonstrated
experience in working with PE and VC fund managers, developing a pipeline
of potential fund opportunities, and evaluating fund strategies;
- Transaction
experience in and analytical knowledge of LP investing;
- Strong
existing and relevant network amongst PE and VC funds, research
institutions, private companies, and financial and strategic investors who
are active in multiple emerging market PE and VC ecosystems;
- Experience
in funds portfolio management, including prior experience as an LP
advisory committee member;
- Ability
to quickly understand the primary drivers of a variety of businesses,
diagnose problems, and think through solutions in a PE and VC investing
context;
- Extensive
experience and familiarity working with/in SMEs and early-stage start-ups
in frontier markets to guide fund managers in how to drive operational
improvements and value creation;
- Willingness
to focus on more difficult markets and experience with frontier markets
and fragile and conflict-affected countries targeted by the platforms;
- Experience
organizing and hosting events, implementing advisory work, including
managing budgets, developing and tracking metrics to assess effectiveness,
and overseeing reporting and audit requirements;
- High
professional integrity and sound business judgment in identifying
potential fund investments and fund manager partners;
- Strong
verbal and written communication skills in English (additional languages a
plus), including soft skills needed to influence and garner trust from
CEOs and GPs globally and credibly represent IFC with clients and
senior-level stakeholders;
- A
strategic thinker with an ability to see the “big picture” of country,
regional, and global private sector development challenges and proactively
identify transformative opportunities;
- Strong
organizational skills with an ability to work under time pressure, deal
with conflicting priorities, and respond to ad-hoc shifts in client
priorities and unstructured situations;
- Ability
to work successfully in a matrix organizational structure and lead and
motivate a multicultural team across geographies;
- Strong
analytical, financial, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills and sound
business judgment to identify issues and present creative and practical
solutions;
- Strong
client service orientation with an openness to feedback and new ideas;
- Genuine
interest in and commitment to the WBG and IFC’s mission, strategy, and
values;
- Ability
and willingness to travel extensively and work across time zones.