Senior Investment Officer, Agribusiness and Forestry- Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

Job #:	132111
Title:	Senior Investment Officer, Agribusiness and Forestry
Job Stream:	Investment
Location:	Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Closing Date:	10/17/2013
Background / General description:
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. IFC’s investments in Sub-Saharan Africa have never been stronger, helping to bring tangible benefits to millions of people across the region. Building its strategy on the improvement of the investment climate, enhancing support to small and medium enterprises, and developing projects more actively, in particular in the poorest countries and fragile states as well as in sectors such as infrastructure and agribusiness, we have been able to grow our regional commitments from $ 445 million in FY 05 to $18.4 billion in FY ‘13. To strengthen our pipeline and maintain the momentum, IFC is seeking to recruit a Senior Investment Officer to lead investment and business development activities, execute transactions, and actively manage portfolio projects in the Agribusiness and Forestry with a focus on fragile and conflict affected states. The overall goal for all Investment Officers, irrespective of level of seniority, is to maximize the impact of IFC’s intervention and to contribute to the regional and/or sector/industry development in our client countries by executing innovative, developmental, and profitable investments.  The position is based in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire, and will report to the Manager of Agribusiness and Forestry for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Duties and Accountabilities:
Specific responsibilities include, but will not be limited to: • Identify, evaluate, negotiate and close investments in agribusiness, manufacturing and services; • Manage portfolio companies until exit; propose portfolio restructurings, capital increases, equity sales etc; • Develop new businesses in Cote d’ Ivoire and other fragile and conflict affected states, provide innovative and flexible financial structures for complex transactions; • Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, global and regional private businesses, banking and multilateral partners and government officials to further develop specific investment opportunities in agribusiness and forestry with a high developmental impact; • Set standards for thoroughness in quality control and make recommendations to strengthen transactions; • Lead and manage project teams; mentor and develop junior staff; • Contribute to the development of sector strategies; • Coordinate closely with social, environmental, and technical assistance colleagues to add value to our clients' businesses; find pragmatic solutions to the specific challenges in agribusiness to achieve sustainable development impact.
Selection Criteria:
MBA or equivalent qualification; • Minimum 10 years of experience in finance at a financial institution and/or agribusiness companies with a proven track-record of sourcing, structuring and closing investments, with a focus on projects in emerging markets and Africa; • Knowledge of agribusiness, manufacturing and services trends, issues, challenges and opportunities; candidates with additional experience in forestry have a competitive advantage; • Successful track record in leading project teams with highly qualified professionals and in guiding and mentoring junior investment staff; • Strong business development and client relationship skills, ability to focus effectively on clients’ needs; • Excellent financial and credit skills; demonstrated ability to structure a variety of complex financial instruments (debt and equity); • Robust analytical and problem solving skills to identify issues and present creative and practical solutions; • Sound business judgment to identify potential business partners; • Ability to interact directly and independently with the senior management of potential clients, of financial and technical partners as well as senior government officials; • Capacity to deal with conflicting priorities and deliver high quality work on schedule; facility to work successfully in multicultural teams and across boundaries; • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and in French; • Genuine commitment to highest ethical standards and to sustainable development with particular sensitivity to social and environmental issues. If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.

http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/Careers_Ext_Content/IFC_External_Corporate_Site/IFC%20Careers/Career%20Opportunities/CareerOpportunityPlaceHolder?JobReqNo=132111