Associate Investment Officer, Financial Markets

Background / General description:

The International Finance Corporation headquartered at Washington D.C., USA is the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group. Established in 1956, IFC’s mission is to promote private sector investments in developing countries, which will reduce poverty and improve people’s lives. IFC offers a full array of financial products and services to companies in its developing member countries through long term loans, equity investments, guarantees and advice.  The Africa department of IFC is looking to recruit an Associate Investment Officer. The Associate Investment Officer will be part of the Financial Markets team and work primarily with the Private Equity Funds team. The Private Equity Funds team is responsible for:  i) surveying private equity funds in emerging markets and developing a pipeline of high quality funds that meet IFC's developmental goals. ii) Executing the pipeline by undertaking thorough due diligence and structuring within the context of the IFC investment process  iii) Managing the existing portfolio of private equity funds by actively monitoring investment performance and portfolio issues  iv) Facilitating and managing co-investment opportunities between the portfolio funds and the other investment departments in IFC 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.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Undertake reviews of funds and investee companies and prepare supervision reports, including portfolio performance analyses in comparison to relevant benchmarks as well as compliance with IFC’s environmental and developmental outcomes reporting systems;  • track and monitor compliance of portfolio companies and propose courses of action in the event of non-compliance;  • analyze corporate financial data and other industry information to identify and monitor issues that may affect IFC’s investments and recommend actions where necessary;  • develop an understanding of the target countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, provide market intelligence, and develop strong business networks;  • conduct market studies and help develop a pipeline of potential fund investments; perform research to determine the level of activity and attractiveness of valuations and returns of funds, define future trends, and identify best in class managers;  • undertake due diligence of potential fund investments; participate in the structuring, negotiating and execution of deals;  • prepare investment review materials and presentations to investment committees to obtain investment approval and negotiate fund documentation;  • communicate IFC’s strategy for funds and its rationale for engaging in specific transactions.

Selection Criteria:

• MBA or Chartered Accountant or equivalent qualification  • Minimum of five years relevant work experience, preferably in a private equity firm;  • Knowledge of the private equity market in emerging markets, as well as the critical success factors for investing in private equity funds  • Knowledge of and work experience in Africa, preferably in financial markets;  • Ability and willingness to travel extensively while continuing to deliver high quality outputs; • High professional integrity and sound business judgment in identifying potential business partners and businesses;  • Ability to analyze complex structures and assist clients in financial structuring;  • Highly motivated and energetic, outstanding interpersonal skills, with a collegial and sharing work style; comfortable working in a matrix organizational structure; ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds;  • Ability to multi-task in a target oriented environment and produce high quality, error-free work while meeting very tight deadlines; • Ability to problem solve, think through solutions with limited supervision and pro-actively seek counsel where needed; • High level of clarity in thinking, self-organization skills and aptitude for managing multiple processes; • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; Additional skills in French will be a significant plus. The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya. IFC offers rewarding careers in a challenging environment that allows for professional and personal growth.  IFC’s Recruitment and Employment Policies reflect its strong values for cultural, racial and gender diversity: IFC encourages women to apply To apply click here