Associate Operations Officer

Contract

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Associate Operations Officer

Description

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 2021, IFC committed a record $31.5 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

The Financial Institutions Group (FIG), one of IFC’s largest industry departments, is responsible for a significant portion of IFC’s business volume, profitability and development reach. FIG has three main objectives: 1) financial inclusion 2) servicing the real economy and 3) mobilizing third-party resources. To achieve these objectives, FIG invests in numerous financial subsectors and strengthens financial institutions across the region through Advisory Services (AS). The FIG AS program Africa is closely coordinated with investment operations and Upstream and helps banks across the region to build or improve their operations across several focus areas: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (including Gender Finance and Non-Financial Services); Digital Financial Services; Risk Management; Microfinance; Agri-finance; and Climate & Sustainable Finance.

FIG Advisory Services in Africa is seeking to recruit a highly-motivated Operations Officer with technical experience and a demonstrated interest in development finance to support its banking advisory engagements in the region. The position will be based in Rabat, Morocco.

Duties/Responsibilities

• The Operations Officer will be responsible for the origination and management of banking advisory engagements in North Africa region.

• He/she should be capable of delivering substantial and measurable results related to increasing access to banking services for SMEs.

• He/she will also support the knowledge and learning agenda for banking in partnership with other products such as Risk Management and Climate Finance.

• The Operations Officer should have extensive experience in Commercial Banking or related consulting services and be familiar with designing, implementing and managing banking advisory programs.

• The Operations Officer would play an instrumental role in helping FIG AS deliver its targets, especially those related to signing new projects, client cash fees committed, effective project delivery and management and contributing to the AS team’s knowledge management initiatives.

• His/her specific responsibilities in each of these areas are as follows.

• The Operations Officer will support the Banking Advisory Services Practice Group to manage advisory engagements with FIG clients and work to develop new client engagements in the region.

• He/she should be capable of managing and contributing to the delivery of substantial and measurable results in Africa.

• He/she will also support the knowledge and learning agenda for the global advisory team and will be expected to contribute to tools and standards that are rolled out globally.

• The Operations Officer will have extensive hands-on experience working in banking, risk management and digital financial services in emerging markets acquired in a Bank or in a consulting firm.

Engagement Management: Support Project Staff in overseeing and delivering a broad range of strategic advisory engagements in the areas mentioned above. Tasks may include assistance in identifying and selecting short-term consultants/ firms when consultants are sub-contracted on specific components of the advisory mandates and collaborating with them to deliver high impact client engagements. Monitor project KPI, budget and development impact and produce internal documentation including drafting project concept notes, agreements, donor reports and updating of the internal systems. Monitor and review project implementation, scope of work and resources deployed, to ensure project qualitative and quantitative milestones are achieved, and corrective actions taken when necessary. Meet with clients on a regular basis to assess project progress; continually anticipate and respond to client needs to ensure client satisfaction

Business Development: Support business development efforts with banks and NBFIs in Africa to generate high value/high impact advisory engagements, in close coordination with the project teams. Maintain an understanding of overall Bank industry trends, actors and opportunities in Africa. Develop client discussion documents and proposals. Participate in discussions between IFC and prospective clients’ senior management teams to identify and develop advisory services opportunities. Where relevant, manage client relations through open and regular communications to assess satisfaction and anticipate and respond to client needs

Knowledge management: Actively contribute to knowledge management of IFC’s Advisory activities, including capture, development and dissemination of information and knowledge, best practices, solutions and project delivery tools in area of expertise

Thought Leadership: Support thought leadership through contribution to research, articles, assisting in conducting conferences and other knowledge management events, including speaking engagements, training activities that demonstrate FIG’s thought leadership in area of expertise

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in finance, business, marketing, economics, or international development will be required.

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience working in high performing banks and/or consulting services.

• Experience selling, designing, and managing at least 3 - 4 successful advisory programs in the region, gained in a bank or with a leading consultancy firm.

• Strong familiarity with international best practices and global trends in the banking industry in the region.

• Experience working in at least 2 - 3 countries across regions is a plus.

• Strong familiarity with regional trends in Africa and knowledge of the key countries/markets in the region.

• Ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, and credibly represent IFC with clients and stakeholders, including at the senior management level.

• Strong organizational skills with an ability to work under time pressure, in unstructured situations and in case of unexpected events and agility to respond to shifts in client priorities while ensuring delivery.

• Ability to implement innovative solutions and challenge the status quo to build the business.

• Strong leadership skills, a team builder with an ability to lead projects.

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills in French and English.

• Ability to speak in Arabic is a plus.

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.

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