Regional Director, West Africa

Job #: req18460
Organization: IFC
Sector: Others
Grade: GI
Term Duration: 4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date: 8/9/2022 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description
IFC—a member of the World Bank Group (WBG) — 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 2022, IFC committed a record $32.8 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 unprecedented levels of uncertainty and volatility. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

IFC is seeking to recruit a Regional Director for West Africa. The Regional Director will oversee regional operations for the sub-region (covering Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo), coordinating, integrating, and managing the day-to-day operations. The position will be based in Dakar, Senegal, and will report to the Regional Vice President, Africa.

The Regional Director will play a crucial role by leading the regional team, overseeing the implementation of IFC strategy, and managing key client and government relationships. S/he will be an integral part of the leadership team of the Africa Vice-Presidency.

Duties and Accountabilities

Business Responsibility
• In close collaboration with the Economics VPU, the Global Industry Directors and Regional Industry Directors, lead IFC teams in designing and implementing Country Strategies and Business Plans for IFC’s Upstream engagements, Investment Services and Advisory Services.
• Ensure that IFC Country Strategies informed by Private Sector Diagnostics and Sector Deep Dives are fully reflected in WBG Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF).
• Provide input into and support for private sector-led prior actions in World Bank policy lending in close collaboration with the Regional Leadership Team.
• Lead business development, including relationships with private sector clients, governments, World Bank/MIGA and relevant regional development banks for West Africa sub-region.
• Together with Regional Industry Directors, accountable for business selection and reviews, as per the Accountability and Decision-Making Framework.
• Manage the regional P&L.
• Clear client relationships from the Integrity Due Diligence (IDD) perspective.
• In collaboration with the Director of Environment, Social & Governance (ESG), monitor the ESG performance of IFC clients and address ESG risks and issues related to IFC’s operations in the region.
• Achieve development outcomes in West Africa sub-region, in close collaboration with Regional Industry Directors.
• Monitor and propose relevant adjustments to IEG reports related to the Region’s work program in close collaboration with the Regional Industry Directors.

Client and stakeholder responsibility and partnership
• Lead government and government linked relationships as well as regional private sector client relationships in close collaboration with the Regional Leadership Team.
• Collaborate with WBG counterparts to identify and execute on opportunities for WBG solutions, applying the Cascade approach.
• Represent IFC in the WBG Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) meetings and ensure a seamless flow of information and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure close collaboration with the World Bank, MIGA as well as other DFIs in the sub-region.
• Develop and strengthen IFC’s brand in the region, building on IFC’s global brand and the overall communications strategy and coordinate and support external fundraising efforts in the sub-region.

People and resource management responsibility
• Provide leadership and people management to the regional team.
• Manage budget for the regional department with a goal to increase effectiveness.
• Implement agreed corporate initiatives for enhancing efficiency and client service.


Selection Criteria

In addition to the WBG managerial selection criteria*, the following qualifications are sought:

• Master's degree or equivalent professional qualification in economics, finance or business and a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience
• Commitment to the World Bank Group’s and to IFC's mission, strategy and values.
• Strong technical understanding of the Upstream, Investment and Advisory businesses, including client relationship management, business development, and pipeline management, in the context of regional priorities and opportunities
• Strong track record of business delivery, demonstrated investment experience, superior business judgment, policy dialogue and established professional credibility
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and fluency in English; French language would be a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, prioritize effectively, set direction, mobilize resources, and deploy them flexibly, teamwork and collective leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with superior interpersonal skills.
• Ability to represent the organization to external clients and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively and manage a large and dispersed team in a dynamic and multicultural environment.
• Excellent people management skills and openness to feedback; new ideas and ability to guide staff to solutions to problems.
• Demonstrated highest standards of integrity and decisiveness.
• Ability and willingness to take decisions and deal with ambiguity, as well as take accountability and hold others accountable for results.
• Ability to deliver results under stressful timetables and environment.
• Ability to build organizational capacity through system and process improvements, be a change agent and serve as catalyst for innovation.