Resident Representative International Finance Corporation Experience: Atleast 8 years Kathmandu, Nepal Apply By: 17-09-2024

IFC — a member of the World Bank — 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. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable way. 

The IFC’s South Asia Department is looking to recruit a resident Representative for its Kathmandu Office. The Resident Representative will co-lead business development for investment, upstream, and advisory services along with industries and other responsible teams while overseeing all aspects of IFC business in-country. S/he will support sector teams in executing transactions and handling portfolio projects. S/he will build and maintain strong relationships with counterparts across the World Bank Group, the private sector, and high-level representatives of the Nepali government, as well as with development partners and non-governmental organizations to maximize the impact of IFC in Nepal.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of IFC’s operations in Nepal under the direction of the Country Manager based in Dhaka/Bangladesh, in close collaboration with Regional Industry Departments and colleagues across the World Bank Group.
• Lead the development, ensure implementation of IFC’s strategy for Nepal, and represent IFC on all joint WBG products and initiatives (e.g., CPFs, Country Climate Development Report).
• Develop new investment and advisory/upstream opportunities in close collaboration with Regional Industry Departments and in line with IFC’s country strategy and Country Partnership Framework.
• Coordinate integrated delivery of investment and advisory/upstream services to create new market opportunities, grow IFC’s investment program, and increase impact.
• Establish and maintain working-level relationships across IFC, other WBG organizations, government agencies, development partners, and others to support IFC operations in the country to maximize outreach and impact.
• Develop and execute IFC’s communications strategy with support from the regional communications team.
• Manage administrative and logistical operations of the country office.
• Share accountability for the quality and performance of the country portfolio.
• Oversee or supervise assigned staff and consultants, helping to develop staff and members of the broader team through mentoring, coaching, and providing on-the-job learning opportunities.
• Ensure quality control of work products and efficient and effective use of resources.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in a related field and at least 8–12 years of relevant experience. Related fields of education include business, finance, or economics or an area of expertise specific to a sector, subject matter, or industry specialty. Relevant experience could include a proven track record in business consulting or investment banking or operational experience in the sector or technical or professional field.
• In-depth understanding of how IFC works and its strategies and priorities.
• Ability to initiate collaborative efforts with WBG organizations to leverage its products and instruments.
• Ability to identify opportunities for collaboration on high-value projects and recognize potential COIs based on a good understanding of WBG, IFC (investment and advisory), and WBG products and project requirements.
• Ability to initiate and guide collaborative efforts with WBG organizations to leverage its products and instruments.
• Capacity to understand, enable, and participate in market creation opportunities and interventions to strengthen investment climate by demonstrating long-term perspective, open-mindedness, persistence, and good understanding of IFC/WBG roles and value-add in new markets.
• Ability to participate and constructively contribute in meetings with mid-level government officials on constraints to private sector investment in their countries.
• Capacity to identify and promote specific interventions to remove or mitigate market creation barriers in sectors and geographies using approaches that go beyond IFC, business line, or industry to enable private sector investment.
• Ability to understand the political context and mindset of government officials to connect their interests with what it would take to create a business climate and incentives for private sector investment in their countries.
• In-depth analytical, financial, credit, integrity assessment, and business skills to identify bankable projects with sustainable development impact as well as potential weaknesses in the country portfolio and determine how to approach complex risk-reward trade-offs.
• Sufficient analytical, financial, credit, integrity assessment, and business skills as well as strategic perspective to intuitively recognize project viability and attractiveness early on, identify portfolio management vulnerabilities, and determine best approaches for managing complex transaction and portfolio risks.
• Industry/Sector Knowledge: Broad knowledge of sectors and industries within a country or group of countries, including their viability for market growth, market challenges as well as implications of environmental and social sustainability issues, and how sector dynamics may evolve within a country or group of countries.
• Ability to tap into and leverage resources with expertise in sectors and industries, including risks, market dynamics, and regulatory structures. Able to read and anticipate shifts in market trends and the implications for IFC’s current and future business.
• Country Knowledge: Demonstrated extensive knowledge of the country including its politics, history, social dynamics, culture, economics, local markets, and regulatory framework.
• Developing and Selling Solutions: Demonstrated success as a key influencer in bringing integrated solutions to the concept review stage where there are significant challenges and competing interests.
• Ability to develop a coherent and compelling storyline or rationale for why specific deals are proposed and how they fit into IFC’s long-term strategies.
• Negotiation Skills: Capacity to lead negotiations that find common interests to build and result in viable agreements among clients and stakeholders who initially had conflicting agendas. Ability to offer alternative solutions to capitalize on opportunities and overcome impasses.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=29183&site=1