World Bank Group Hiring for Country Manager, Afghanistan & Pakistan Job at Islamabad Full Time

IFC has embarked on an ambitious new growth strategy (IFC 3.0) to stimulate more investment activity in emerging and developing markets. This strategy calls for generating our own opportunities by proactively working “Upstream” to create, deepen, and expand markets and to imagine, design and implement investment projects. It requires taking a systematic approach to understanding the regulatory and sector bottlenecks that prevent the flow of private capital into productive investment in our member countries and addressing these bottlenecks through World Bank Group engagement on policy reforms and programmatic interventions at the country and sector level. This strategy also calls for working with Governments and World Bank colleagues to first seek private sector solutions to address development challenges – where such solutions are advisable and can be effective – and reserve public financing for projects only when other options are suboptimal. This approach is called the “Cascade”.

IFC’s Vice Presidency (VPU) of Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, Afghanistan & Pakistan (MCT) is looking to recruit a Country Manager responsible for the Afghanistan & Pakistan program. The Country Manager will be based in Islamabad, Pakistan, and will report to the Regional Director, Middle East, Afghanistan & Pakistan (ME).

The Country Manager will play a critical role in operationalizing IFC’s 3.0/ creating markets strategy and enabling the Cascade at the country level. He/she will be responsible, in close collaboration with the WBG counterparts, for developing country strategies for Afghanistan and Pakistan and action plans for driving their implementation. The Country Manager will oversee a portfolio of approximately US$ 1.3 billion, 15th largest portfolio exposure globally and second largest in the MCT region. This portfolio generated an average investment commitment of around US$500 million (including mobilization) over the last five fiscal years and includes an active Upstream and Advisory Services program. The prospects for continued growth in both investment and advisory activities are very good. The mandate of the Country Manager will be to significantly build the portfolio, develop new opportunities for IFC in the two countries and enhance IFC’s impact. The Country Manager will be responsible for all IFC’s activities in the two countries while managing a multi-disciplinary team of more than 40 investment, advisory services, upstream and support staff on the ground. This will require close interactions with corporate clients, governments, counterparts at the World Bank and other multilateral/bilateral institutions, as well as internal coordination within IFC with Regional Heads of Industry, and Industry Managers, Advisory Services Managers and the constituent Executive Director.

Duties and Accountabilities

• In consultation with the Regional Director, ME, develop and implement the country strategies and business plan for integrated investment and advisory operations, including setting sector priorities and business targets;
• Support the implementation of the Upstream strategies and close follow-up on conversion of upstream projects into investment pipeline;
• Oversee all IFC’s investment and advisory activities in the two countries;
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Industry Departments to originate, process and manage a pipeline of investments, and support proactive and strategic portfolio management, to meet IFC’s objectives;
• Lead the coordination with World Bank Group institutions and oversee with the regional industry managers (and other colleagues in IDA and MIGA) the design and implementation of the Joint Business Plans (JBPs) and other forms of proactive collaboration to enable the Cascade at the country level. Fully contribute and drive on behalf of IFC the development of Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCDs), Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs), Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) and Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs);
• Manage and develop relationships with key clients (governments and private companies) at the highest level of seniority and position IFC as the partner of choice to support high development impact projects in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Build up relationships with key stakeholders (including relevant regulators, businesses, NGOs, PE Funds, and investors);
• Identify and implement measures to improve country results in terms of efficiency, productivity, profitability and impact and increase its contribution to the corporate scorecard;
• Lead, manage, develop and mentor integrated and diverse teams consisting of regional and industry staff, ensuring that the teams are high-performing, well-motivated, innovative, well-trained; has clear deliverables; and are committed to the success of IFC in the country;
• Identify areas where IFC can catalyze market development through innovation based on a thorough understanding of local markets and best practice from IFC’s global experience;
• Lead/coordinate the development of a client engagement strategy for existing and new clients;
• Develop market knowledge to ensure that IFC is working with the right sponsors. Take accountability for client selection, ensure the integrity of potential clients and develop and maintain relationships with these companies to identify business opportunities considering IFC’s strategies, priorities and products;
• Take accountability for early review and clearance of sponsors. For all investments and advisory client’s programs, review and validate IFC’s added-value, development impact and fit with IFC strategies in in both Afghanistan and Pakistan;
• Manage investment teams and provide guidance for complex investment structuring and portfolio management cases; make early review and Investment review stage decisions, serve as transaction manager, and chair decision meetings as appropriate under an approved delegated authority framework, and/or carry out all Country Manager responsibilities under the prevailing accountability for decision making (ADM) matrix at IFC;
• Develop IFC’s “brand”, building on IFC’s regional brand and the overall communications strategy; engaging with local media;
• Represent and provide visibility for IFC in the country including through organizing/participating in high profile events (Senior level visits, interviews, seminars and conferences);
• Share accountability (with Industry Portfolio Managers) for the quality and performance of the Country Portfolio; work jointly with relevant managers to meet Scorecard targets in both Afghanistan and Pakistan (Client Satisfaction, Productivity, Development Impact and People metrics);
• Provide administrative and HR management oversight;
• Act as the Head of Security for the two countries responsible for WBG’s duty of care obligations to staff;
• Oversee the crisis management team supported by the business continuity management program offices;
• Appoint emergency wardens, security focal points and road safety focal points;
• Coordinate security decisions with other affected Heads of Office across the WBG.

• Have at least a master’s degree with at least 12 to 15 years of professional experience in strategy, finance, investment, advisory, e.g., commercial or investment banking, project finance, private equity and management consulting;
• As an ambassador representing IFC in the country, country manager must be a role model for ethical behavior values of IFC;
• Strong client relationship management skills, with an existing network of relevant top-level contacts in the country’s private and public sector and/or demonstrated ability to build such high-level client network;
• Outstanding and proven track record of performance in investment and advisory activities;
• Strong leadership capabilities and experience managing people, especially leading diverse and high performing teams;
• Significant experience with proven success in developing client relationships;
• Ability to represent IFC externally with government, media, clients, donors, and other stakeholders;
• Ability to think strategically and adjust the country strategy as needed so that it remains responsive to the client needs, and in coordination with development partners;
• Experience in transaction processing and portfolio supervision a strong plus;
• Work experience in the Middle East and South Asia region and a strong interest in developing a thorough understanding of both Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Ability to build successful relationships across an organizational matrix structure;
• Strong written and oral communications skills;
• Recognized as a leader;
• Ability to develop innovative solutions and challenge the status quo to build IFC’s business and image in the market;
• Meet Bank Group-wide managerial selection criteria including Courage of your convictions, Leading the team for impact, influencing across boundaries, fostering openness to new ideas, and Building talent for the future.