Investment Officer - Transaction Advisory

Investment Officer - Transaction Advisory Job #: req32210 Organization: IFC Sector: Investment Grade: GG Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Johannesburg,South Africa Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Portuguese Closing Date: 4/16/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

 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. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.  IFC’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Transaction Advisory Services (CTAPP) provides sell side financial advisory services and acts as Lead Transaction Advisor to governments to structure and implement PPP and privatization transactions, primarily for the provision of public services. Its aim is to increase access to basic infrastructure (electricity, water, transportation and telecommunications) and social services (health and education) as well as facilitate private investments. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience and over 120 staff across the globe, CTAPP is managing over 100 active client engagements. There are between 25 and 30 staff in Africa distributed in five regional hubs located in Johannesburg, Nairobi, Dakar, Cairo and soon to be in Abuja.

In addition to these activities, IFC Transaction Advisory Services also provides Corporate Finance Services (CFS), which include M&A (buy-side / sell-side transactions), debt advisory and restructuring work, as well as advice on equity transactions (eg: pre-IPO advisory services) including on cross border transactions, and capital raising services to address a financing gap that may exist post-IFC investment.

The CTAPP department is looking to recruit an experienced Investment Officer (IO) for Southern Africa (SA) team who will support the regional team and management with the whole PPP transaction process of IFC acting as Lead Transaction Advisor covering 10 countries. The IO will work under the supervision of the SA Hub Lead, with a focus on Southern Africa comprising 12 countries (Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles , South Africa, Zimbabwe) and beyond in the wider region, depending on needs.

The team focuses on advising on the following types of transactions across all infrastructure sectors with a particular focus on energy, water and transport: • Public-Private Partnerships e.g. BOT type concessions;• Performance-based Management and lease contracts; and• Restructuring and privatization of state-owned enterprises.• Corporate Finance type activities (equity raising, M&A, pre-IPO support).

Both origination activities and the preparation work of complex PPP transactions require close collaboration with the World Bank to ensure consistent country strategies and, if needed, access to expertise in institutional and sector reforms, as well as development of legal and regulatory frameworks including tariff structures.

The position is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and reports to the Hub Lead South Africa for PPP Transaction Advisory Services, and the Regional Manager for PPP Transaction Advisory Services in Africa.

Role and Responsibilities: 

The IO’s work will involve the implementation of advisory mandates of a variety of types, including business development, interactions with clients, supervising consultant hiring, preparing and delivering presentations, overseeing financial modeling and due diligence, transaction structuring, drafting bidding documents and managing bidding processes, supporting negotiations, as well as interacting with investors. Duties will include, but will not be limited to: • Contribute to origination and marketing activities across the South Africa region (SA), managing marketing activity in assigned countries/strategic areas, including collaborating with other WBG teams to identify opportunities based on country strategies and market creation potential;• Develop new client relationships and project leads in SA region;• Understand the legal and regulatory impediments for private sector participation in the working countries and work closely with the other parts of the WBG to overcome these;• Undertake project scoping to assess feasibility of potential projects, and lead the origination and marketing activities, e.g. supervision of proposal preparation, mandate negotiation with clients, etc.;• Lead the day-to-day management of project preparation leading teams working on sell-side PPP mandates, including review of legal and technical outputs, documentation and financial models; • Prepare/review memos and documentation for internal approval and consultant procurement processes, as well as managing project budget;• Manage different types of consultants e.g. legal and technical and review their outputs, documentation and financial models, as is the case;• Develop transaction structure options for PPP projects, provide innovative solutions and present recommendations to management and clients;• Participate/Lead meetings with government clients and investors;• Organize and manage the tendering process of projects, including marketing of projects, prequalification, requests for qualification, project award and the final negotiation of project agreements leading to closing deals;• Develop, coach, motivate and manage junior members of the team;• As appropriate,  participate in the development and implementation of upstream activities in line with IFC 3.0 to create, deepen and expand markets with the regional and global team from across IFC and the WBG;• As appropriate, work closely with SA Hub Lead and SA TL group on sub-regional strategy, origination activities, and HR/staffing related matters;• Potential support/intervention on Corporate Finance related mandates, both in terms of origination as well as execution that may include prepare and deliver pitch presentations to companies, reviewing and advising on corporate structure, balance sheet structure, valuation, prospectus review, corporate governance, etc.• As appropriate, coordinate with different WBG groups particularly on the Cascade agenda to assess opportunities for PPPs in the WBG operations and, where possible provide bespoke solutions to our clients to achieve sustainable development impact;• Support knowledge management by helping to disseminate PPP and CFS knowledge and experience and,• Assist in other project or strategy related activities as the need may arise.

Selection Criteria

• MBA or equivalent Post Graduate degree in business, finance or economics;• Solid and relevant experience of at least 10-12 years gained either in project finance, corporate finance, M&A and privatizations, or private equity funds in infrastructure;• Minimum 2-4 years of experience of sell//buy-side M&A advisory is considered a plus;• Knowledge of overall industry sector trends and experience in infrastructure transactions/PPPs preferably in Africa, with a proven track record;• Business development and client relationship skills, track record and ability to focus on clients’ needs effectively;• Strong track record of contractual and/or financial closings of infrastructure transactions;• Strong existing relationships with government officials, project developers, investors, and technical and legal consultants in the infrastructure space in Africa are preferred;• Experience in dealing with government clients, investors and multiple stakeholders of infrastructure projects;• Ability to manage teams in multiple transactions, delivering high quality work within deadlines, and to meet team objectives;• Strong analytical and financial modeling/structuring skills and demonstrated ability to:• Lead a variety of transaction advisory, debt and equity transactions;• Independently develop financial models and sound financial analysis of the models to draw conclusions/structuring solutions;• Structure or restructure transactions to ensure prudent and sustainable risk sharing among all parties.• Proactively address and resolve client challenges with a solution-focused approach, effectively engaging decision-makers when necessary• Strong analytical and conceptual skills and ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently (written and oral);• Ability to operate in large, culturally diverse and geographically dispersed teams;• Proven experience building productive relationships and fostering open communication across diverse teams and organizations to share knowledge and resources.• Strong commitment to project success, delivering on KPIs with high standards, and proactively seeking opportunities for improvement and overcoming obstacles.• Ability to work under pressure, travel on short notice and frequently, as required, and deliver high quality work within deadlines to meet team objectives;• Ability to interact directly and independently with potential clients, financial and technical partners as well as with senior government officials;• Highly motivated, committed to the highest ethical standards; and• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, and knowledge of Portuguese 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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