Principal Communications Officer, LAC Region

Principal Communications Officer, LAC Region Job #: req35122 Organization: IFC Sector: Communications Grade: GH Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Bogota,Colombia Required Language(s): English, Spanish Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 12/19/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.

The International Finance Corporation (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 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit: https://www.ifc.org

Are you passionate about having an impact on people’s lives? Do you believe that the private sector can provide practical and efficient responses to Latin America’s most pressing issues while generating growth and jobs? Then this opportunity might be for you.

The World Bank Group is seeking a seasoned Principal Communications Officer to support communications and stakeholder engagement across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), with a special focus on working with the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and its operations, structured around 3 clusters (Central America and the Caribbeans; South America; Andean countries). IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries.

This position will help strategically position the region’s external and internal communications in support of development priorities, while providing expert advice and operational support on stakeholder engagement, reputational risk management, campaigns and advocacy, and strategic business marketing. The Principal Communications Officer will also serve as a trusted advisor to regional leadership and  operational teams, and help amplify the voice of senior leaders with key stakeholders, media, and partners.

Working closely with colleagues across the region and corporate units, the Principal Officer will help coordinate delivery of the WBG’s LAC communications work program, ensure consistency of messaging, and integrate IFC-specific priorities. The role demands demonstrated experience in senior communications functions, sound political judgment, a campaign mindset and innovation in the use of communications tools and approaches.

Candidates should bring a deep understanding of the LAC region—its political, social, and economic dynamics—as well as the WBG’s mission, values, and operational processes. Collaboration across the WBG, including with country, vertical and industry teams, will be critical to ensure the region speaks with one voice and contributes effectively to the WBG’s global communications and engagement agenda. Candidates should also be highly organized, able to lead and make decisions, be accountable and hold direct reports accountable as needed to drive an ambitious communications program forward; they will also be expected to travel as needed to effectively perform their role.

 The Principal Communications Officer for LAC will be based in Bogota, Colombia and will report to the Manager for IFC’s Regional Communications based in Paris, France. On a day-to-to-today basis, the Principal Communications Officer will

•   Be part of the IFC Regional Communications Unit’s Leadership Team, supporting WBG’s private sector agenda in the region.
•   Be part of and work closely with the WBG’s External Affairs team for the LAC region, led by a dedicated manager based in Washington, D.C., to design and deploy a unified communications approach on strategy, work program delivery, and results monitoring.
•   Collaborate with colleagues from other communication units, especially corporate communication, reputational risk, and practices groups/industry communications.  Collaborative behavior will be critical in order to run joint initiatives and portray an integrated LAC story to all relevant WBG’s external stakeholders.

Duties and Accountabilities:

1. Stakeholder Engagement

•   Build and sustain trusted relationships with key decision-makers and influencers and reach emerging audiences, including Gen Z, innovators, and private sector champions to feedback on products and solutions
•   Mobilize supportive coalitions across government, private sector, youth, academia, civil society, and other key networks
•   Strengthen an ecosystem of external validators who endorse WBG priorities and results, and can be activated as part of our campaign efforts
•   Integrate stakeholder insights into country strategies, operations, and reforms to enhance relevance, ownership, and results.

2. Strategic Business Marketing

•   Position the integrated WBG offer—linking public policy reforms with private capital solutions—to accelerate impact at scale and reinforce WBG’s standard setting leadership
•   Demonstrate impact through clear evidence and strong client testimonials to inform outreach to prospects (governments, companies) and partners
•   Promote replicability (scalable WBG tools and offerings widely adopted by clients)
•   Amplify success stories and flagship initiatives that illustrate WBG leadership in priority sectors and reforms

3. Advocacy and Campaigns

•   Mobilize client and partner networks behind priority reforms and programs by showcasing impact and job-focused progress to reinforce public support
•   Ensure co-ownership with operations from strategy to impact
•   Target priority audiences with tailored narratives that increase demand for WBG solutions
•   Apply selective, innovative, and creative approaches with clear KPIs

4. Risk and Issue Management

•   Provide political economy, social listening, business intelligence and stakeholder insights that help shape strategy and open opportunities
•   Strengthen early warning through systematic monitoring of political, social, and media trends
•   Guide proactive narrative development throughout the project and reform cycle, and develop proactive plans on most sensitive issues and projects
•   Coordinate quick, aligned action among country, regional, and corporate teams to address risks and issues. Prepare analyses and recommended responses for sensitive or high-risk situations.

5. Strategic Communications Support

Program delivery
•   Coordinate an agile team of communications professionals to ensure effective delivery of the WBG communications work program in the region.
•   Ensure effective quality control for the development of issue briefs, stakeholder engagement plans, talking points, Q&As, and reactive messaging/holding statements for both internal and external use, in alignment with WBG/IFC standards.
•   Ensure consistency and harmonization across communications in LAC, identifying opportunities for regional narratives and joint approaches.

Advisory Role for Operational Teams
•   Provide strategic advice to internal clients on communications opportunities, identifying and drafting high-impact products (reports, multimedia, stories, blogs) for relevant audiences.
•   Enhance partnership with operations for efficient risk mitigation and serve as trusted advisors to leadership and operational teams on both risks and opportunities, with growing demand for our insight. 
•   Serve as focal point for the IFC Regional Vice President’s communications: draft/review and sign off on communications materials for the RVP, explore opportunities to leverage the RVP’s voice to amplify IFC work and impact in the region, support high-level missions.

Private sector-specific Communications
•   Drive regional industry communications efforts in the region - Design strategies to support the business priorities, with a sound understanding of key sectors of operations (incl: Agribusiness Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Financial Industries, Disruptive Tech), ensuring close collaboration with dedicated communications staff and regional teams.
•   Ensure IFC’s thematic priorities (SMEs, private capital mobilization) are reflected in regional communications.

6. Performance management and Talent Support

•   Support talent management initiatives (skills mapping, learning, knowledge sharing).
•   Proactively manage performance through honest feedback to staff members, based on effective supervision and quality control. Actively seek corrective measures when issues arise. 
•   Promote smooth collaboration and unified communications program in LAC

7. Corporate and Cross-Institutional Coordination

•   Actively participate in the regional management committee bringing together all regional leads under the leadership of the Regional Communications Manager and join WBG LAC Communications meetings 
•   Represent management, when delegated, in internal coordination meetings and task forces.
•   Develop communications strategies to support cross-regional initiatives for business development.

Selection Criteria

•   Master’s degree in communications, Journalism, Political Science, International Relations, Public Affairs, Marketing, Business/Finance with 12-15 years of experience in corporate communications, international relations, public affairs, political science, or another related field. 
•   Strong verbal and written communications skills as a fluent speaker in Spanish and English. At least a working knowledge of Portuguese is expected to successfully perform in the role.  
•   Creative thinking to test ‘out of the box’ approaches as new communications challenges arise. Ability to identify critical topics, trends, and issues to inform impactful messaging.
•   Previous communications experience as senior communications executive in the private sector in the LAC region, especially in the biggest markets. Demonstrated media relations experience and ability to quickly activate or develop own networks of contacts (including media, influencers, opinion leaders, corporate communications executives, etc.) if selected for the role. 
•   Experience in sensitive communications and reputation management.
•   Strong team and project management skills; ability to create a common purpose to help team members deliver at their best, and to effectively manage performance.
•   Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills to operate with tact and discretion when appropriate and successfully manage relations with senior management.
•   WBG Core competencies: client orientation; drive for results; teamwork of collaboration and inclusion; knowledge, learning, and communication; business judgement and analytical decision-making.

Note: this requisition is advertised as an international recruitment with the usual international package; per standard WBG’s rules and regulations, any selected applicant originating host country would be offered relevant local package.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.