Country Manager

Salary: from €7,652.42 to €9,442.63 per month, tax-exempt in France, plus allowances based on eligibility

Contract: initial four-year appointment, including a one-year probationary period, renewable one or more times up to six years, with the possibility of conversion to an indefinite-term contract.

Turn financing opportunities into social investment that makes a difference across Europe.

The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) is a multilateral development bank with a unique social mandate from its 43 member states. We finance investment in social sectors including education, health and affordable housing, with a particular focus on the needs of vulnerable people.

Working with governments, local and regional authorities, financial institutions, non-profit organisations and other partners, we combine financing, technical assistance and donor funding to strengthen the social impact of projects.

The role

Our Projects Division, within the Loans & Social Development Directorate, is looking for a Country Manager to help implement the CEB's loan and project financing policy, including blending operations with the EU and other multilateral institutions.

This is a role at the intersection of finance, development and international cooperation. You will identify opportunities for projects with high social added value, developing relationships with existing and new borrowers as well as national, regional and local authorities and other public and private partners.

You will assess the technical, managerial, financial, environmental and social dimensions of potential projects and turn opportunities into robust financing proposals. You will then help coordinate projects throughout their lifecycle - preparing documentation for internal committees, negotiating contracts, drafting legal documentation, managing disbursements and working with colleagues responsible for technical and financial monitoring.

Your work will also involve drafting and presenting project reports to the CEB's Administrative Council and representing the Bank at relevant workshops and conferences. Where external expertise is required, you will manage consultants from defining the need and terms of reference through selection, negotiation and monitoring.

Beyond individual projects, you will contribute to strategic documents, working groups and other activities supporting the Projects Division and the wider objectives of the CEB's Strategic Framework.

What you'll bring

You should have a university degree, preferably at postgraduate level, in economics, business or public administration, finance or an equivalent relevant discipline, together with at least five years of relevant professional experience.

In particular, we're looking for:

• direct experience of blending loans and grants, as well as field experience in one or more of the CEB's 23 Target Group countries in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe
• a very good understanding of project and borrower analysis, including financial statements, lending and negotiation practices
• a good understanding of project due diligence, including technical requirements, sector knowledge, legal considerations, risks, capital markets, budgeting processes and procurement rules
• proficient financial technical writing skills and strong familiarity with development banking
• excellent command of either English or French, both written and spoken, and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level
• The ability to work independently and to lead and supervise third-party consultants would be an asset, as would excellent knowledge of other CEB member state languages.