Regional Industry Manager, Infrastructure, Europe

Regional Industry Manager, Infrastructure, Europe

IFC – a member of the World Bank Group – is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. It works in more than 100 countries, using its capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. IFC leverages private‑sector solutions and mobilises private capital to create more, better and inclusive jobs in order to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. IFC’s strategy aims to stimulate more investment activity across emerging markets by proactively working to create, deepen, and expand markets and to design and develop potential investment projects. Achieving these growth and impact ambitions at scale requires a different approach to business development, deal sourcing and client support, relying on a broader product offering, greater focus on preparing clients in nascent markets, a focus on value addition and risk‑management of portfolio investment clients, and a longer time horizon and more patient perspective.

The Manager will lead and coordinate IFC’s efforts to enable investment opportunities, enhance investment outcomes, improve investment conditions, and deliver INR investment activities. The role combines upstream market creation and project development with business development, transaction processing, portfolio management, and client engagement. The Manager will be based in Paris, France, and will be expected to visit all countries and other offices where the Europe infrastructure team and clients are based.

Strategic Responsibility

• Develop the strategy for IFC’s INR activities in the region, setting key business goals focused on high‑impact projects aligned with IFC country strategies and diagnostics.
• Link policy reforms, regulatory interventions, upstream market creation, investment and mobilisation to deliver country‑level solutions and unlock private investment opportunities, including by leveraging the WBG’s knowledge and lending programmes.
• Engage with and establish partnerships with thought leaders, decision makers, clients, sponsors, WBG counterparts, and other external parties to foster innovative thinking, create new markets, identify collaboration opportunities, and enhance business delivery.
• Proactively convene stakeholders and connect expertise from upstream teams, investment staff, industry specialists, country teams, clients, sponsors and other partners to enable delivery of upstream and investment operations.
• Participate in and contribute to regional leadership teams, global sector teams, and cross‑sector and cross‑departmental collaboration to advance IFC’s strategic priorities.

Business Responsibility

• Lead INR business development efforts together with regional/country and global industry teams; manage selected client relationships; build and maintain high‑level relationships with clients; and ensure high client satisfaction and programme delivery within impact, profitability and risk parameters.
• Identify, incubate and develop high‑impact projects and initiatives that require upstream project development to reach the point of investment, including preparing potential clients for IFC investment and supporting sector‑wide change in priority areas.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to turn leads into transactions that balance IFC’s additionality, financial risks and rewards, sustainable development impact, innovation, replication and scalability.
• Execute investment operations by supporting business development, providing credit and investment guidance, ensuring quality control of teams’ work and assuming Tier I ADM responsibility for the processing quality investments.
• Manage upstream operations with a focus on sound project design across the project cycle and portfolio, high development effectiveness, appropriate deployment of technical expertise and exceptional client service.
• Actively manage profitability for the INR business, revenue and net income generation, use of economic capital and long‑term financial sustainability, including through sales, risk sharing and mobilisation where appropriate.
• Supervise and manage the debt and equity portfolio, including portfolio reviews, risk monitoring, early warning for assets at risk, loan‑loss reserve recommendations, equity management plans, valuations, write‑downs, exit strategies and board seat proposals for strategic assets.
• Coordinate with CSO, Risk, Treasury, Legal, Equity colleagues, Environmental & Social and other relevant teams on risk, restructuring, rescheduling, compliance and portfolio matters.
• Ensure portfolio experience and lessons learned are fed into strategy development and business decision making, including through benchmarking analytics and portfolio insights.
• Manage funding resources effectively by optimising internal and external funding and budgets for upstream operations and contributing to donor engagement strategy, relationship management and reporting through collaboration with Partnerships.
• Work with other IFC industry departments and regional managers to identify joint ventures and cross‑sector opportunities to expand IFC’s business.

Knowledge Capture and Management

• Spot game‑changing trends, technologies and business models that can increase development impact and present opportunities for high‑value proprietary engagements.
• Disseminate and absorb knowledge and experience across the regional industry department, WBG counterparts and global teams to support adoption of new approaches and best practices.
• Build external brand recognition and recognition of IFC’s distinctive capabilities in working upstream, catalysing investment opportunities and delivering high‑quality INR investments.
• Produce and use portfolio analytics, benchmarking and lessons learned to inform strategy, risk management and business development.

People, Team and Administrative Management

• Lead and manage the unit and relevant staff to ensure high performance, motivation, accountability and alignment with IFC’s strategic goals.
• Mentor, coach and develop staff, including junior staff, and guide and incentivise teams to achieve results.
• Demonstrate excellent people‑management skills, openness to feedback and new ideas, ability to inspire trust and sensitivity in multicultural environments.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, finance or an equivalent qualification and a minimum of twelve years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience sourcing and structuring complex investment transactions with a strong track record in developing client relationships and processing quality investments.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, develop innovative solutions, challenge the status quo and make sound decisions to build IFC business.
• Deep understanding of the industry sectors and ability to link policy reforms, interventions, investment and mobilisation to deliver solutions at a country level.
• Track record of engaging with private‑sector clients, local and national governments and other stakeholders to encourage pioneering business and market development.
• Sound knowledge of portfolio/asset management and experience in portfolio supervision of loans, equities and guarantees, restructurings and recovery of impaired assets.
• Ability to work in a matrix environment and deliver high quality work within tight deadlines and meeting team objectives.
• Sensitivity for working in a multicultural environment and commitment to diversity.
• Proven experience in managing and developing teams.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Meet the World Bank Group‑wide managerial competencies: Courage of your Convictions, Leading the Team for Impact, Influencing Across Boundaries, Fostering Openness to New Ideas, Building Talent for the Future.

Benefits

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.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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.