Senior Investment Officer - Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services (MAS) Europe, Upstream & Advisory

Senior Investment Officer - Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services (MAS) Europe, Upstream & Advisory

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 www.ifc.org.

Working at the WBG provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. Through its five global institutions — IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA and ICSID the WBG works with public and private sector partners to address the world's most urgent challenges. At the core of this effort is a shared mission: creating jobs that lift people out of poverty and contribute to a world free of poverty on a livable planet.

With the private sector accounting for approximately 90% of jobs in developing countries, IFC’s work is central to the World Bank Group’s jobs agenda. Through Upstream and Advisory IFC leverages WBG expertise, tools and solutions to address market barriers, support reforms, and develop impactful and investable opportunities in order to mobilize private capital and create jobs across sectors with significant growth and employment potential, such as foundational infrastructure, manufacturing, agribusiness, healthcare and tourism.

MAS EUR Upstream & Advisory is seeking a Senior Investment Officer (SIO), to drive strategic origination and impactful Upstream & Advisory engagements across the MAS sectors in the Europe region. The Senior Investment Officer will lead proactive business development, support design and delivery One WBG initiatives that contextualize scalable WBG solutions to deliver on Country Partnership Framework objectives and convert early-stage engagements into a strong pipeline of bankable investments.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• • Deliver at least five (5) bankable mandates annually for high-impact investments with >5x private capital mobilization potential, contributing to the achievement of the WBG Scorecard outcome indicators in MAS sectors in the Europe region.
• • Build and manage relationships across clients, private sector partners, financial institutions, multilaterals, and governments to originate and advance investment opportunities.
• • Drive strategic business development by proactively engaging clients, demonstrating IFC’s value-add, and building a strong pipeline aligned with the priorities of Country Partnership Frameworks in IFC countries of operation in the Europe region.
• • Design and lead the delivery of Upstream engagements focused on originating bankable investment opportunities that convert WBG-supported reforms into private sector investments and structure innovative financing solutions to crowd private capital into the new markets and sectors opened by these reforms.
• • Design and lead the delivery of pre-investment Advisory engagements designed specifically to identify and mitigate risks, structure viable business models, and prepare clients to receive private capital.
• • Design and lead the delivery of high-impact Advisory engagements that amplify the job-creation impact of IFC investments with anchor firms by integrating and strengthening MSMEs within these anchors' value chains.
• • Leverage market intelligence and sector insights to shape strategic priorities, identify emerging investment opportunities, and enhance the origination and structuring of high-impact transactions.
• • Collaborate across teams and regions to develop sector/country strategies, deliver integrated solutions, and maximize the developmental outcomes of the WBG operations.
• • Mentor, coach, and develop junior team members, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, learning, accountability and excellence.

Selection Criteria

• • Master’s degree (or equivalent professional qualification) in business, finance, economics, engineering, or a relevant field.
• • At least 12 years of relevant experience across investment banking, private equity, corporate finance, and project finance in emerging markets, with a proven track record of originating, structuring, negotiating and closing transactions.
• • Proven track record of operating with significant autonomy and accountability, originating and executing high-impact investment opportunities through proactive business development, innovative thinking, and market creation. Demonstrated success in converting strategic concepts into transactions and delivering sustained business growth.
• • Strong understanding of the MAS sectors and Country Partnership Frameworks in Europe and the ability to link policy reforms, advisory interventions, investment, and mobilization via the cascade approach.
• • Strong commercial judgment and financial, credit and structuring skills, with the ability to develop innovative financial solutions for complex transactions to mobilize private capital.
• • Proven ability to negotiate and build trusted senior-level relationships across different cultures, markets, and stakeholder groups, including private sector clients, governments, and internal teams, supported by strong judgment in identifying opportunities and partners.
• • Excellent people skills, mentoring ability, openness to feedback, and the ability to guide and motivate others; outstanding analytical and critical-thinking skills; and high standards of integrity, decisiveness, and accountability.
• • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English are required. German is strongly preferred; an additional regional European language is an advantage.

Salary and Benefits:

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; paid leave, including parental leave; and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Explore the full range of our worldwide benefits here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers/benefits.
The World Bank Group is committed to providing competitive compensation and transparency in salary ranges.

For most of our positions, we generally offer starting salaries between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary scale, commensurate with your skills, experience, and qualifications. For more information visit the WBG Compensation Scales site: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/human-resources/HQ-AND-CO-COMPENSATION-SCALES.
For the best experience and to help keep your data secure, please apply for roles directly through our Careers website: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers.

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.