Industry Analyst

Job #: req17322
Organization: IFC
Sector: Investment
Grade: GE
Term Duration: 2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s): French, Spanish
Closing Date: 6/3/2022 (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 in developing countries. In fiscal year 2021, IFC committed a record $31.5 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

IFC has embarked on an ambitious strategy to stimulate more investment activity, especially in Low Income Countries (LICs) and Fragile and Conflict affected Situations (FCS). This strategy aims at creating our own opportunities for private investments in riskier markets by proactively working in these countries to create, deepen, and expand the markets themselves. The Creating Markets strategy requires taking a systematic approach that draws on Country Strategies together with diagnostic tools, including Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs) and Sector Deep Dives. This strategy also calls for a closer WBG collaboration to identify and prioritize operations at the country and sector level based on the new WBG approach to Maximize Finance for Development by prioritizing Private Sector financing and solutions (the “Cascade”).

The Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS) Group manages a large part of IFC’s overall business in terms of investment volume and capital at risk. MAS engages in a wide range of sub-sectors including heavy and light manufacturing, agribusiness, health, education, property, retail and tourism, and other areas, with investment, advisory services and Upstream activities delivered to IFC’s clients through IFC’s global network.

The MAS Global Manufacturing team is looking to recruit an Industry Analyst based in Washington, D.C., to support the team with industry work and new deals globally. MAS Global Manufacturing works across the Chemicals, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, Glass, Automotive, Electronics, Textiles, and other Light Manufacturing value chains.

The Industry Analyst will work alongside and under supervision of experienced Industry Specialists and Global Sector Leads and support them and investment staff to help deliver on IFC’s ambitious program and development objectives.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Industry Analyst assists Industry Specialists and Global Sector Leads in delivering the related industry investment program. This may include business development, project screening, appraisal and approval, project and portfolio monitoring during industrial assets acquisition and implementation and operation phases, knowledge management, as well as other supporting roles as needed.

The Industry Analyst participates in client engagement, desktop competitive analysis and market research, memorandum and report writing, project administration using IFC’s IT tools, preparing and delivering presentations. International travel may be required depending on business needs.

Detailed Tasks include, among others:

Market analysis and project preparation

• Help Industry Specialists screen projects at early stages for business and financial viability, risk and developmental impact
• Analyze operations and different business models in the relevant industries
• Assist Industry Specialists in developing new markets and following-up on business opportunities
• Conduct industry, market and competitive research and analysis and prepare summaries
• Maintain industry news, industry cost and productivity benchmarks and other relevant data in structured repositories for the relevant industries, globally and for Emerging Markets

Processing

• Participate in all aspects of IFC’s deal approval process including due diligence, Industry Specialist reports and business model assumptions
• Assist with review of project information and technical documentation during the due diligence phase – including, amongst others, review of competition, market projections, review of technical features of projects, review of projects tangible asset guarantees, and other activities.
• Prepare reports and other investment-related documents for internal and external audiences

Portfolio

• Assist with proactive technical monitoring of IFC’s project portfolio during implementation and operational phases, completion cost, on-time completion, actual productivity or other relevant project indicators; review and summarize periodic project progress and operations reports; flag major issues to Senior staff.

Other

• Perform ad-hoc analysis on markets, individual companies’ performance, portfolio data and other relevant information
• Help design and maintain proper KPI database for portfolio companies and opportunities
• Help maintain and update IFC technical and market consultants’ hiring capability
• Work on development and update of lessons learnt database, technical handbooks, diagnostics, presentations and knowledge management materials
• Complete filing and dissemination of relevant project documentation
• The Sector Analyst must demonstrate business sense and responsiveness in interactions with others, being able to form relationships with counterparts and mid-level clients and stakeholders to exchange business and technical information needed for transaction or portfolio processing.
Selection Criteria

• Undergraduate or preferably graduate degree qualifications in an engineering field, relevant to the IFC target manufacturing industries mentioned above.
• At least two years relevant industry experience, either in a manufacturing industry or as a consultant working in a manufacturing practice.
• Strong technical and analytical skills; good professional judgement; Mastery of Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and sound business judgment to identify issues and present creative and practical solutions. Attention to detail and diligence.
• Basic understanding of how specific investments transactions in different industries and sectors impact economic, market, and social development, and how to assess market conditions, gaps, and business opportunities.
• Able to distill and summarize large amounts of information from various sources to prepare business documents and presentations; able to utilize graphics and tables to effectively and creatively present data.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing in English in a logical and comprehensive yet concise manner; additional languages relevant to IFC countries of practices (French and Spanish in particular) are a plus.
• Excellent organizational, task and project management skills required.
• Emerging market experience preferred — particularly related to IFCs focus regions of Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills, ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to travel internationally on short notice.
• Interest in the World Bank Group and IFC’s mission, strategy and values.