This job is based in Rome, Italy
Organizational Setting
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution, and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.
The Department for Country Operations (DCO) oversees the origination, design and management of IFAD investments, including sovereign and non-sovereign operations, as well as the design and implementation of non-lending activities within country programmes, including policy engagement and SSTC. DCO is the department that primarily interfaces with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver IFAD’s programme of work and to provide oversight to ensure quality of the portfolio.
DCO is led by an Associate Vice-President and is composed of five (5) regional divisions: Asia and the Pacific Division (APR), East and Southern Africa Division (ESA), Latin America and Caribbean Division (LAC) , Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) and West and Central Africa Division (WCA), the Private Sector Operations Division (PSD), and two (2) units: the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Unit (SSTC) and the fragility unit (FRU).
The Private Sector operations Division (PSD) is led by a Divisional Director based in IFAD Headquarters in Rome, Italy. PSD is responsible for origination, structuring, delivery and portfolio management of IFAD private sector investments, or Non-Sovereign Operations (NSO), as well as for business development, which includes developing the NSO pipeline and supporting complementarity between NSOs and sovereign operations within country programmes.
Job Role
The incumbent is an expert in a specialized thematic area with managerial functions. The incumbent provides technical expertise and strategic guidance at the corporate level and all stages of design, development, monitoring and evaluation of IFAD’s private sector investments. The incumbent may work collaboratively with other thematic Technical Specialists, Country Directors, Investment Officers and other staff to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support.
The incumbent has a global lead technical role in private investment and private sector operational engagements. The incumbent leads the PSD Senior Investment Officers, and works collaboratively with Country Directors and regionally mapped thematic Technical Specialists, as well as with the rest of PSD staff, to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of private sector operation and activities.
The incumbent supports the coordination of and contributes to: a.) the delivery of IFAD’s private sector investment activities (Non-Sovereign private sector Operations-NSOs) globally ; b.) advising on, and facilitating, the integration of a private sector development and private sector investment perspective into Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes (COSOPs) and sovereign projects in the region of focus, upon request from the Regional Director and concerned Country Directors and based on planning agreed with Director PSD; c.) activities carried out by PSD globally, including in the areas of partnerships, knowledge management, and reporting.
Job Profile Requirements
Organizational Competencies:
- Building relationships and partnerships – Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
- Communicating and negotiating – Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills
- Demonstrating leadership – Leads by example; initiates and supports change
- Focusing on clients – Contributes to a client-focused culture
- Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating – Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture
- Managing performance and developing staff – Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization
- Managing time, resources and information – Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
- Problem-solving and decision-making – Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
- Strategic thinking and organizational development – Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles
- Team working – Fosters a cohesive team environment
Education:
- Level – Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in a technically relevant area.
- Areas – finance, financial engineering, economics, accounting, business management, or related field.
- Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php .
Experience:
- At least five (10) years progressively responsible experience in the management, structuring and execution of private sector investment projects/NSOs and facilities in the agriculture sector involving loan, equity and/or guarantee investments, with demonstrated sound business judgement;
- Prior experience in International Financial Institutions (IFIs) or, development institutions or commercial or investment banks in private sector operations and initiatives is required;
- Knowledge of key agriculture and small-scale producers development finance debates and forums, preferably with specific reference to the region of focus;
- Ability to work in autonomous manner and to write recommendations in a succinct and clear manner.
- Ability to represent IFAD externally and to develop and manage relationships with clients, donors, institutional and private investors, government, media, and other stakeholders.
- Experience in structuring and deploying blended and climate finance investments is a strong asset.
- Demonstrated extensive management experience, including overseeing cross-functional teams, handling complex projects, and ensuring that organizational goals are met efficiently and effectively. Brings a track record of fostering productivity, accountability, and high performance.
Languages:
- English (4 – Excellent)
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Deadline for applications: 03 March 2025 (23.59 CET Rome)
Ref:VA 26251