Senior Private Sector Portfolio Officer - P4

cinfo; Roma; In loco; EUR 70.000 - 90.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

A global financial institution is seeking a technical expert for overseeing private sector investments. This role involves providing strategic guidance, managing investment portfolios, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in private sector project management, advanced qualifications, and strong communication skills. The position is based in Rome, Italy, offering an opportunity to work on impactful agricultural projects fostering rural development.

Competenze

• At least eight years of experience in managing private sector investment projects.
• Prior experience in International Financial Institutions or investment banks is required.
• Ability to represent externally and manage relationships with various stakeholders.

Mansioni

• Providing strategic oversight for IFAD's non-sovereign operations portfolio.
• Advising on integration of private sector investments into country strategies.
• Supporting development and delivery of training modules for Private Sector programs.

Conoscenze

Development finance

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Private Sector Investment

Specialized communication skills

Formazione

Advanced university degree in finance, economics, or related field

Professional certification (CPA, CFA, etc.)

Descrizione del lavoro

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.

PSD is composed of a Front Office and two units: an Investment Unit and a Portfolio Management Unit. The division also has a Trust Fund Administration function as part of its Front Office, which is responsible for the administration and control of the Private Sector Trust Fund and other off‑balance as well as the on‑balance sheet funding (PSD financial resources). The PSD division works in close coordination with other divisions in DCO and other departments, offices, and divisions in IFAD. In alignment with the decentralised structure of the Fund, the division operates in a geographically distributed manner, including IFAD Headquarters and Regional Offices.

Position specifics

The Portfolio Management Unit, for which this position will oversee, provides strategic oversight and supervision to the investment portfolio to ensure it supports the organisation's broader objectives. While the management of individual projects is the remit of the Investment Unit, the portfolio management function overseas overall NSO portfolio administration, coordination, monitoring, and reporting to ensures that the portfolio delivers optimal value and remains responsive to organisational priorities. The unit also coordinates and works with Investment Officers and IFAD divisions regarding non‑performing investments with the aim of improving their performance. In addition, this unit leads division data collection and reporting, creates and maintains dashboards and ensures data integrity; in collaboration with ICT and other divisions it is also responsible for data systems needs identification and overseeing systems development (together with ICT) and its subsequent usage.

The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Director, PSD.

Job Role

The incumbent is an expert in a specialized thematic area. 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.

Position specifics

Under the supervision of the Director, PSD, the incumbent has a global technical role in private investment and private sector operational engagements. The incumbent also works collaboratively with regional teams, including 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 contributes to: a.) oversight and delivery of IFAD's private sector investment activities (non‑Sovereign private sector Operations–NSOs) on a global level, as required; 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, 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.

The incumbent will develop and lead NSO portfolio management, coordination, monitoring, and reporting to ensure that the portfolio delivers optimal value and remains responsive to organisational priorities. This includes being the focal point at PSD in the management of problem investments, working with Investment Officers and other departments. The incumbent will help shape IFAD’s NSO portfolio management function, utilizing deep technical understanding and collaborating across PSD as well as throughout the organization. Working together with IFAD departments, offices, and divisions, this role will also help design and optimise processes, systems, and guidelines required for effective and efficient NSO portfolio management; this includes ensuring data capture, data integrity, and effective data usage for NSO portfolio management and accurate and timely division reporting, corporate dashboard design and maintenance, and measuring impact.

Key Functions and Results

1. SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVICE IN PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT

• Provide strategic oversight and efficient and effective supervision of IFAD’s NSO portfolio as a whole, while individual supervision responsibilities of performance of individual investees remain with the Investment Unit.
• Provides oversight to NSO portfolio management, coordination, and division reporting to ensure that the portfolio delivers optimal value and remains responsive to organisational priorities.
• Coordinating workouts / restructuring together with the Investment Unit and others, serving as focal point for PSD.
• Coordinating with the Trust Fund Administration function and others with regard to the overall portfolio, funds availability, and internal reporting as needed.
• Help develop and shape IFAD’s NSO portfolio management function, utilizing deep technical understanding, IT solutions, industry best practices.
• Design and optimise processes and related systems, including IT systems in collaboration with ICT, required for effective and efficient NSO portfolio management, ensuring data integrity and accurate and timely division reporting, including for corporate dashboard and measuring impact.
• Engage and collaborate across the organization at all levels with regard to NSOs and IFAD’s NSO portfolio, including with staff in HQ and decentralized office.
• Help ensure an NSO portfolio that promotes job creation, women economic empowerment, mitigation and adaptation efforts to climate change, or other themes consistent with organisational priorities and development impact.
• Provide senior level support to the PSD colleagues, Country Directors, and Regional Directors and others in building operational relationships with private sector partners within the scope of Country Strategies and of sovereign investments and to integrate NSOs within IFAD country programmes.
• Support field and supervision missions at various stages of the project cycle, including implementation and monitoring as well as for the administration of workouts as needed.
• Provide other technical advice as needed.

2. SUPPORT THE DELIVERY AND REPORTING OF PSD WORK PROGRAM

• Assist the Director, PSD in the delivery of the PSD work plan; to build synergies and capacity to ensure close coordination and collaboration among the various teams.
• Assist the Director, PSD and others to respond in an adaptive manner to the evolving priorities and opportunities around and within IFAD and the various initiatives and external partnerships.
• Provide support to the Director, PSD and others in the delivery of PSD Special Initiatives.
• Provide other support for delivery and reporting of PSD work program as needed.

3. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

• Provide support on the drafting and review on the development of relevant policies and procedures, guidelines, monitoring tools, manuals, etc.
• Provide senior‑level support to the development and delivery of training modules and other support knowledge management tools focused on developing high‑performing and high‑impact Private Sector (PS) programs.
• Participate in IFAD‑wide thematic discussions and develop appropriate technical and operations on private sector.
• Perform other activities necessary to implement IFAD's Private Sector Operational Engagement Strategy.
• Develop lessons learnt on NSOs.
• Oversee special initiatives and programs hosted by PSD.
• Undertake other knowledge management related activities as needed.

4. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

• As appropriate and in collaboration with the Trust Fund Administration function and other departments, offices, divisions, and units, including the External Relationship Department, support partnerships and outreach activities as well as new relationships with DFIs, impact investors, foundations and corporate partners to expand resources, market and income opportunities for smallholders, small‑scale producers, cooperatives and / or agribusiness.
• Ensure IFAD’s representation and communication in technical issues (including representing IFAD at international, regional, inter‑agency meetings, seminars and conferences fora).
• As appropriate and in collaboration with the Trust Fund Administration function and other departments, offices, divisions, and units, including the External Relationship Department, contribute to the mobilization of resources for NSOs through partnerships and outreach activities.
• Conduct other partnership building and resource mobilization related activities as needed.

5. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING

• Support the development and / or application of a results framework for NSOs.
• Enhance and implement performance and portfolio monitoring systems and new approaches to performance and NSOs portfolio monitoring.
• Prepare analytical findings and reports to aid decision making on project viability and sustainability and the management of the overall portfolio.
• Conduct other monitoring, evaluation, and reporting related activities as needed.

6. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS

The incumbent is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources, including equipment, supplies and, as applicable, staff supervised. The incumbent may also be asked to supervise work of more junior staff and external consultants.

Key Performance Indicators

Assignments require the provision of seasoned technical expertise and input for the full programme / project cycle as well as in knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. The work goes beyond technical analysis and synthesis to include substantive inputs to project methodology and design of projects, knowledge sharing among peers and counterparts to enhance cooperation, complementarity and synergy and monitoring and evaluation to measure and report on lessons learned and best practices. The work is considered moderately complex requiring in-depth technical analysis and reporting. Typically operating as a specialist at the global, country or regional level, the incumbent’s work may be reviewed for technical accuracy, but more typically is reviewed for achieving the established work plan.

Working Relationships

The work relationships of the incumbent at this level are primarily for the exchange of information regarding development projects. Information‑gathering and exchange in support of studies and thematic assignments may also include identifying reliable sources and establishing guidelines for obtaining information on global, national and sub‑regional context / conditions and to convey methodological approaches and operational experience for implementation of activities undertaken on behalf of the Fund.

The work relationships of the incumbent involves the provision of technical advice and the negotiation and resolution of problems that arise in private sector project design and appraisal, supervision / implementation support and in the preparation of studies and reports. The incumbent serves as an expert in portfolio management and private sector investments and works with full technical independence in the provision of technical expertise and methodological guidance at the global, regional, and country level, as required. Contacts are with counterparts and senior officials within other DFIs, United Nations organizations having related programmes and with officials of governments, private sector and foundations, non‑governmental and inter‑governmental organizations, impact investors, and others.

In servicing inter‑governmental bodies, expert groups and other meetings, the including both regular and blended finance operations provides technical expertise and recommendations for policy formulation and official conclusions in a consultative capacity; the incumbent also may provide information regarding the organization’s policies, and act as the representative of the organization. Contacts are maintained to identify and evaluate emerging developments.

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

• Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in finance, financial engineering, economics, accounting, business managementor related field is required (*) :
• CPA, CMA, CFA, CIA, CPC, CGMA or similar professional certification desirable.

(*) Note: For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD’s Human Resources Implementing Procedures.

Experience

• At least eight (8) 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 the area of private sector operations and initiatives is required.
• Experience of investment portfolio oversight and risk reporting, including the use and development of related tools.
• Experience of providing advice or support to SMEs and other businesses to develop and improve their business.
• 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.

Languages

• Required : English (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable : French, Spanish and / or Arabic (3 - Good)
• Position‑specific requirement : Fluency in one of the desirable languages is considered a strong asset.

Skills

• Development finance : Know‑how in debt, lending terms, financial policies including pricing, concessionality and resource allocation.
• Adaptability : Adaptability and flexibility when facing new or unexpected situations, and to specific constraints and circumstances and managing complex processes.
• Corporate approach : Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities).
• Interpersonal skills : Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high‑level meeting participants).
• Problem solving : Strong systemic and structured thinking, ability to identify and dissect problems into components and formulate a comprehensive set of creative viable and sustainable solutions and strategies
• Specialized communication skills : Ability to negotiate on behalf of IFAD and drive for creative and pragmatic solutions in complex negotiations with key partners, both public and private sector.
• Synthesis : Outstanding ability to synthesize and simplify complex technical information for a variety of (non‑technical) audiences.
• Verbal communication : Clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language.
• Written communication : Clear, succinct and convincing written communication in the language needed for specific role; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language (e.g. for drafting of position papers, briefings, etc.).
• Evidence‑based policy : Know‑how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation).
• Private Sector Investment : Expertise in assessing private sector investment proposals, review of transactions and complex facilities and interventions using regular and blended finance, conducting due diligence, oversight, and supervision, recommending financial / investment decisions accordingly; proven expertise in deploying financial instruments and workouts / restructuring.
• Project / programme mgmt. (incl. coordination, design, development) : Know‑how in Project design and evaluation.
• CPA, CMA, CFA, CIA, CPC, CGMA or similar professional certification desirable.

Other Information

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation in line with its and the .

In accordance with IFAD’s provisions, all new staff members will normally be placed at the first step in the grade level for which they have been selected. For information on IFAD’s remuneration package, please visit IFAD’s on our website. Applicants are invited to use the ICSC to estimate the salary and benefit entitlements.