Private Sector Specialist

World Bank Group; Manila; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

World Bank Group in Manila seeks a Private Sector Specialist to lead private sector development projects, including IPF/DPF operations, and to engage government and private stakeholders across ministries and financial institutions.

The role requires a Master’s degree and at least five years of relevant experience, with strong English skills and regional familiarity. You will work with IFC-linked initiatives to mobilize investment and improve productivity.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, public policy, business, finance, development studies or related field.
• At least five years of directly relevant experience.
• Strong knowledge of private sector development, including firm productivity, SME development, investment climate.
• Experience designing or implementing lending operations (IPF/DPF) or comparable multilateral operations.
• Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and manage consultants.
• Excellent written and oral English; ability to work across cultures.
• Experience in the Philippines or East Asia is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to and lead IPF and DPF operations on private sector development from preparation through supervision.
• Support private-sector policy dialogue with government and the private sector on reforms that improve investment and enterprise growth.
• Engage implementing agencies and private sector stakeholders across ministries, firms and financial institutions.
• Lead work on SMEs and firm capabilities: markets, finance, supplier development, value chains and quality infrastructure.
• Help design reforms, public investments and institution strengthening to mobilize private investment with IFC links.
• Undertake analytical work and translate findings into actionable policy recommendations and TA.
• Support portfolio management, resolve bottlenecks with agencies, and prepare high-quality briefs.

Skills

Private sector development

Investment climate

Value chains

SME development

Policy dialogue

Analytical skills

Project cycle management

Stakeholder engagement

English proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in economics/public policy/business/finance/development studies

Job description

Private Sector Specialist

• Job #: req38815
• Organization: World Bank
• Sector: Private Sector Development
• Grade: GF
• Term Duration: Open-Ended Staff (OPEN-OP)
• Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
• Location: Manila,Philippines
• Required Language(s): English
• Preferred Language(s): Filipino
• Closing Date: 11/6/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd

The East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region has made strong progress in reducing poverty and expanding opportunity, yet important challenges remain, including uneven access to basic services, infrastructure gaps, and vulnerability to climate and disaster risks. In the Philippines, these challenges are heightened by the country’s archipelagic geography, which raises the cost and complexity of delivering services and infrastructure at scale. To learn more, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eap

The Finance, Competitiveness and Investment (FCI) practice brings together finance and private sector development expertise to support private sector-led growth, investment and job creation. Guided by the Country Partnership Framework, FCI has a substantial and growing Philippines program that combines policy dialogue and analytics with major financing operations to improve the business environment, strengthen firm productivity, expand access to finance, integrate SMEs into value chains, and enable private investment.

Key duties include:

• Contribute to and progressively lead Investment Project Financing (IPF) and Development Policy Financing (DPF) operations on private sector development, competitiveness, investment and jobs, from preparation through supervision, working closely with implementing agencies to translate project design into effective delivery systems.
• Support private-sector policy dialogue with government and the private sector on reforms that improve the environment for investment, productivity, innovation and enterprise growth.
• Serve as a primary point of engagement with implementing agencies and private sector stakeholders, facilitating coordination across government institutions, development partners, industry associations, financial institutions, and firms.
• Lead work on SMEs and firm capabilities, including access to markets and finance, value-chain integration, supplier development, entrepreneurship, technology adoption and quality infrastructure.
• Help design reforms, public investments and institutional strengthening that mobilize private investment, working with IFC to connect policy reforms with investment opportunities.
• Undertake analytical and advisory work and translate findings into actionable policy recommendations, operations and technical assistance.
• Support implementation and portfolio management, resolve bottlenecks with implementing agencies, and prepare high-quality briefs and notes for Country and senior management.
• Build effective relationships with ministries, agencies, firms and financial institutions, and collaborate across practices and with development partners to bring global knowledge to the Philippines program.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, public policy, business, finance, development studies or a related field, with at least five years of directly relevant experience.
• Strong technical knowledge of private sector development, such as firm productivity, SME development, investment climate, competitiveness, entrepreneurship and innovation, value chains, investment policy and promotion, or private capital enabling.
• Experience designing and/or implementing lending operations, preferably World Bank IPF or DPF or comparable multilateral operations; experience across the project cycle is a strong advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage consultant work programs, and deliver complex operational tasks involving multiple stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to link policy reform and analysis to tangible outcomes for investment, productivity and jobs.
• Demonstrated ability to engage government and private-sector counterparts, build trusted relationships, and work effectively in multidisciplinary, multicultural teams.
• Excellent written and oral English, initiative, and ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines with a strong focus on results.
• Experience in the Philippines or East Asia, and familiarity with World Bank Group instruments, policies and procedures, would be an advantage.

As the World Bank Group continues to evolve, we value candidates who:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
• Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
• Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

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.