Director, Direct Equity Department

CGAP; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Washington, DC seeks a Director to lead its Direct Equity Department. The Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for IFC's global direct equity investment business, guiding originations, structuring, portfolio management, value creation, and exits.

Reporting to senior leadership, you will set investment standards, collaborate with regional teams, mobilize private capital, and ensure development outcomes align with IFC 2030

Qualifications

• Experience leading direct equity investment strategies with global teams.
• Ability to set standards for investment discipline and portfolio quality.
• Proven track record in mobilizing private capital and managing complex transactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of IFC's global direct equity strategy and maintain investment standards.
• Provide global technical leadership and ensure consistency across regions and sectors.
• Oversee portfolio governance, value creation, and exit strategies to maximize development impact.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Direct equity investing

Portfolio management

Financial analysis

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

At the International Finance Corporation (IFC), 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. In fiscal year 2026, IFC committed a record $105.6 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

Background/ General Description IFC is seeking to recruit a Director to lead its Direct Equity Department, based in Washington, DC. Reporting to the Vice President, Products Clients, the Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for IFC's global direct equity investment business. The Director will lead the implementation and continued evolution of IFC's direct equity strategy and provide global technical leadership to regional investment teams across sectors, with accountability for consistent investment standards, portfolio quality, and development impact. The Department will serve as IFC's global center of expertise for direct equity, supporting regional teams across the investment lifecycle from origination and structuring through active portfolio management, value creation, and exits. The Director will work closely with regional and industry teams and with the Directors responsible for Funds and Venture Capital and Client Engagement, and will collaborate with Risk, Legal, Treasury, Economics, Environmental and Social, and other functions to strengthen investment quality, mobilize private capital, deepen capital markets, and maintain a high-performing and financially sustainable equity portfolio in support of IFC 2030 priorities.

Specific Duties and Accountabilities

Business and Strategic Leadership

• Lead the implementation and continued evolution of IFC's global direct equity strategy, aligned with IFC 2030 priorities, development goals, financial sustainability, and private capital mobilization objectives.
• Provide global technical leadership and set standards for direct equity investing, working through regional and industry investment teams to ensure consistent investment discipline, quality, and strategic alignment across sectors and regions.
• Support regional and industry teams in originating, structuring, negotiating, and executing complex direct equity investments, with particular focus on strategic, innovative, or high-impact opportunities and new client relationships.
• Advance approaches to mobilize private capital through co-investments, strategic partnerships, and other scalable investment structures, and promote innovation informed by market intelligence, technology, and data analytics.
• Represent IFC in senior client engagements and external forums related to direct equity, emerging markets, and private capital, strengthening IFC's position as a leading long-term equity investor and development partner.

Portfolio Management and Value Creation

• Provide global oversight of IFC's direct equity portfolio and support regional portfolio teams in strengthening performance, portfolio quality, governance, value creation, and development outcomes.
• Establish and maintain rigorous approaches to equity valuation, portfolio monitoring, capital allocation, and risk management, working closely with regional teams and relevant corporate functions to promote consistency and sound judgment across the portfolio.
• Drive active value creation across the portfolio, including strengthened governance, strategic and operational improvements, and timely responses to underperforming or complex investments.
• Guide portfolio optimization and exit strategies, balancing financial returns, development impact, market conditions, and IFC's role as a long-term investor.
• Promote systematic learning and sharing of investment and portfolio experience across regions and sectors, codifying best practices and strengthening IFC's global equity investment capabilities.

People and Resource Management

• Manage financial and talent resources, including hiring, developing, and retaining diverse talent to achieve the Department's business objectives.
• Provide overall leadership and people management, setting clear priorities and fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and inclusive culture.
• Lead effectively across organizational boundaries and through matrix relationships with regional and industry investment teams, building a strong global community of direct equity professionals and alignment around common standards and priorities.
• Manage the Department's budget with a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, and deployment of resources toward the highest-priority business and portfolio needs.