PSD Specialist, Investment Policy IFC
International Finance Corporation
Vienna, Austria
Background/General description:
This is a two-year term appointment. However, staff currently on open-ended contracts are encouraged to apply and if selected, will retain their appointment status.
The World Bank Group’s Investment Climate Department (CIC) assists governments of developing countries and transition economies in reforming their business environments, with support focused on reforms that strengthen business environments and the investment climate (IC) at economy-wide as well as industry/sector level. The department collaborates extensively with other teams across the World Bank Group in the design and delivery of advisory services and other operational work related to investment climate reform, and develops IC knowledge products for staff and clients.
Serving as the global backbone of the Bank Group’s IC activities; CIC: (i) anchors the Investment Climate Business Line (one of IFC's four Advisory Services Business Lines), and handles the global dimension of its work; (ii) anchors the Investment Climate Global Practice of the Bank's Finance and Private Sector Development Network (which covers six Practices); (iii) implements MIGA’s technical assistance mandate, and (iv) manages the multi-donor Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services (FIAS; a global funding and partnership platform for IC reform), the Health in Africa (HiA) initiative, as well as a new work program on private participation in infrastructure.
CIC is organized into four units, reflecting four global service or product lines: Business Regulation, International Trade and Investment (CICTI), Investment Climate for Industry, and Private Participation in Infrastructure and Social Sectors.
About the Position
About the Investment Policy Product
The Investment Policy (IP) Product helps client governments improve investment laws, policies and incentives regimes and reduce economy-wide investment barriers in order to stimulate private domestic and foreign direct investment flows. Investment climate benchmarks are used to catalyze governments’ actions and frame IP reform interventions. The IP team, composed of technical and programmatic specialists based in DC and Vienna, interacts closely with other units in the IFC, WB and MIGA working on related topics in order to foster close collaboration and ensure that our services meet client needs.
Investment Policy is structured into three work streams as follows:
- Work stream 1: FDI Policy and Integration in the Economy Strengthening client investment creation through helping to improve the legal, policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks for investment, domestic and FDI.
- Work stream 2: Political Risk/ Investor Protection Confidence Increasing investor protection confidence in client countries by addressing specific shortcomings in the legal and regulatory framework, improving administrative processes and procedures, and augmenting the strength and quality of institutions addressing political risk.
- Work stream 3: Regional Integration Increasing regional trade and investment flows through selected investment climate reforms in support of regional integration.
Duties and Accountabilities:
The Investment Policy Specialist based in Vienna will report to the IP Global Product Specialist (GPS) and the Head of the Vienna Office. His/her responsibilities include:
- Operational support and management of advisory projects with investment policy components in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and other selected regions;
- Play an active role as member of a global IP product team and ensure optimal client response, knowledge generation and dissemination of best practice on competition policies across countries and regions.
- Contribute to the development and incubation of new work streams and approaches in the area of investment policy;
- Provide technical expertise to lead the IP components of selected client-focused projects, undertaking project diagnostic and implementation activities and liaising with clients and development partners;
- Lead missions to client countries and prepare written reports as necessary (e.g., diagnostic analysis, findings, recommendations, case studies, etc.);
- Provide quality control of projects, recruit and supervise consultants and manage program implementation, monitoring the budget and spent on each program, and reporting on progress, activities, outputs and outcomes.
- Contribute to knowledge management, research and analysis of selected policy and regulatory issues in support of the global investment policy advisory work, such as helping to generate and disseminate best practice case studies, databases and other materials in relevant themes.
- Contribute to the development of collaborative partnerships with external partners and all other World Bank Group teams involved in promoting competition in client countries (FPD, PREM, other IFC Advisory Services, and IFC Investment).
Selection Criteria:
- A masters or other equivalent advanced degree in investment law or policy, private sector development or economic policy, development economics, international development, or related discipline;
- At least 5 years relevant experience in developing investment policy technical assistance and/or carrying out investment climate reform, advisory services, business projects or consultancy programs;
- Technical expertise and experience in investment policy as well as, global trends and regional drivers of foreign direct investment and competitiveness;
- Demonstrates technical expertise to contribute to the design of and implementation of projects as well as to advise peers and more senior staff;
- Ability to contribute to the development of global KM by drafting tool kits, case studies, creating presentations, books, TORs and guides, etc.;
- Excellent analytical skills and highly effective written and spoken communication skills;
- Great team player who can assume leadership in areas of experience and persuade client and team members of what needs to be done;
- Excellent interpersonal skills, exceptional listener, extremely responsive and flexible to adapt to client needs and ensure customer satisfaction, having a balanced and politically astute personality, able to excel at working with diverse personalities and backgrounds, and in client engagement;
- Ability to strategize and adapt work program based on changing and evolving priorities;
- Prior private sector development experience a plus;
- Fluency in written and oral English required; French and Spanish desirable.
- Willingness to travel internationally essential.
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