Legal Counsel at the International Financial Corporation (IFC) - World Bank Group

The International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it is needed most. In FY15, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $18 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

In 2015, the World Bank Group launched a recruitment mission to attract Sub Saharan African professionals to its work force. The initiative was the first of its kind for the institution and resulted in numerous hires into business areas such as Education, Health, Development Economics, Information Technology Systems, Social Urban/Rural & Resilience and Governance. The World Bank Group continues its commitment to hiring Sub-Saharan African professionals and announces its latest recruitment mission to again attract highly qualified Sub-Saharan African professionals who are looking for an exciting career, where their effort will contribute to the institution's goal of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

The International Financial Corporation (IFC), invites applications for the position below:

Job Title: Counsel

Location: Africa
Area: Legal

Job Summary
The Legal Department of IFC is responsible for providing legal and policy advice to the IFC Board, its Management and client departments on operational, advisory and corporate matters. Specifically, the IFC Legal team supports client departments in: (i) the delivery of IFC’s annual program of financing private sector projects in emerging markets; (ii) project portfolio management (including jeopardy projects and projects in litigation); (iii) the delivery and design of structured finance products, sub-national lending, equity and quasi-equity transactions; (iv) advising on corporate policy and operational matters; and (v) knowledge management and training.

Counsel positions on the IFC Legal team may be located in Washington, DC or one of IFC’s regional offices (such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Delhi, Dubai, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Dakar, Nairobi, Sao Paulo, or Mexico City).

Counsel will be responsible for the following:

• Assuming primary lawyer responsibility for IFC’s new and portfolio investments and advisory services projects
• Providing advice and support to investment clients in the areas of project and corporate finance (debt and equity), debt restructurings and workouts, bankruptcy and insolvency
• Advising business colleagues on the selection of outside counsel, managing outside counsel and legal cost as appropriate
• Obtaining and expanding knowledge, experience and best practices arising from doing business in the areas mentioned above and effectively sharing this knowledge.

Selection Criteria

• Law degree and qualification to practice law in one or more jurisdictions
• At least 8 years of experience practicing law in cross-border transactions involving debt and/or equity, debt restructurings, workouts, bankruptcy and insolvency with a well-recognized law firm and/or an international financial institution or development institution
• Ability to handle independently complex corporate and commercial transactions (including in particular secured lending, corporate and project finance, debt restructurings, and equity investments/divestments)
• Willingness to assume multiple roles and tasks to meet changing business needs with an ability to foresee, troubleshoot and effectively resolve conflicting issues and challenges
• Ability to assess risk in a practical and responsible manner and make fair, well-reasoned, independent and transparent decisions
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to deal with sensitivity in a multicultural environment and to build effective working relations with clients and colleagues across the Corporation
• Excellent communication skills in English; fluency in other languages is a plus
• Ability to work in a fast-pace environment with quick turnaround expectations
• Professional integrity and sound judgment in handling confidential information
• Willingness to travel.

Recruitment Timeline
End of July - September 2016 - Review applications and update application status to candidates
August - September 2016 - Contact all shortlisted candidates and conduct interviews in Washington, D.C. and locations in Africa

Application Closing Date
7th August, 2016.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Shortlisted candidates may be contacted as early as August 2016 for interviews which may be conducted in Washington, D.C. or locations in Africa. Interviews will be conducted through September 2016. Based on the availability of interviewers and candidates some interviews may be conducted virtually.
• Candidates who have previously submitted applications through the Recruitment Drive for African Nationals in 2015 must submit a new application to be considered for opportunities in this year's campaign. We apologize that we are unable to consider previously submitted applications.