Senior Syndication Officer (SSO) at the OPEC Fund for International Development

The OPEC Fund for International Development is a multilateral development finance institution established in 1976. Our 12 Member Countries are:  Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Syndication Officer (SSO)

Location: Austria
Employment type: Fixed Term Contract
Department: Private Sector & Trade Finance Operations (PSTFOD)

Job Profile

• The Senior Syndication Officer (SSO) is responsible for providing syndication/mobilisation services for the OPEC Fund.
• The SSO provides support to and manages syndication/mobilisation and the Syndication Facility’s relationships with syndication partners to ensure a sustainable pipeline of mobilisation activities.

Duties and Responsibilities
Syndication / Mobilisation:

• Leads syndication/mobilisation transactions associated with private sector activities of the OPEC Fund, sharing responsibilities where appropriate with other co-arrangers.
• Contributes largely to the delivery of the annual syndication/mobilisation targets for OPEC Fund.
• Performs market soundings, pricing and provides risk appetite feedback to the Head of Syndication Facility, and when requested to Assistant Director-General of the Private Sector & Trade Finance Operations (PSTFOD) and/or PSTFOD Business Development Unit team for their consideration.
• Contributes in formulating and executing the strategic objectives and business model of the Syndication Facility.
• Provides support to prepare departmental reports, and provide inputs for strategy, board papers, departmental, pricing, and sector papers when required.

Syndication/Mobilisation Business Origination Support:

• Prepares and may deliver pitch books and market updates for clients, information memoranda for lead/co-lead transactions and slides for partner meetings/road shows as needed.
• Contributes to the preparation and execution of the syndication and mobilisation marketing strategy for coverage areas (Financial Institutions).

Stakeholder management and engagement:

• Develops and expands the syndications / mobilization partners’ base among development finance institutions, commercial banks and other investors.
• Negotiates credit and legal documents with syndicate institutions in liaison with relevant internal departments (Business Development Unit, Portfolio Management Unit, Legal Department) ensuring alignment with both external and internal stakeholders.

Policies and procedures development:

• Contributes to the development and execution of strategies for promoting OPEC Fund’s syndication/mobilisation offerings.
• Contributes to the development of internal operational processes, policies and procedures for the syndication/mobilisation of private sector lending.
• Contributes to the periodic reviews of the syndication/mobilisation procedures and guidelines to ensure alignment with market best practice and makes recommendations for amendments and improvements.

Mentorship of more junior syndication team members:

• Mentors more junior syndication team members.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Accounting, Commerce, Finance, Economics or a related field. 
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant credit and origination experience, including at least 5 years of direct syndication/mobilization experience gained in a major development finance institution or an international commercial/investment bank.
• Preferably at least 1 years at an international development finance institution.
• Direct underwriting and or syndication experience.
• Knowledge of market instruments and market sources of financing and risk management/hedging products.
• Knowledge of fund-raising and on-lending activities in developing capital markets.
• Excellent understanding of financial issues affecting non-sovereign clients in developing countries and policy associated with the OPEC Fund’s mandate.
• Strong customer focus, ability to interface effectively with clients and business contacts at a senior and team level.
• Fluent in English. Good working knowledge of Arabic, French or Spanish is an added advantage.

Competencies:

• Extensive knowledge in the usage of office technologies, such as Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), intra/internet as well as on-line database management.
• Strong customer focus, ability to interface effectively with clients and business contacts at a senior and team level.
• Strong interpersonal, teamwork and analytical skills as well as a high level of integrity and drive for achieving results.
• Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.
• Ability to act independently and resourcefully in responding to work demands, adjust to multiple demands, shifting priorities, ambiguity and change.
• Ability to write and speak clearly and concisely, to write clear and precise analytical documents and to adapt communication style to different audiences.
• Ability to work in an international multi-cultural environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Application Closing Date
3rd March, 2024.