Senior Industry Specialist - Retail

World Bank Group • Washington, DC

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About The Position

Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.
The Tourism and Services Solutions and Impact (KIUST) team under the WBG Infrastructure Vice Presidency (VPU) is part of the WBG Knowledge Bank. The Tourism and Services sector’s business have been growing significantly, and Retail is an important sub-sector. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. It has played a key role in supporting the retail sector in developing countries. Since 1956, IFC has committed close to $6.3 bn in 160 projects in about 35 countries in space. The current retail investment portfolio comprises investments in Food Retail, Apparel and Sports Retail, FMCG Distribution, DIYs, Consumer Durables, Automotive Distribution, Leasing and Rental, as well as in Electronics and E-commerce.
The Retail Sector Specialist plays a key role in helping IFC to evaluate project investments, identifying areas of advisory value-add, supporting innovation and strategy. The successful candidate is expected to have rich strategic and operational experience in senior management positions in the retail sector, preferably in emerging markets, have sound business judgment, strong financial skills and be able to work in investment teams by providing expert opinion on the technical and operational aspects of investment proposals from across our global network. The selected candidate will be based in Washington DC and will work under the oversight of Manager, Tourism and Services, Solutions & Impact. The position will have a global focus and ability to undertake regular lengthy travel commitments is expected.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a relevant area;
• 20+ years’ total experience, including experience managing a country operation for an international retailer, or a large regional player. Preference will be given to candidates that have managed at the COO or CEO level. In-depth knowledge of the retail food sector is a prerequisite, non-food retail knowledge is a plus.
• Good understanding of the e-commerce aspects of the business. Deep understanding of e-commerce trends and competitive landscapes. Ability to benchmark business models, evaluate scalability, and assess risks specific to digital retail platforms.
• Experience in and knowledge of emerging trends in the sector and new business models such as omnichannel retail, digitally native brands or other online models, with an understanding of digital marketing, customer acquisition will be a plus.
• Ability to work across different geographies, cultures and organizations and on multiple projects simultaneously is required; Significant international exposure, including experience of working in developing countries, will be a key advantage.
• Flexible to meet the demanding global travel requirements of the job;
• Excellent communication skills in English. Knowledge of another major business language is an advantage;
• A strong sense of curiosity and the ability to work both in teams and independently would be strong attributes;
• Position requires sound business judgment to identify the strengths and weaknesses of retail projects and make recommendations to guide investment decisions;
• Ability to clearly communicate verbally and in detailed written reports (for example when assessing and appraising potential investment projects)
• Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
• Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
• Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in and knowledge of emerging trends in the sector and new business models such as omnichannel retail, digitally native brands or other online models, with an understanding of digital marketing, customer acquisition will be a plus.
• Significant international exposure, including experience of working in developing countries, will be a key advantage.
• Knowledge of another major business language is an advantage;
• A strong sense of curiosity and the ability to work both in teams and independently would be strong attributes;

Responsibilities

• Participate in business origination activities, build client networks and maintain client relationships;
• Appraise and assess the technical and commercial feasibility of potential projects and companies that are seeking an investment from IFC (including analysis of key areas such as business model, market, management, and operations);
• Participate in portfolio management of existing projects while providing value-addition to our clients by providing expert advice to clients on key aspects of their operations and performance;
• Support the investment officers in developing comprehensive financial projections for all investment cases;
• Support the development and implementation of IFC’s Retail sector strategy both globally and regionally;
• Contribute to the development and internal and external dissemination of information, knowledge and benchmarking relevant to the retail sector;
• Engage and work with colleagues from across the World Bank Group; Replicate/ scale high-impact projects and innovations across all WBG products.
• Extract lessons learned from IFC investment projects and develop best practices to apply on future projects;
• Develop and support knowledge management and thought leadership;
• Keep updated on and share as relevant with the team sectoral and industry news, trends and related developments;
• Hire and supervise consultants where needed to support IFC’s work in the retail sector.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level