Senior Operations Officer, Asia Pacific – Crosscutting Advisory and Upstream

Senior Operations Officer, Asia Pacific – Crosscutting Advisory and Upstream

Job #: req37191 Organization: IFC Sector: Operations Grade: GG Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Mumbai,India; Hong Kong,China or Singapore,Singapore Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 6/23/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

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 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. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit: https://www.ifc.org

This vacancy announcement is for one position posted across multiple possible duty stations. That includes Singapore, Hong Kong and Mumbai, India. The selected candidate's duty station will be determined based on organizational requirements and business needs.

IFC’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Department (CPV) plays an integral role in this mission. CPV is a core driver of jobs, MSME growth, equity capital, and mobilization for IFC. Our $9bn portfolio spans 125 startups, 400+ funds, and 4,700 companies and these companies support 3M+ jobs, including 880k held by women. CPV invests in digital economy focused private sector companies and it takes a lifecycle approach to investment to accelerate development and growth with a successful track record of equity investments in start-up accelerators, venture capital and growth equity and working with the larger IFC group to support businesses from seed to scale. CPV is unique for both its regional and global perspective on venture and growth equity, long-term approach to investments, and ability to leverage the resources of the entire World Bank Group towards value creation.

Complementing its investment activities, CPV has a Cross-Cutting Advisory and Upstream Team that collaborates across the WBG to catalyze venture capital and private equity ecosystems, promote fund institutionalization, enhance value creation in direct and indirect portfolio companies, and generate early-stage upstream opportunities to strengthen investment pipelines. Within these priorities, CPV implements multiple upstream advisory programs such as SME Ventures (SMEV) for developing local equity capital formation to support high-growth SMEs in traditional and service industry sectors; Startup Catalyst for supporting entrepreneurs through incubators and accelerators with investments and advisory; and Gender programs for increasing the flow of capital to female entrepreneurs, improving the enabling conditions for female-led businesses, and entrepreneurial skills development for female business owners.

IFC is now seeking to recruit a qualified Senior Operations Officer to anchor and coordinate value creation and upstream activities across Asia (East Asia Pacific and South Asia) supporting our 140+ PE/VC Funds and direct companies. This role will contribute to IFC and WBG priorities of scaling entrepreneurship / MSME growth, creating jobs across emerging markets, accelerating disruptive technologies and digitalization, enabling private capital mobilization, and advancing gender equality and sustainability.

Duties and responsibilities

The Operations Officer will provide operational, technical, and coordination support for the implementation of CPV’s Value Creation Strategy in the region, through upstream and advisory interventions. The Officer will act as a key regional link between investment teams, product area leads, sector/industry specialists, and World Bank Group teams, ensuring alignment and effective delivery of value creation initiatives across the investment lifecycle.

• Develop, pilot, and scale value creation products and tools, tailored to local market conditions and meet the needs of companies and Funds.

• Identify value creation opportunities for portfolio companies and high-probability pipeline funds within the region and what is needed to create opportunities, working with investment officers and cross-cutting advisory and upstream team members.

• Drive integration of advisory and upstream priorities into regional investment strategies and workflows.

• Serve as a liaison between CPV regional and IFC industry teams and the Cross-Cutting Advisory and Upstream team.

• Contribute expertise to PE/VC country diagnostics within the region by engaging with relevant Country Advisory and Economics teams and leading where relevant.

• Lead operational and coordination of regional knowledge and learning activities, including but not limited to disseminating knowledge and regional insights, coordinate training and capacity-building events for clients, and contribute to knowledge and learning for IFC staff to raise their awareness of value creation solutions via advisory and upstream.

• Collect and analyze client and market data to support design of solutions aimed at creating markets, reforming sectors, and improving firm performance.

• Gather information from external sources on regional best practices, evolving trends and challenges and players that can be leveraged to develop and deliver value creation solutions and support upstream transactions.

• Prepare project documentation (Concept Notes, Implementation Plans, Supervision Reports, Completion Reports) and engage with peers, including ESG, legal, M&E, finance, and sector experts, etc., to integrate feedback.

• Create content for client deliverables such as analytical reports, training materials, best practice guides, standards, and recommendations to improve business performance under the supervision of more senior industry specialists and CPVCS Product and Sector leads.

• Manage implementation of complex projects, ensuring reporting requirements are met.

• Contribute to raising donor funds, including developing donor proposals to mobilize funding for value creation and advisory initiatives. Prepare progress reports detailing project outcomes for donor partners and internal stakeholders.

• Structure and lead engagements with clients, including meetings, workshops, and technical discussions, and oversee contracted firms supporting project implementation.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree or equivalent professional qualification in Business, Finance, Economics, International Relations, Science, Engineering, or another relevant field.

• 12+ years of relevant experience in entrepreneurship ecosystem development, project development, hands-on advisory and/or consulting functions in emerging markets relating to catalyzing investment opportunity.

• Genuine commitment to development and to the World Bank Group and IFC's mission, strategy, and values. Understanding of IFC’s strategic priorities and changing business model against the backdrop of IFC 3.0.

• Demonstrated capacity to innovate and challenge the status quo and experience in new idea generation, business development, and creating projects/programs from scratch.

• Demonstrated professional leadership and lead teams in the execution of major projects.

• Understanding of digital economy and emerging technologies in high-growth economies and ability to link policy reforms, advisory interventions, investment, and mobilization to deliver solutions at a country level via the Cascade approach.

• Outstanding analytical and critical thinking skills.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Proven ability to work independently and deliver promptly and efficiently under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

• Willingness to travel throughout the sub-region and to HQ.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.