Senior Banking Sector Specialist

Senior Banking Sector Specialist

Job #: req38168 Organization: IFC Sector: Financial Sector Grade: GG Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Arabic, Russian Closing Date: 9/9/2026 (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 newly created Knowledge Bank (KB) has the aim to integrate the World Bank Group's public and private expertise into a unified knowledge function that makes proven solutions easier to find, adapt, and apply. In practice it means: (i) Unify expertise across IBRD/IDA, IFC, and MIGA to give clients and frontline teams access to the most targeted policy and operational know how in one offering, (ii) Shorten the distance from knowledge to delivery by systematically capturing lessons from analytics and operations, curating them into model policies and scalable solutions, (iii) Organize knowledge through its five KB Verticals (Digital & AI; Infrastructure; People; Planet; Prosperity) with dual functions: Policy and Regulations (model policies, laws, and upstream analytics) and Solutions and Impact (replicating and scaling proven initiatives with regions across public and private instruments).

The Financial Services Sector (FSS) department within the KB Prosperity Vice Presidency aims to strengthen, deepen, and make more inclusive the financial systems of client countries-so they can safely mobilize savings, allocate capital to productive investment, withstand shocks, and support jobs and growth. Practically, this means combining policy and regulatory advice, market development, inclusion, and risk-finance/risk-transfer solutions with country diagnostics and data-driven analytics to advance shared prosperity. The FSS department within the Knowledge Bank (FSS KB) has the following objectives: (i) Provide an integrated suite of knowledge, diagnostics, and operational solutions in finance that countries can use to accelerate inclusive, sustainable growth backed by strong financial services; (ii) Ensure policy and regulatory reforms are grounded in rigorous diagnostics, and that they translate into financial market development (capital markets, payments) and wider financial access. (iii) Make data and evidence easy to access and apply for finance. (iv) Operate as a "One WBG" platform - collaborating across WBG institutions on public and private solutions for the financial sector as well as coordinating with IMF on surveillance/assessments - so that countries may get coherent, high-impact support across public and private financing and financial sector knowledge.

FSS KB seeks to deepen its banking industry expertise with additional resources to fulfill its enlarged mandate and also meet increasingly demanding requirements from a growing financial sector investment program and portfolio. It aims to hire a Senior Banking Sector Specialist who will complement the existing cadre of banking technical expertise. The Senior Banking Sector Specialist will be located in Washington DC and mainly cover the MCT Region . She/He will work on other regional and/or global banking opportunities, as the need arises. The position reports to the Chief Banking Sector Specialist.

Beyond the Banking Sector Specialist's critical role of leading investment appraisals (including loan portfolio reviews), the new KB model demands greater value-added services for existing and potential clients. Banking Sector Specialists are expected to (i) contribute to the development and implementation of the wider FSS KB strategic workplan; (ii) support regional management teams in developing and implementing their regional strategy for the banking sector; (iii) support strategic client engagement, including through the delivery of thematic workshops on various topics (e.g. balance sheet optimization); (iv) assist in the supervision of existing/portfolio exposures; and (v) contribute to global knowledge development and dissemination in the field of banking. The role requires significant travel, particularly within the region of dedication.

The ideal candidate should have considerable hands-on, private sector, operational experience in banking, at senior level in a variety of MCT countries; the successful candidate's experience should include at least credit risk management and overall risk management including liquidity, market and non-financial risks, consumer finance and MSME. A firm understanding of data analytics and statistical credit score modeling is a plus, as well as additional experience in due diligence of Debt Funds and Fintech. The candidate will have developed strategic business acumen and deal making with strong operational hands-on skills and a willingness to apply those skills when working with clients.

She/He will be part of the Global Team of Banking Sector Specialists. As mentioned above, Banking Sector Specialists are required to work across other regions, as the need arises.

Duties and Accountability:

The accountabilities of the Senior Banking Sector Specialist will include but not be limited to:

• Participate in the design of MCT regional financial industry strategies and support implementation and delivery of business targets and development outcomes; mainly by leading investment appraisals and operational reviews and due diligence.
• Support business development for both Investment and Advisory/Upstream services for the financial sector in the MCT Region as well as portfolio monitoring by helping MCT Regional Industry Managers maintain high quality, performance, and compliance of portfolio in the region.
• Disseminate industry lessons and experience in the region, contribute to the global knowledge and share experience within and across regions.
• Contribute to the mentoring and development of investment staff.
• Support the quality of work performed by investment/advisory/upstream teams during appraisals and in the preparation of investment review meetings.
• Collaborate with Management and Credit to identify and manage industry and transaction risks, including relevant early warnings in the MCT region and globally.

Selection Criteria

• A Master''s degree or equivalent professional qualification in finance or business,
• A minimum of 15 - 18 years' relevant operational private sector banking experience in a variety of MCT countries.
• Substantial banking experience at senior management level including decision-making responsibility and influence over the results of the entity.
• Experience and expertise to include but not limited to:

o Due diligence of financial institutions (debt and equity) - Banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions,

o Credit and risk management,

o Consumer Banking and MSME,

o Asset/Liabilities management,

o Working knowledge and analytical skills in financial analysis, as well as statistical score modeling, vintage analysis and big data,

o Working knowledge in Fintech and disruptive business models in financial products.

o Fluency in English is required. Ability to speak Russian or Arabic would be a plus.

These are absolute technical requirements and candidates with less experience will not be considered.

Additionally, the candidate will be able to demonstrate his / her:

• Ability to represent KB / IFC externally.
• Strong sense of service to clients and proven success in developing client relationships and executing quality investments.
• Good "deal sense" based on proven strong analytical skills and business judgment.
• Ability to work in the matrix as an integral part of both the global KB team and the Regional Industry team to deliver high-quality work within deadlines to meet objectives.
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues across boundaries within the entire World Bank Group.
• Excellent people management skills and openness to feedback; capacity to bring new ideas and ability to guide staff towards solutions to problems.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Recognized as a team player and leader, ability to manage and resolve conflict.
• Highest standards of ethical integrity, transparency

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.