Principal/Senior Industry Specialist - Nairobi, Kenya

Background / General description

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) Agribusiness Department is seeking to employ an industry expert in Nairobi, Kenya specializing in livestock (beef, dairy, pork, poultry and aquaculture), farming, food processing and related supply chain activities.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, IFC helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

IFC’s Agribusiness Department supports investments in many sub-sectors: primary agricultural, fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils, tree crops, livestock, dairy, animal feed, food processing, milling, beverages and provides logistical and technical support to the agribusiness sector.

Duties and Accountabilities

• Contribute to the development and delivery of IFC’s agribusiness strategies and investment program
• Provide industry and best practice advice to internal - IFC and WBG colleagues - and external clients and add value to new business development activities and portfolio monitoring, as well as to advisory services projects.
• Conduct due diligences assessing project strengths and weaknesses and providing investment teams with an appraisal report plus operational parameters to be built into financial models
• Participate in investment committee meetings reviewing investment and advisory proposals, and support best practice dissemination and knowledge sharing.
• Participates in conferences and seminars and other events appropriate to maintaining and building sector knowledge and promoting IFC agribusiness capabilities
• Assists in the selection, briefing and supervision of specialist technical consultants engaged on due diligence and advisory services activities.
• Recognized within IFC as an authority in one or more key sectors and participates in World Bank Group wide events and specialist working groups.

Selection Criteria

• Most importantly, 10+ years experience at the senior management level of an agribusiness enterprise across several sub-sectors, with an emphasis on livestock (beef, dairy, pork, poultry and aquaculture) and food processing.
• University degree in agricultural, food science, technology, engineering, veterinary or closely related field
• Sound knowledge of current industry and sector operating parameters to permit comparative cost analysis and bench-marking, and established credibility as a respected regional or international agribusiness professional
• Sound business judgment and proven track record of investment screening and assessment
• Excellent communication skills in English; other language skills are an advantage; ability to work in a cross cultural environment
• Good command of information technology.
• Cross-sectoral agribusiness experience and exposure to marketing, sales, distribution, operations, procurement, engineering, MIS, business development, quality and environmental management.
• Willingness to undertake extensive international travel

Only online applications are accepted. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.


Note to Internal Staff: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a renewable term appointment.

Company Description

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.