Lead Infrastructure Finance Specialist

Job #:
req37874

Organization:
MIGA

Sector:
Infrastructure

Grade:
GH

Term Duration:
3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):
French or Spanish

Closing Date:
8/10/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

In July 2024, the World Bank Group launched the WBG Guarantee Platform (WBG-GP), a major upgrade to its guarantees business that will deliver improved guarantee access through a unified team at MIGA, as well as innovative new guarantee solutions. These reforms will help position MIGA to achieve the goal of tripling annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030.

The Operational Strategy and Financing Solutions (MIGIG) unit within MIGA plays an important role in unlocking the potential of the WBG Guarantee Platform. With the launch of the Guarantee Platform, demand for technical support to identify bankable private sector projects, particularly those requiring WBG guarantee support, has rebounded and is expected to grow. The platform provides an opportunity to develop new guarantee solutions that combine individual guarantee products and WBG lending, provide portfolio covers, and support country platforms. Unlocking this potential requires greater focus on identifying opportunities at the regional level, engaging with global challenge programs, and coordinating with an emerging set of climate finance instruments.

As part of MIGOP, MIGIG falls under the MIGA Industries Directorate, where it supports strategic midstream engagement with World Bank teams in regions and global practices. MIGIG holds responsibility for IBRD/IDA guarantee products and coordinates closely with MIGOP Regional Heads and MIGOP Industries and Financial Institutions Group units to identify and originate novel guarantee programs and projects for the WBG Guarantee Platform.

Reporting to the Practice Manager of MIGIG, the Lead Infrastructure Finance Specialist will support the WBG-GP through a combination of midstream private capital mobilization (PCM) engagements, with a specific focus on IBRD/IDA guarantees, scaling up climate finance and carbon markets, and engagement on sector strategies in energy, water, digital, mining, agriculture, and other sectors. This role will require a balance between coordinating closely with World Bank teams on sector strategies, operational policies, procedures, and guidance for guarantee operations, and originating, structuring and implementing IBRD/IDA guarantee operations. The lead will support continued WBG-GP product innovation and development, process improvements, knowledge sharing, and strategic initiatives to strengthen PCM for the WBG-GP.

Duties and Accountabilities
• Provide midstream support to develop WBG guarantee operations, with a specific focus on IBRD/IDA guarantees, including by engaging with regional and global practice teams on project pipelines, country platforms, sector programs, and opportunities to mobilize private capital and optimize the use of public, concessional, and trust fund resources.
• Support WBG-wide initiatives that strengthen the role of WBG guarantees in PCM, including M300, AgriConnect, Global Challenge Programs, sector strategies, Country Partnership Frameworks, Country Climate and Development Reports, and other strategic priorities. Specifically, expand the role of WBG guarantees in key global initiatives by working across the Planet, Prosperity, Infrastructure, and Digital VPU teams.
• Provide thought leadership on guarantee product development, policy and process improvements, and scalable approaches for combining WBG instruments, including MIGA guarantees, IBRD/IDA guarantees and loans, IFC instruments, concessional resources, trust funds, and climate finance instruments, while ensuring consistency with relevant policies, procedures, and institutional requirements.
• Coordinate with World Bank sector teams, IFC, Knowledge Bank, WB-OPCS, DFI, WFA, IFSO, Bank Legal, MIGA Legal, Treasury, CRO, and other relevant units to support IBRD/IDA transaction preparation, quality assurance, internal review processes, and the timely resolution of operational, policy, procedural, and implementation issues.
• Lead or contribute to WBG-GP corporate workstreams, including product notes, operational guidance, management briefings, guarantee projections, and business planning inputs that inform strategic decision-making and promote consistency across the platform.
• Provide leadership support to MIGIG teams on transaction structures, financial solutions, risk allocation, market sounding, investor and lender considerations, and legal or commercial issues that affect the bankability, scalability, and development impact of IBRD/IDA guarantee-supported operations.
• Coordinate with the Portfolio Management unit on corporate monitoring of IBRD/IDA guarantee portfolio exposure, including corporate reporting and business intelligence for guarantees, analysis of portfolio trends and results, and lessons from project implementation across the portfolio.
• Represent the WBG-GP and promote its credit enhancement and risk mitigation capabilities within the World Bank Group, with public and private sector clients, and international fora.
• Contribute to the WBG-GP leadership team and to MIGIG's strategy and team development by strengthening knowledge of innovative infrastructure financing, supporting sound design, delivering customized training and knowledge dissemination, and mentoring colleagues.
• Work flexibly across assignments, manage multiple priorities, and build effective relationships in a multicultural environment with clients, investors, lenders, development partners, and colleagues across the WBG.

Selection Criteria
• Advanced university degree in international business, finance, law, engineering, economics, or a related field is required. A master's degree, MBA, or equivalent further training is also required.
• At least twelve years of relevant professional experience in investment and development banking, with demonstrated experience working on private sector projects and with governments, including state-owned utilities and infrastructure authorities. Experience with private equity and private placements would be a plus.
• Strong understanding of project finance, structured finance, capital markets, reinsurance markets, ESG-linked finance, green bonds and loans, sustainability-linked debt instruments, and transition bonds. Familiarity with commercial banks, bond investors, and institutional investors, including the key motives and constraints that drive their lending and investment decisions, should be supported by a proven transaction track record.
• Ability to assess market trends and innovative financing developments across sectors and regions and translate them into opportunities to expand the World Bank guarantee pipeline and mobilize private sector financing.
• Demonstrated experience across multiple sectors, including real and financial sectors at the federal, state, municipal, and city levels, and a track record of leading innovative financial solutions that have reached financial close through complex structures in emerging markets.
• Demonstrated experience with World Bank instruments, including IBRD/IDA guarantees, loans, and similar instruments provided by World Bank-administered trust funds. A thorough understanding of these instruments, including their respective policies, procedures, and potential combinations or optimization, would be a plus.
• Demonstrated understanding of, and experience working with, World Bank Group institutions, including IDA, IBRD, IFC, and MIGA, with a proven track record of collaboration.
• Proven ability to interact and communicate effectively with clients at a senior level.
• Ability to work flexibly across assignments, prioritize complex and evolving tasks, and travel extensively as needed.
• Ability to work effectively and sensitively in a multicultural environment and build strong working relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of French and/or Spanish would be a plus.

Note: This internal requisition is open to WBG and IMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/ temporaries). External candidates are requested not to apply. In case an external candidate applies, their application will not be considered.

Work flexibly across assignments, manage multiple priorities, and build effective relationships in a multicultural environment with clients, investors, lenders, development partners, and colleagues across the WBG.