Counsel- Johannesburg, South Africa

Job #:	131938
Title:	Counsel
Job Stream:	Legal
Location:	Johannesburg, South Africa
Closing Date:	09/11/2013
Background / General description:
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, promotes sustainable private sector development in developing countries. The Legal Department of IFC (CLED), under the General Counsel, is responsible for providing legal and policy advice to the IFC Board, its Management and client departments on operational, advisory and corporate matters. Specifically, CLED supports client departments in (i) the delivery of IFC’s program of financing private sector projects and delivering advisory services in emerging markets; (ii) project portfolio management (including jeopardy projects and projects in litigation); (iii) the delivery and design of structured finance products, sub-national lending, equity and quasi-equity, public-private partnerships, and carbon finance transactions; (iv) advising on corporate policy and operational matters such as operating policies and procedures and Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Funding of Terrorism; and (v) knowledge management and training. To support IFC’s growing activities, particularly in its advisory services business in Africa, CLED is recruiting a qualified Legal Counsel, to be based in its offices in either Johannesburg, South Africa or Nairobi, Kenya.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Assuming lead lawyer responsibility for advisory services projects in Africa • Assisting on new and portfolio (including jeopardy projects and projects in litigation) investments in Africa, time and workload permitting • Providing advice and support to Advisory and Investment colleagues located in Africa • Interacting and communicating with colleagues in Washington and other regions to facilitate the provision of excellent legal services • Supervise and help develop legal assistants working on advisory services projects in Africa • Advising colleagues on the selection of outside counsel in Africa • Obtaining and expanding country knowledge, experience and best practices arising from the business in Africa and effectively sharing this knowledge • Providing legal advice and support to business development officers and others in the structuring of projects in Africa
Selection Criteria:
• Law degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience, including drafting and negotiating contracts with private and public sector entities • Experience with one or more of IFC’s advisory services business lines (Access to Finance, Investment Climate, Public Private Partnerships and Sustainable Business) desirable •Experience with structuring, drafting, and negotiating intellectual property agreements desirable • Willingness to assume multiple roles and tasks to meet changing business needs with an ability to foresee, troubleshoot and effectively resolve conflicting issues and challenges • Ability to assess risk in a practical and responsible manner and make fair, well-reasoned, independent and transparent decisions • Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to deal sensitively in a multicultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues across the Corporation • Excellent communications skills in English, presents both written and oral ideas clearly, concisely and persuasively (fluency in French desirable) • Able to work in a fast-paced environment with quick turnaround expectations • Willingness to travel throughout the Region  • Professional integrity and sound judgment in handling confidential information • Experience with “know your customer”, anti-money laundering and anti corruption policies and procedures desirable • Only applications indicating interest in the position in either Johannesburg or Nairobi will be considered • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted Note: 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 3 year term appointment. *LI-AF1

http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/Careers_Ext_Content/IFC_External_Corporate_Site/IFC%20Careers/Career%20Opportunities/CareerOpportunityPlaceHolder?JobReqNo=131938