Operations Officer

Operations Officer - Gender & Economic Inclusion
Job #: req34360

Organization: IFC

Sector: Gender

Grade: GF

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Sydney,Australia; Suva,Fiji

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s)
Closing Date: 10/1/2025 (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

IFC is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and economic inclusion as laid out in IFC's 2030 Roadmap for Gender and Inclusion to deliver game-changing private sector partnerships and programs to accelerate gender equality and inclusion in emerging markets. Aligned with the new World Bank Group (WBG) Gender Strategy : Accelerate Gender Equality to End Poverty on a Livable Planet, IFC's Roadmap is built on six priorities offering high potential for impact in and through the private sector. These areas aim to (1) Allocate Capital that Drives Inclusion, (2) Make Supply Chains Inclusive, and (3) Remove Barriers to Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Leadership (including addressing gender-based violence). Equally important are two cross-cutting themes that are foundational to achieving sustainable results across the priority areas and require action: (4) Bridging the Digital Divide; (5) Accelerating Inclusive and Gender-Smart Climate Action; and (6) Ending Gender-based Violence and Harassment. As part of the WBG Gender Strategy Implementation Plan, several countries have been identified as fast-track countries for joint WB-IFC implementation of gender activities, including Papua New Guinea.

As part of its mandate, IFC in Asia Pacific has a dedicated team that works with IFC's investment and advisory teams to support private and public sector clients in providing all genders and underserved communities with equal economic opportunities as leaders, employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, and community members. The Gender and Economic Inclusion Department (GEID) leads strategy development and implementation for the organization, provides tailored operational solutions and client advice, innovates, and incubates novel approaches, serves a thought leader and disseminator of knowledge on GEI issues, supports mobilization through impact investing and sustainable financing; and forges public and private sector partnerships with the aim of creating economic opportunities and development for all.

IFC has a more than ten-year history of delivering impactful gender and inclusion programming across the Pacific, with a history of innovating and piloting new tools and interventions that have been scaled up to other regions. IFC's gender work is central to IFC's overall strategy in the Pacific, with gender and inclusion mainstreamed across IFC investment and advisory projects in the region as well as delivered through stand-alone gender projects in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. The Pacific region is also home to several fragile and conflict affected countries (FCS), making it an important region for IFC's Gender and Economic Inclusion Department in terms of designing and implementing interventions fit for purpose in FCS countries.

The Pacific Operations Officer will report to the EAP Operations Officer for Gender and Inclusion.

Roles And Responsibilities
Regional portfolio delivery and business development

• The Program Officer is expected to deliver gender and inclusion client projects and manage client relationships across the Pacific.
• Portfolio: Manage the delivery of existing portfolio projects and design and implement new projects across the Pacific, ensuring provision of high-quality services to internal (industry/regional) and external clients and strong internal project governance.
• Accelerate Opportunities to include Gender and Inclusion Solutions: help Pacific regional and industry leadership to identify and embed gender and economic inclusion solutions in their existing and pipeline investment and advisory projects by supporting the screening of project pipeline and identifying opportunities. Work on implementing gender solutions.

Pacific strategy, communications and partnerships

• Support Pacific country management (including in joint WBG representation countries) on gender and inclusion.
• Coordinate and provide to IFC Pacific country management consistent inputs in regional, country, and industry/sector projects, programs and strategies.
• Support the regional communications team in the Pacific and country management on gender and economic inclusion topics externally, such as at regional events, with partners, and in the media.
• Support IFC partnerships team with fundraising and donor relationship management, including participating in donor relationship meetings and fundraising activities as requested. Provide oversight of donor reporting from a gender perspective across the Pacific region.

Gender Based Violence and Financial Abuse

• Lead IFC projects with financial sector partners across Asia Pacific focused on addressing financial abuse through implementing strategies and approaches to reduce and mitigate the occurrence of financial abuse through financial products and services.
• Provide guidance and oversight for other GBV-related activities in Asia Pacific, including regional or country multi-company partnerships to advance respectful workplaces, joint implementation with IBRD in the Pacific, and others as relevant.

The candidate should be a seasoned candidate with experience working with the private sector and across institutional structures to deliver impactful solutions. The candidate routinely leads staff, initiatives, programs, projects, and integrates the work of others (often multi-disciplinary). They confidently deliver quality output and can work and inspire others with a sense of urgency. They can proficiently interact with companies' senior management, development partners and communicate with senior government counterparts and other organizations with confidence on the topic at hand.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree in economics, finance, business, or other relevant discipline required.
• Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in private sector development in emerging markets (required) with decision-making responsibility, ideally with a focus on gender and disability inclusion.
• Experience in structuring advisory projects, including results frameworks to capture gender / inclusion outcomes and impacts.
• Broad experience across gender and economic inclusion topics and the demonstrated ability to engage with credibility and confidence.
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering impactful gender and inclusion projects and interventions with a GBV and/or financial abuse lens.
• Experience working in a financial institution and/or knowledge of banking operations is an advantage.
• Ability to self-manage, multitask, and work under time constraints.
• Successful record of managing staff/consultants/temporaries in a project, monitoring project issues and tasks, meeting deadlines and setting priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, sound business judgment to identify issues, and present creative and practical solutions.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills in English, including strong ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, articulate issues and recommend solutions.

WBG Culture Attributes

• Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
• Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
• Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful 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.

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