IDB Invest - Director of the Caribbean Region - Infrastructure and Energy

About this position

The Caribbean Countries Division (RCB), part of the Regions Department, is responsible for managing business and client engagement from a country perspective within its member countries. It also provides oversight to the Country Representatives of the IDB’s Vice Presidency for Countries and to the Directors of Delivery Units at IDB Invest.

The Delivery Units are responsible for: (i) establishing and maintaining client relationships, (ii) building pipeline through upstream project and sector development, (iii) transaction execution through the incorporation of multiple financial products including loans, guarantees, debt capital markets, equity and quasi-equity instruments, as well as resource mobilization and technical cooperation and (iv) acting as the center of institutional knowledge and expertise for the sectors covered by the Division. This integrated model enables Delivery Units to align business development with strategic priorities, enhance regional coordination, and ensure operational effectiveness across IDB Invest.

The Director plays a key leadership role in the origination, structuring, and execution of strategic, high-impact infrastructure and energy transactions across the subregion. You will work as Director of the Delivery Unit that has a dual-reporting structure to both the Managing Director of the Infrastructure & Energy Division (IEN) and the Caribbean Countries Division (RCB). 

What you’ll do

• Lead the execution of the IEN business plan within the RCB Region; 
• Decide on capital allocation to achieve the operational and development impact goals;
• Approve projects’ eligibility, chair Investment Decision Meetings (IDMs) for project approval;
• Lead weekly RCB/IEN Huddles with development partners;
• Supervise and mentor direct reports, help improve employee engagement, conduct performance reviews and evaluation;
• Oversee transactions from the prospecting stage through origination, structuring, negotiation, internal approvals and financial closing ensuring that the investment teams are properly staffed and motivated; 
• Manage high-level client relationships with key industry players and partners including both the public and private sectors, developing synergies with other areas of the IDB Group; 
• Maintain constant dialogue with local partners such as infrastructure developers and investors, governmental and regulatory agencies (at the sovereign and sub-sovereign levels), public and private institutions in the financial markets and industry associations in the infrastructure space, seeking to build new relationships to generate new business opportunities; 
• Interact with IDB teams within the Regions Department with a view to contribute to Governments and Authorities, detecting necessary improvements in the applicable regulatory frameworks to enable the structuring of financially viable and bankable projects and support upstream work within and outside the RCB Region to help countries develop a pipeline of projects in the sectors covered by the Delivery Unit;
• Maintain constant diplomacy with the other functions within the IDB Group (environmental, social and corporate governance safeguards, development effectiveness, legal, risk, and integrity functions, among others) as part of the overall construction of strong development bank transactions; 
• Support product development and other initiatives to help address the needs of client and countries;
• Provide support for the development of IDBG Country Strategies and the IDB Invest’s multi-year Business Plans in relation to infrastructure and energy development as needed; 
• Participate in conferences and seminars and other events appropriate to maintaining and building sector knowledge and promoting IDB Invest’s infrastructure and energy related capabilities; 
• Promote innovation and encouraging staff to adopt changes being introduced in the marketplace and keeping abreast of opportunities for new products and services. 

What you'll need

• Education: An advanced degree (Masters, MBA, or equivalent) in economics, legal, finance, business administration, engineering, or another relevant field. Academic specialization in infrastructure development and/or transaction management is desirable.
• Experience: At least 10 + years of relevant professional experience in management of teams or in loan origination, structuring complex structured finance (project finance) transactions with a validated track-record of working with a broad range of financial instruments and products (including equity and mezzanine debt). Expertise working with domestic and international institutional investors. Understanding of client needs and challenges, market dynamics, and drivers of change in LAC would be highly valued. Confirmed experience in a similar role in an investment or advisory firm, bank or infrastructure company would be desirable. Strong client relationship experience and skills are also highly valued.
• Language Skills: Proficiency in English.