• Job #: req12037
• Organization: World Bank
• Sector: Operations
• Grade: GF
• Term Duration: 3 years 0 months
• Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
• Location: Bujumbura,Burundi
• Required Language(s): English & French
• Preferred Language(s):
• Closing Date: 6/3/2021 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Institutional Context

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and fifteen Global Practices and five Global Themes to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

The Africa Region, which is comprised of approximately 800 staff members, mostly based in about 44 field offices, is committed to helping Africa realize its considerable development potential, with a focus on employment generation. The core values guiding our work are passion for our mission of sustainable poverty reduction with keen attention to quality and transformative impact, putting the needs of the client at the center of all our activities, trust and respect as a common currency, intellectual rigor and curiosity, honesty and integrity, teamwork, openness to learning and the courage to admit we do not always have the answer.

Department and Country Context

Burundi is a low-income, landlocked country in East Africa where 80% of the population is employed by the agriculture sector. With a population of 11.6 million, of which 50.7% (2018) are women, it is one of the most densely populated countries. A country with high institutional and social fragility, Burundi has experienced a unique economic situation over the last five years, due in particular to the decline in foreign aid since 2015, which has caused both fiscal and balance of payments difficulties. The Burundi Country Partnership Framework (CPF), approved by the World Bank Group's Board of Directors in July 2019, focuses on two priority areas, namely: (i) strengthening human capital; and (ii) strengthening the fundamental foundations for economic and social resilience. With regard to human capital in particular, Burundi has made significant progress in terms of quality and access to education. Since the introduction of free primary education in 2005, the Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) in primary education reached 120.3% in the 2018/2019 school year without significant variation between provinces, gender or wealth.

The selected candidate will report to the Country Manager Burundi and is expected to work in close collaboration with the CMU, colleagues in other GPs, as well as other team members based in Washington DC working on the different programs. Bujumbura is a non-family post with associated benefits, such as R&R.

Duties and accountabilities

The Operations Officer will work in close collaboration with the Country Manger (CM) for Burundi, the Operations Manager (OM), and the other members of the CMU management and country teams on all aspects of the  work program to ensure strategic focus, integration and consistency across and within the portfolio. More specifically (s)he will, under the overall supervision of the Country Manager:

 Play a key role in the formulation and implementation of the Burundi Country Partnership Framework (including Performance/Completion and Learning Reviews - PLRs/CLRs), Prevention and Resilience Allocation and other FVC windows, and assess sector and thematic issues in relationship with the broader country developments.Make substantive contributions to Burundi country and sector strategies, lending and non-lending work programs.Analyze and monitor the delivery of AEMBI work program; and this will entail liaising with relevant members of AECC2 management team, Global Practices (GPs), other Bank units and internal partners such as IFC, MIGA and IEG, as required.Take the lead on portfolio management, monitoring, analysis and problem resolution; this will include managing the periodic working sessions with Government technical teams and project coordination units, country portfolio performance reviews (CPPRs), regular analysis of operational performance, quality and trends.Monitor and interpret political, social and economic developments; develop and maintain understanding of country socioeconomic and political conditions.Prepare briefing notes (e.g., for Spring and Annual Meetings, Sr. Management country visits,  etc.) and other internal complex reports; and draft and review operational correspondence.Help foster teamwork and cross-sectoral cooperation on program preparation and implementation, and contribute to country team meetings and activities.Assume a supervisory role of GA-GD staff (administrative and country services staff –ACS) ; this entails leadership in managing ACS work program and performance, ensuring delivery of high quality administrative and operational services,  and providing mentoring and coaching as needed.

Selection Criteria

Masters in a relevant field (Economics, Business Studies, Political Science, Finance, International Relations, or similar filed relevant to the Bank's mission.)Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. Knowledge of Bank operational policies and business practices would be a plus.Proven ability to think strategically, and to apply this to the design and implementation of country assistance programs.Outstanding inter-personal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary country team, other groups throughout the Bank, and development partners.Demonstrated initiative, leadership skills and drive for results, including ability to undertake diverse tasks within a rapidly changing and demanding environment on short deadlines.Strong problem-solving skills and solutions-oriented attitude.Political sensitivity and mature judgment; and ability to focus on  the big picture, while not losing sight of details.Highly developed spoken and written communications skills; including the ability to draft concise briefs ,reports and correspondence.Language proficiency in French and English (speak, read and write).

Behavioral Core Competencies:

Client Orientation: Builds linkages across boundaries for optimal performanceDrive for Results: Facilitates and impacts results across unitsTeamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion: Leverages capabilities of others within and across boundariesKnowledge, Learning and Communication: Produces and disseminates knowledge products to create added valueBusiness Judgment and Analytical Decision Making: Provides leadership in analytical decision making across boundaries

Required Competencies

Integrative Skills. Integrating divergent viewpoints of multiple external and internal stakeholders into a coherent project/program/strategy.

Internal and External Stakeholder Engagement. An ability to independently coordinate and engage with stakeholders from various parts of WBG, including IFC and MIGA. Providing substantial inputs into and participating in the dialogue with external clients and stakeholders, including governments, NGOs and CSOs, and development partners.

Strategy formulation and policy and program design. Proficiency in playing a leading role and making substantive contributions to the strategy formulation process and related strategic products.

Project Design, Implementation, and Management. Proven skills to design and provide implementation support on projects.

Portfolio Management and Results Monitoring and Evaluation. An ability to independently monitor portfolio and pipeline and provide signals to management when the program goes off track. Preparing and leading country/GP portfolio reviews. An ability to design and implement results frameworks; and to provide key inputs in business planning/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exercises.

Team Leadership. Solid experience of being a team leader or core task team member on one or more strategic or operational tasks. Demonstrated talent in forming, leading and making changes to team composition and delivering tasks on budget and high quality.

Knowledge of Bank instruments, policies, and procedures, and ability to proactively apply them is desirable.

If the selected candidate is a current World 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 years 0 months term appointment. Any external candidate joining the Bank through this competitive process will undergo a one-year probation period.

COS Competencies

https://worldbankgroup.sharepoint.com/sites/hr/Documents/Career%20Management/Professional%20Family%20Mapping/COS_PFM_Criteria.pdf

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.  Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.Attach the TOR below OR you may insert the selection criteria here.  To paste from Word use the "Paste from Word".

Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe.