Local recruitment: Environmental Specialist

 Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

This position is a locally recruited position, not an internationally recruited position, in the World Banks hiring structure. Locally recruited positions are paid in local currency at salaries based on the local salary markets, and are not eligible for expatriate relocation benefits. Locally recruited staff are not expected to relocate regularly, as is required of internationally recruited staff.

The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB GP) is located within the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Practice Group. We provide expertise, technical assistance and financing to help low- and middle-income countries manage land, sea and freshwater natural resources in a sustainable way to help create jobs, improve livelihoods, enhance ecosystem services, decrease pollution and increase resilience to climate change! Over 360 ENB staff working across the globe help set developing countries on a clean, green growth trajectory for resilient economies and healthy communities.

We have five key business lines consisting of lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Landscapes and Biodiversity; (2) Blue Economy; (3) Pollution Management, Environmental Health and Circular Economy; (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions; and (5) Environmental Risk Management. 

ENB has three broad and distinct functions:

1.Provide clients with lending and non-lending services aimed to support the GP’s key business lines

2.Support effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development, in part through the implementation of the World Bank’s environmental risk management policies; and 

3.Work closely with other sectors to mainstream environmental considerations into their policies, strategies, and operations.

The SEAE1 unit, covers three country units (China & Mongolia, Indonesia & Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea & Pacific Islands). We are one of two ENB units in the East Asia and Pacific Region (EAP) and comprise around 40 staff, with 70 percent based in Country Offices. The rest of the team is based in Washington DC. This position would involve working as part of the Papua New Guinea and Pacific Island ENB team.

Country Context:

The World Bank member countries of the Pacific Region are the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Five of these countries are considered to be fragile states. Our existing portfolio in the Pacific is about 95 projects with a value of US$3.0 billion. New lending is about 14 projects in FY24 with a value of US$428 million. The portfolio is heavily focused on infrastructure development, particularly ports, roads, hydropower, solar power, coastal reinforcement; human resource development, particularly health and education; and natural resource management in such areas as fisheries. 

The ENB Pacific program includes six active projects focused on fisheries and resilience, and another seven fisheries projects in preparation! It also includes an active analytical and advisory program working with country clients to improve their decision-making and policies for renewable natural resources (including fisheries, forestry, and biodiversity) and environmental sustainability. 

Job duties and responsibilities:

We are seeking to recruit an Environmental Specialist to support the growing country environment program. You will focus primarily on the fisheries and natural resource management agenda, including ocean fisheries, near shore fisheries, community development, resilient coastal and landscape management, coastal pollution and climate change. 

• Leading and/or contributing to design and implementation supervision of World Bank-financed lending or grant-supported programs focused on fisheries, forestry and/or resilience;

• Providing technical leadership of components or activities to ensure they reflect best practice, incorporating lessons learned from previous World Bank or global experience;

• Supporting clients and in ensuring compliance of World Bank ENB project objectives and requirements;

• Ensuring that the World Bank’s responsibilities for administrative, operational and performance reporting and tasks are fulfilled as required by the institution and donors including PROBLUE, PROGREEN and GEF;

• Overseeing regular and ad-hoc reporting internally to management and externally including to donors and other stakeholders, including briefs and presentations;

• Leading and/or contributing to substantive research and analytical tasks including on fisheries, pollution management, tourism, climate change, and forest/land management;

• Demonstrating expertise in at least one of the technical areas covered by the ENB program, including fisheries, coastal zone management, resilience, tourism, etc. and providing relevant operational support as needed;

• Leading or contributing to communications and knowledge management activities, including knowledge product development and facilitation, preparing briefing and presentation material on oceans, fisheries, tourism, pollution management, resilient growth, and sustainable landscapes management, and producing knowledge products on thematic areas as requested by PMs and TTLs;

• Coordinating closely with clients on implementation of ENB-related tasks to facilitate communication, coordination and impact;

• Leading and/or supporting natural resource policy dialog with the government and other stakeholders related to the Bank’s environment or natural resources portfolio, with a strong focus on the management of fisheries, coastal zone management, climate change and pollution management. This includes coordination with other financiers, and review of sector policies, strategies, and legislation;

• Leading and/or participating in capacity building efforts for client organizations and teams;

• Participating in preparation and/or implementation support missions in support of ENB activities in the Pacific.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in environment or natural resource management or economics, environmental science or policy, agriculture, engineering, fisheries or forest management, climate change or equivalent is required.

• At least 5 years of full-time professional experience in the natural resources, environment, fisheries and/or agricultural field. Experience with extension, community engagement, program development, operations and stakeholder engagement in the environment and natural resources field, and/or applied research works are appreciated.

• Knowledge of operational processes and procedures; Knowledge of World Bank procedures would be an advantage.

• Good analytical and numeracy skills are essential;

• Demonstrated inter-personal skills; experience of working effectively in large and multi-disciplinary teams of specialists;

• Good communications skills, specifically in writing briefs, reports and preparing power point presentations;

• Capacity to work simultaneously on a variety of issues and tasks, independently adjusting to priorities;

• Excellent English language skill.

• Willingness to travel extensively, primarily in the Pacific, including in rural and remote areas is required.

Desired:

• Proven project management/ operational skills

• Demonstrated experience working on policy or investment initiatives anchored in environment and natural resources-related sectors, including fisheries, forestry, agriculture, water, and other environmental services.

• Experience in community development/empowerment working with a wide range of collaborators, NGOs, international organizations, development partners and/or with the government.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia.

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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