Description
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. Visit www.worldbank.org.
The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) Global Practice has five key business lines consisting of Lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Watersheds and Sustainable Landscapes (‘Green Business line’); (2) Marine, Coastal, Aquatic Resources and Ocean Health (‘Blue Economy Business line’); (3) Pollution Management and Environmental Health (‘Pollution Management Business line’); (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions Business line, and (5) Safeguards/ Environmental Risk Management Business line: delivery of effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development. This includes provision of high-quality and timely safeguards services across the Bank, including current safeguards policies and the effective implementation of the new Environment and Social Framework (ESF) that was rolled out on October 1, 2018
The ENB Global Practice in Sub Saharan Africa includes four units SAFE1, SAFE2, SAFE3 and SAFE4. SAFE3 covers Southern and Central Africa and Indian Ocean islands; and manage operations in a variety of areas such as natural resources management, coastal zone management, forestry, pollution, climate change, landscape and terrestrial and marine natural resources. In addition, the unit, like other ENR GP units provides environmental safeguards and ESF services across all sectors and projects.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Environment Specialist will be based in Washington DC, United States and will be supporting a broad portfolio of lending and policy dialogue on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Forestry, and Landscapes. The Selected candidate will work under supervision of the Practice Manager for SAFE3 based in the WB ‘s Washington Office. He/she will have the following main duties and responsibilities:
• Facilitate, engage in, and shape high-level policy dialogues, identifying clients’ priority needs for lending, analytical support, and advisory services in relation to landscapes/forests, climate change, NRM, biodiversity and protected areas management.
• Lead and/or assist the teams working in the landscape portfolio in DRC and Burundi maximize the value of landscapes/forests, biodiversity, and natural resources.
• Review and provide advice for operational and analytical work on forests, climate and NRM and the links to poverty reduction and development in the DRC CMU (Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic and Burundi).
• Contribute to ENB and corporate tasks related to forests, REDD+, Climate Change, Biodiversity and Nature-based tourism.
• Leading the ERPA engagement and operationalization of DRC ERPA
• Development of business opportunities and priority programs in the DRC CMU, to help maximize the value of forests and natural resources for national economic development, including the conversation and production aspects (e.g. policy lending).
• Coordinate closely with the colleagues in other Bank Global Practices and the Climate Change Group working in the Congo basin. Build relationships and facilitate effective communication with other development partners, NGOs, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
• Support the CMU in particular and the unit in general in climate change country dialogue and corporate commitments.
• Represent the Bank in discussions with governments, donors and other stakeholders on Landscapes/Forests, Climate Change and NRM.
Selection Criteria
• A Master’s degree or above in environment and/or natural resource management, forestry, agronomy, development studies, economics, environmental policy or geography, or similar relevant disciplines.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in the environment and natural resources management sector, including proven experience in integrated landscapes, environment, forestry, community-based development, biodiversity and protected areas management.
• Proven experience in carbon financing including on jurisdictional REDD+ program and related infrastructure
• Expertise in climate change policy and finance is highly desirable
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in French and English. Basic working knowledge of Portuguese will be an asset
• Proven leadership and management capacity
• Strong client orientation with the ability to build an understanding with implementing agency counterparts on the value-added of Bank products
• A drive for results while working with limited supervision and under tight timelines;
• Understanding of the programmatic approach to forests, climate change and natural resources management (in the context of multi-sectoral approaches and the national development plan and using various sources of financing
• Strong understanding of REDD+ as a policy instrument, including the use and design of jurisdictional REDD+ Emission Reductions Programs;
• Familiarity with the application of the World Bank’s environmental safeguards policies and ESF Standards is required
WBG Core Competencies:
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Environmental Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Familiarity with environmental policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Environmental Sciences – Depth in at least one area: water; ecosystems; forests; conservation; agriculture concerns, etc.
• Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions.
• Deliver Results for Clients – Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
• Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
• Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward
