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
Water Global Practice
Water resources are under unprecedented and increasing pressures, driven by greater climate variability, population and economic growth, land-use changes, and declining quantities and qualities of both ground and surface waters. With cross-cutting impacts on agriculture, education, energy, health, gender equity, and livelihood, water is an essential resource for all life on the planet and is at the center of economic and social development. Climate change expresses itself through water, and sound water management lies at the heart of the resilience agenda. Successful water management requires accurate knowledge of the resource available and an assessment of competing demands for its usage. Making the best use of available supplies requires complex and sensitive economic, environmental and socio-political trade-offs. Planning for a more uncertain and more constrained water environment in the future only makes the situation more complex. The world will not be able to meet the great development challenges of the 21st century – human development, livable cities, climate change, food security, energy security, and universal access to services – unless we ensure a water-secure world for all.
The WBG is in a unique position to help governments take such an integrated and strategic approach to solve water supply, sanitation, water resource, hydropower, and irrigation problems through partnership, finance, and knowledge. The Water Global Practice is poised to deliver on a Water Secure World through an approach that focuses on Sustaining Water Resources, Delivering Services and Building Resilience. The WTR GP also has strong external partnerships and houses the Global Water Security and Sanitation Program (GWSP), the 2030 Water Resources Group and several regional transboundary programs. The GP has a strong leadership structure, with a Global Director, 10 Practice Managers, 2 Global Program Managers and Global Leads for Water and the Economy, WSS Service Delivery, Water in Agriculture, Building Resilience and Water Resources Management. The LT also works closely with other GPs and the SD Regional Directors. Increasingly, while staff may specialize in one sub-sector, they are encouraged and supported to address the full water agenda in terms of analytical, policy, and operational work. The GP, through its fully integrated GWSP Trust Fund, places the highest priority on global knowledge into local implementation, as well as in deploying staff to both regions and globally.
Water in MENA (SMNWA)
SWMNA regional unit is heavily decentralized with more than half of the staff in country offices. Its focus is on operations with an over US$3billion portfolio but the unit also uses upstream mechanisms funded by donors (Trust Funds (TFs), Externally Financed Outputs (EFOs) and Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) to advance the water agenda in the region. RAS provides strategic, timely and high-quality technical and policy advice to the client and is growing rapidly. The unit has an important program in Saudi Arabia for $8 million for three years.
DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
The unit seeks to recruit an Extended Term Consultant (ETC), as a Water Specialist, to join the MNA Water Team in the WB office in Riyadh, with special focus on our Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) portfolio for the Gulf countries. As integral part of the team is on RAS business development and delivery; maintaining direct contact and handling relationships with client countries. When business need emerges, you will also support preparation, appraisal and supervision of investment projects, key analytical products and on the development policy lending operations that form the basis of the policy dialogue. You will work closely with the Gulf countries RAS cluster leader in Riyadh, alongside a group of colleagues in Washington DC and throughout the region. The candidate will be expected to work on complex projects/issues under the leadership of senior colleagues with the following duties:
- Provide technical support to the task teams for knowledge reports in Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) activities for the Water Global Practice.
- Monitor and assess the implementation of the MNA RAS portfolio, including on water supply, sanitation, water resource management;
- Coordinate water-related activities with other Global Practices and Country Management Units
- Maintain liaison and dialogue with development partners, research institutions, government counterpart, non-Government organizations, the private sector, and other sector-related institutions.
- Under the direction of senior colleagues, supervise the appointment and work of short-term consultants and firms ensuring consistency and conformity to Bank standards; and evaluate studies and sector-related project documentation.
- Monitor and provide advisory support for the adherence to the World Bank’s operational policies and quality requirements in technical and fiduciary due diligence.
- Support the business development and supervision of water sector advisory services with a focus on policy and regulations development, sector ·strategies and policy dialogue, ·sector reform, private sector participation, and phasing out water subsidy;
- Carry out research efforts and support analytical products related to sustainable water use, such as strategy papers, market assessments, policy and program reviews, emerging lessons and good practices;
- Leverage the Bank’s global knowledge and country operations to inform strategic capacity building programs under the RAS program
- Strengthen the RAS portfolio management and client-country relationships to ensure strategic positioning of the Bank as a trusted ewater advisor, and welldesigned response to client demands
Selection Criteria
- Master’s degree in engineering, water planning/economics, business administration, or equivalent areas relevant for water sector development;
- At least five years of relevant experience in the water sector, with ability to engage credibly on a range of sectoral issues in developing countries;
- Experience in water sector development projects, such as e.g. sector technologies, policy and utility reforms, and rural water sanitation;
- Knowledge of water policies, technologies, or strategies, and institutions, and the ability to contribute to policy dialogue with clients and partners;
- Experience in RAS program applies;
- Problem solver and able to efficiently run many activities simultaneously and selfnavigate through complex environments.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to build strong partnerships with clients, different partners and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multi-cultural environment with teams located in different countries;
- Good written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic is a plus; including an ability to communicate complex issues in simple terms and to engage in evidence-based dialogue with client
The WBG Core Competencies:
- Lead and Innovate – Develop innovative solutions.
- Deliver Results for Clients – Actively address clients stated and unstated needs.
- Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborate across boundaries, give own perspective and willingly receive diverse perspectives.
- Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Apply knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
- Make Smart Decisions – Interpret a wide range of information and push to move forward.
Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable for an additional one year, at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET Appointment of two years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their second-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.
