| Job #: | req31358 |
| Organization: | World Bank |
| Sector: | Water/Sanitation |
| Grade: | GG |
| Term Duration: | 2 years 0 months |
| Recruitment Type: | Local Recruitment |
| Location: | Cotonou,Benin |
| Required Language(s): | English/French |
| Preferred Language(s): | |
| Closing Date: | 2/7/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC |
Description
Western and Central Africa is a vast region with diverse cultures, beliefs, languages, and lifestyles. Stretching from the westernmost point of Africa, across the equator, and partly along the Atlantic Ocean till the Republic of Congo in the South, it encompasses 22 countries that spread across semi-arid areas in the Sahel, large coastal areas on the Atlantic Ocean and along the Gulf of Guinea and tropical forest covering many countries from Guinea to the Republic of Congo, through Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Gabon.
Home to about half a billion people, the sub-region has seen its population multiplied by 4 in the last 50 years. The population is mostly concentrated in the coastal areas, while landlocked countries generally experience lower density. The region has experienced accelerated urbanization, with cities hosting 48% of the population. With 12% of its population being under the age of 15, Western and Central Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world.
Read more: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa
Water Global Practice and the Sustainable Development Practice Group
The water challenges of the world are tremendous. For human development, livable cities, food security, and energy security the need for better water resources management is growing. Even today, 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, of which 1 billion people practice open defecation. Poor sanitation, including inadequate wastewater collection and treatment, impacts health, education, the environment, and industries such as tourism. At least 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water. The lack of access to safe water and sanitation results in significant economic losses in many countries. This is further exacerbated by climate change, water pollution, water scarcity, and the global covid-19 pandemic in a fast-changing world.
Globally, the World Bank Group finances water development through projects, policy lending and technical assistance in the fields of sustaining water resources, delivering services (both in water in agriculture as in water supply and sanitation) and building resilience, the Water Global Practice (GP) also seeks to ensure that water issues are effectively addressed across all related sub-sectors, such as agriculture (ensuring sustainable water availability for irrigation), climate change and disaster risk management, and energy (hydropower). In each sub-sector, an integrated approach is adopted which considers investment alongside issues such as governance, institutions, and policies. WIA (Water in Agriculture) projects focus on all aspects of agricultural water management, from governance in service delivery, to modernization of irrigation, farmer led irrigation, water accounting and resilience through improved agricultural water practices. The Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) projects include rural and urban water and sanitation services, hygiene behavior, improving the efficiency of utilities, and provision of services to the poor. The Water Resources Management (WRM) projects include integrated water resource management, including groundwater management, dam safety, and flood management. Each team member is connected globally to these broad themes through the Global Solutions Groups (GSGs).
The Water GP is housed within the Sustainable Development Practice Group, which brings together the cross-cutting sectors of Water with Agriculture, Environment, Social Inclusion, and Urban and Disaster Risk Management.
Country Management Unit Context
Within the West and Central Africa Region, the hiring unit (SAWW1) is responsible for ensuring the translation of the World Bank’s Africa Regional Strategy and the Water Global Practice’s Water Security Strategy into practical results relevant to 13 countries. The hiring unit has an active portfolio of investments and lending projects in Benin under implementation, focusing on water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and water resources management. In all cases, these require intensive engagement with government counterparts, and other stakeholders to ensure local ownership, capacity and sustained focus on implementation for results.
As a result, The World Bank is locally recruiting one Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist based in Cotonou, Benin. The successful candidate will report to the SAWW1 Water Practice Manager.
Duties and Responsibilities
The assignment requires an extensive understanding of the country’s issues, as well as a solid base of experience in working with global, regional and country clients and partners. Under the supervision and guidance of senior water and sanitation specialists, the Senior Water Specialist will work as part of the country and task teams with a specific focus on:
Strategies, Planning and Policies:
• Assist in the process of formulation of country sector strategies in the water and sanitation sector. Participate in the reviews of different sector policies, legal and regulatory frameworks for the water and sanitation sector;
• Assist in the identification and preparation of projects;
• Liaise with and support teams from other GPs of the World Bank (e.g., human development, urban, environment, energy, agriculture) with the aim to ensure that water-related issues are addressed consistently across various programs in the Bank;
• Participate in policy dialogue, together with other development partners, with key stakeholders in the country;
• As appropriate, with the Bank team, advise government counterparts on policy, institutional, and technical matters associated with the Bank’s water program; and
• Prepare reports, summaries, briefs and talking points on water-related projects and programs, business plans and strategies.
Project’s implementation
• Participate in the design, preparation and implementation of water activities in Benin which will include incorporating key cross-cutting issues such as gender and climate change;
• Participate and assist multidisciplinary supervision missions covering all phases of the project cycle;
• Identify implementation issues related to projects/programs in the sector;
• Working closely with client institutions to support effective implementation of WB supported programs;
• Maintaining effective relationships with relevant governmental, non-governmental, donor and other stakeholders;
• Carry out the planning and organization of workshops on Bank procedures and deliverables; and
• Encourage clients to use disruptive technology and ICT to speed up project implementation.
Institutional and analytical work
• Support the design, preparation and implementation of sector strategies, studies, analytical work, policy work, and advisory activities;
• Staying informed on the status of the water sector and its institutions, as well as relevant donor, private sector and NGO initiatives;
• Participating in and eventually leading task teams for production of analytical studies and preparation and implementation support to investment and policy-oriented projects;
• Identifying and sharing with client, relevant expertise and examples within and outside the World Bank; and
• Identifying and supporting water sector linkages to the Bank’s country strategy and the work of other sectoral teams.
Monitoring & Evaluation
• Monitor and assess the implementation of sector portfolio;
• Ensure prompt preparation of quality and consistency related to sector portfolio management, including quality control; and
• Prepare timely reports on project implementation and progress.
Selection Criteria
• At least a master’s degree in water resources, hydrology, hydraulics, sanitation, environment, civil engineering, or a related discipline with a focus on water supply and sanitation;
• Recognized technical, operational, and/or policy-oriented expertise, and at least 8 years of relevant work experience. This experience may include work in governments, academia, private companies, consulting firms, and multilateral institutions;
• Knowledge of water resources management (WRM) and water supply and sanitation services delivery (WSS), utility/institutional reform and public-private partnerships, sector coordination and policy dialogue, private sector participation and pro-poor strategy and program development;
• Prior work experience and results on the ground and hands-on experience with Government counterpart agencies;
• Ability to think innovatively and strategically in dealing with technical and/or policy issues while maintaining a strong client focus;
• Effective verbal, analytical and written communication skills in English and a demonstrated ability to produce high-quality documents and analytical reports;
• Sound knowledge of the water sector issues in Benin.
• Knowledge of cross-cutting issues related to the water sector: climate change, environmental and social issues, inclusion, and poverty reduction;
• A high degree of dynamism and self-motivation, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision;
• Excellent teamwork skills; and
• Ability to use new information technologies.
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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