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

THE PLANET VICE PRESIDENCY

The Planet Vice Presidency helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Environmental and Social Framework, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water.

ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes, and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction. For more information:https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment

To advance this agenda, the Environment Department (ENV) 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) 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.

The environmental risk management business line provides environmental oversight across the Bank’s investment lending in line with the Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF).  The ESF is made up of the Bank’s vision for sustainable development, the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy for Investment Project Financing (IPF) and ten Environmental and Social Standards (ESS). These set out the mandatory requirements for the World Bank, in relation to the projects it supports through IPF, and for Borrowers.  The ESF replaces the Bank’s former Safeguard Policies, responding to new and varied development demands and challenges that have arisen over time, including in areas such as transparency, non-discrimination, climate change, labor and working conditions, social inclusion, public participation, and accountability – including expanded roles for grievance redress mechanisms (GRM).

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGION

The WBG serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle-income clients to IDA countries, to small Caribbean states, and to one fragile state. Despite immense resources and dynamic societies, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearly a quarter of the region’s people living in poverty. The region is extremely exposed and vulnerable to many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods that can ravage entire regions, and hurricanes. It is also among the most vulnerable due to high population density in the areas where these disasters strike and the need for better risk management practices.

UNIT

The Environment Department has two Practice Management Units in LCR, one of which – SLCE2 – spans Brazil, the Andes, and the Southern Cone.  This unit consists of about 25 staff, with more than half working on environmental safeguards and environmental risk management in accordance with the ESF, with the remainder working primarily on environment sector lending and knowledge products. Almost all staff in the unit are based in country offices, with the remainder based in Washington DC and travelling to the region frequently. 

THE POSITION

This position will be based in Brasilia, Brazil and will be primarily responsible to support the environmental risk management business line in Brazil. The Environmental Specialist will work under overall supervision of the ENV Practice Manager for SLCE2 based in Washington, DC.  The Environmental Specialist will also work closely with the team’s ESF Coordinator for Brazil based in Washington, DC, as well as other environmental colleagues in the Brasilia Country Office.  While the primary responsibility of this position is on environmental risk management, the Environmental Specialist may also be asked to provide support to other unit activities, including environment sector operations, analytical work, country and sector strategy and investment development, and strategic policy dialogue.  The Environmental Specialist may furthermore potentially provide environmental risk management support to projects in other countries of South America, as per business need.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

•As the assigned Environmental Specialist, contribute to the preparation of lending operations during project identification, preparation, and appraisal stages, and ensure that environmental issues are addressed early in the process by undertaking careful environmental analysis as per the Bank’s ESF, associated information disclosure, and public consultations/stakeholder engagement requirements.

•Advise Task Teams on the interpretation and application of the ESF/ESSs.

•In coordination with the assigned Social Specialist, provide advice to client and counterpart organizations and project teams regarding the preparation of environmental, social, health and safety assessments, frameworks, and mitigation/management plans, stakeholder engagement plans and strategies, grievance management systems, labor management procedures; and other specific plans and procedures as required by applicable Bank policies (for example, on issues such as community health and safety, dam or infrastructure safety, pest management, pollution prevention and control, biodiversity conservation and management, ecosystem services, occupational health and safety, emergency planning and management, cultural heritage, etc.).

•Provide guidance and capacity support to clients in the preparation of relevant project cycle documentation, including by assisting borrowers in drafting Terms of Reference (TORs) for the preparation of environmental assessment, planning and management instruments; guiding the client in completing the assessment and planning process; and supervising their implementation, including review of monitoring reports and follow-up.

•Provide timely input, as applicable, to Bank project documents related to environmental aspects, including Environmental and Social Review Summaries (ESRS) as well as EHS sections of Project Concept Notes (PCNs), Project Information Documents (PID), Project Appraisal Documents (PADs), Aide Memoires (AMs), and Implementation Status Reports (ISRs).

•Advise and support clients in commissioning required assessments (including developing terms of reference) and ensuring that necessary environmental, health and safety management plans and measures are appropriately reflected in works’ bidding and contract documents where applicable, and in developing and implementing appropriate supervision and monitoring arrangements for the necessary E&S plans and measures. 

•Supervise World Bank approved projects under implementation in terms of project specific environmental, health and safety (EHS) requirements and performance (i.e., project implementation stage). This will include site visits, review of monitoring reports, discussions with clients and stakeholders, and building of effective working relationships with the borrower/project implementation agency to ensure proper understanding and implementation of the policies and to constructively resolve emerging issues and compliance challenges. 

•Identify opportunities to integrate sound environmental management and policies in investment operations to promote environmental sustainability, climate-smartness and positive environmental impacts (benefits) and enhance local capacities for implementing sound environmental management practices.

•Participate in ongoing and future analytical work related to Brazil’s national systems for environmental and social assessment and management, including in dissemination and follow on client engagement related to priority recommendations for systems strengthening.  

•Proactively identify needs for strengthening of client capacity or systems on environmental, health and safety management aspects, and work with other colleagues to design and implement efforts aimed at strengthening that capacity.

•Support the SLCE2 Practice Manager and the Brazil Country Management Unit (CMU) Environmental Coordinator in preparing communications to be conveyed to management of the Brazil CMU and engaging in internal strategic discussions on environmental issues as needed.

•Support policy dialogue with clients on environmental risk management and environmental sustainability issues, ranging from upstream inputs into Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD) and Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF), to advising counterparts on related policies or on risks and opportunities in relation to Bank-supported operations.

•Collaborate with other WBG Global Practices and IFC/MIGA colleagues on joint projects and with counterparts from other multilateral development institutions as needed.

•Provide operational support to ENV-led operations or activities in Brazil on an as-needed basis.

•Carry out other assigned tasks related to the broad objectives of the unit, as needed.

Selection Criteria

•Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) in environmental engineering, civil engineering, ecology or environment related sciences, environmental policy and planning, or environmental law is required.

•A minimum of 5 years of full-time relevant professional experience in the environmental sector with demonstrated ability in environmental safeguards and/or environmental risk management.  This should include designing, reviewing and/or implementing environmental risk management tools and instruments, including on OHS; and/or monitoring environmental safeguards/standards compliance for international financial institutions, engineering companies or project developers.

•Prior work experience in Brazil and knowledge of country’s environmental legal framework and institutions is required.

•Oral and written fluency in English and Portuguese is required. 

•Strong operational and analytical skills, including strong client orientation, diplomacy skills, ability to juggle multiple tasks and work under tight deadlines, and demonstrated ability to translate analytical work into policy advice and practical recommendations.

•Ability to present complex issues related to environmental sustainability to diverse internal and external audiences, and to engage effectively with government counterparts, project beneficiaries, and civil society.

•Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams.

•Willingness to travel extensively within Brazil, including to remote rural areas, with occasional trips to Washington, DC or elsewhere.

The following are preferred but not required:

•Prior knowledge of World Bank operational policies and procedures for investment projects, including of World Bank safeguard policies, ESF, and/or IFC Performance Standards.

•Spanish proficiency.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

•Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Translate technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.

•Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipate needs and requests in the field and conduct independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.

•Integrative Skills – Understand relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.

•Environmental Sector Issues – Demonstrates strong knowledge of at least one relevant thematic business line, namely “blue”, “brown”, “green”, climate change, or environmental risk management.

•Environmental Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Translates technical analyses into policies, operations and/or research as they relate to any of the following thematic business lines: “blue”, “brown”, “green”, climate change, and environmental risk management.

•Sector/Network Representation – Demonstrates ability to coordinate, participate in, and act as a catalyst for, strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.

•Project Design for Impact and Sustainability – Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context and requirement of environmental risk management.

•Communication and Influencing Skills – demonstrates the ability to influence and persuade others to accept ideas and suggestions (such as counterparts in government, international partner organizations, academia, and Bank colleagues, senior staff, and managers). Has ability to communicate and defend, orally and in writing, challenges and positions to colleagues and management.

WBG COMPETENCIES

•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.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.