Local recruitment: Extended Term Consultant

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 World Bank Group (WBG)’s recently revised goal of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity on a livable planet reflects a renewed focus on the importance of environmental sustainability in advancing with economic development priorities.

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.

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 the Andes, Southern Cone, and Brazil.  This unit consists of about 25 staff, of whom more than half work on environmental safeguards and environmental risk management in accordance with the ESF, with the remainder working primarily on lending and knowledge products. Most of the staff in the unit is based in country offices, with the remainder based in Washington DC and travelling to the region frequently. 

The Brazil ENV program currently comprises of policy and investment lending, policy and analytical work and technical assistance activities covering themes such as natural resource management, landscape restoration, protected area management, biodiversity protection, forestry, bioeconomy, blue economy, and climate change as well as environmental risk management activities of across the whole portfolio of the World Bank in Brazil.  Brazil ENV team clients’ are the federal government, state-owned development banks, and several sub-national governments.

THE POSITION

The position will be based in Brasilia (Brazil) and will be primarily responsible to: (i) participate and/or lead ENV-led and co-led operations in Brazil; (ii) contribute and/or lead analytical work on environmental themes; (iii) contribute to the overall management of the ENV portfolio in Brazil (lending and analytical work); (iv) contribute to country-wide engagement on environment and natural resource management; (v) be a core team member of the SLCE2 team. The consultant may also be asked to provide support to other unit activities, country and sector strategy development, and strategic policy dialogue.

The consultant will work under overall supervision of the ENV manager. S/he will work closely with the Brazil ENV focal point in Brazil and the entire ENV team and the Planet Program Leader.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

•Lead or support the preparation and review of project documents for Bank operations (Investment and Policy Operations) such as Concept Notes, Implementation Status and Results Reports, Project Appraisal Documents, Project Papers for Additional Financing, Restructuring Papers, Aide Memoires, Implementation Completion and Results Reports, etc.

•Contribute to country Unit agenda, supporting the preparation/implementation of national projects and action plans.

•Contribute to the dialogue with other areas as relevant for env operations (e.g. agriculture, social development, infrastructure, etc.)

•Contribute to policy dialogue, operations and/or analytical work in the sustainable use of natural resources, integrated land use, forest management, etc.

•Lead or support the preparation or implementation support missions, as required, offering guidance on bank processes and contributing to project and mission documents.

•Lead or contribute to regional and country-level ASAs and corporate strategies (e.g. CPF, CCDR, ).

•Contribute to business and pipeline development (e.g., just in time support, policy dialogue, policy lending, program for results, etc.).

•Perform other assignments, as and when required.

•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 department and IFC/MIGA colleagues on joint projects and with counterparts from other multilateral development institutions as needed.

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

Selection Criteria

•Masters’ degree (PhD preferred) in environmental economics, public policy, governance, environmental policy, environmental sciences, environmental law or related fields.

•A minimum of 6 (six) years of full-time relevant professional experience working in environmental issues and related themes.

•Prior work experience in Brazil and knowledge of country’s environmental and climate related institutional, policy legal framework and institutions.

•Oral and written fluency in English and Portuguese.

•Strong operational and analytical skills, including strong client orientation, diplomatic skills, ability to juggle multiple tasks and work under tight deadlines.

•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 in the region, including to remote rural areas.

The following are preferred but not required:

•Knowledge of World Bank operational policies, practices and procedures related to lending operations (experiences with policy operations would be a plus) and ASAs, including familiarity with Trust Funds and IPF accreditation.

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

•Experience on data analysis and in organizing and handling GIS information. 

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

•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

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. 

Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three 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 third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.