Senior Operations Officer at World Bank

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

 

The Somalia team is hiring a highly motivated Senior Operations Officer (OO) to support the Bank’s rapidly evolving program in Somalia. The SOO will be based in Nairobi, responsible for coordinating the Bank’s operational portfolio in Somalia, working closely with the Country Manager (based in NBO and Somalia). The Nairobi office serves as a hub for the Bank’s Somalia work and houses a core team of Somalia staff. The Somalia program sits within the Country Management Unit (CMU) for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda (AFCE2) which provides a range of financial, knowledge, and convening services to help address the four countries’ most complex development issues. The CMU includes staff in the three country offices, and one liaison office in Mogadishu, supported by an Anchor team based at Headquarters in Washington DC consisting of a Sr. Operations Officer (SOO-DC) and a Country Program Assistant. The Country Director (CD) is based in Nairobi, together with an Operations Manager and three Program Leaders (PL)/Sector Leaders (SL), coordinating and overseeing the CMU. The Country Managers (CM) for Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda manage the day-to-day operations of the program for the respective country.

 

After nearly three decades of disengagement, conflict and instability, Somalia is undertaking a radical overhaul of its political and economic institutions. A key element of this positive, but fragile, transition is the re-engagement with international financial institutions and the clearance of IDA arrears expected in February 2020. This is intended to generate increased confidence in prospects for peace and development, based on the unlocking of resources for inclusive socio-economic development. To this end, in September 2018 the country team delivered to Board a Systematic Country Diagnostic and Country Partnership Framework (CPF) (FY19-22) setting out the key priorities for a new World Bank program anticipating IDA’s re-engagement. Now, during FY20, the team is set to undertake a Performance and Learning Review (PLR) to update the CPF, including the results framework, in the light of the new Somalia National Development Plan 9, as well as the expected additional IDA resources. The PLR will establish clarity on the new IDA programming in areas such as human capital development, regional integration and energy as well as setting out how the Bank will manage the increased technical, safeguards and fiduciary risks given the high-risk context.

The Somalia Multi Partner Fund (MPF) was established in 2014 to enable the Bank to re-engage with Somalia and help strengthen institutions in advance of IFI re-engagement. Now approaching $500 million in donor commitments from 8 donors, the MPF is expected to continue to mobilise resources for the program through the remainder of the CPF period. The team has recently concluded a mid-term review of the MPF performance and will, in December 2019, present a proposal to MPF donors re-orient the MPF strategically as IDA re-engages. An important element of the MPF is to finance enhanced policy dialogue and fiduciary and safeguards hand-holding and risk management, known as ‘enablers’.

 

Following re-engagement in 2012, the Bank’s presence in Somalia is now operational with a series of Somalia “platforms”, including a newly opened office within the secure airport area in Mogadishu. The CMU and GSD Corporate Security coordinate all moves within Somalia for the World Bank Group, with on-the-ground security support in Mogadishu from a Bank security professional.

 

Duties and Accountabilities

This is an international hire position, with a term appointment of 3 years. The appointee will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Based out of the Nairobi-based Somalia office, the Senior Operations Officer (SOO) plays a strategic role in the CMU to support the delivery of the Somalia program, including in management (TTL) of the substantial and high-visibility Somalia Multi Partner Fund (MPF). The SOO will be supported by the Nairobi-based Program Officer (LRS) and works in close coordination with the Country Manager under the overall leadership of the Country Director. In particular, the SOO will carry out the following key functions:

• Support the delivery of the Somalia IDA and MPF program, as set out in the forthcoming Performance and Learning Review, including taking supporting the CM to coordinate technical task teams from identification through to appraisal and supervision of projects;
• Oversee the development of a Somalia integrated trust fund and IDA dashboard by the Program Officer and ensure timely CMU responses and review of, including ISRs and ICRs, Aide Memoires and Management Letters;
• Take the lead on results monitoring within the CPF results framework;
• Help develop annual IDA & Trust Fund pipelines both internally through the WPA process and in consultation with the GPs and CCSAs, as well as externally with the client and with the wider donor and international community;
• Task manage the Somalia Multi Partner Fund, including:

• Ensure MPF strategic alignment with client and WB priorities in close coordination with the new IDA program;
• Manage relations with Nairobi and Mogadishu-based donors, including on questions of funding, strategic planning and fiduciary/integrity issues as necessary;
• Coordinate all donor legal agreements together with Trust Fund units and the legal department;
• Liaison with and representation at the monthly Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF);
• Tracking and processing donor contributions to the Multi-Partner Fund, including the establishment of a sound financial reporting system and maintaining a clear cash-based overview of incoming donor contributions and committed and disbursed funds for projects and programs;
• Task lead Bank-executed windows of the MPF for Enhanced Implementation Support to support innovative approaches to fiduciary, governance risk and safeguards management, allowing for the higher overheads associated with undertaking work in Somalia;
• Overall responsibility to ensure effective and timely reporting and communication to donors and other stakeholders on MPF finances, including through the bi-annual MPF reports and on the MPF website;

• Develop and implement new initiatives to strengthen World Bank and MPF communication and reporting, working closely with the World Bank’s Africa External Affairs and Communications team;
• Help consolidate the new CMU structure in Nairobi by strengthening the operational and strategic links with the wider CMU, in particular the Senior Operations Officer in DC and the Program Manager and PLs in Nairobi; but also through strengthening the links with the Resource Management teams, GSD procurement, Corporate Security, Resource Management, the Fragility and Conflict team and the ACS staff to ensure the efficient and effective management of the Somalia platform;
• Ensure the Nairobi office provides the necessary support and guidance to the increasingly flow of visiting missions.

Selection Criteria

• Masters degree in a relevant field/discipline (Economics, Business Studies, Political Science, Finance, International Relations, or similar field relevant to the Bank’s mission).
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional and operational experience.
• Strong knowledge of trust fund operations and policies, portfolio management, Bank operational policies and business practices.
• Solid understanding and experience with development issues in fragile states.
• Demonstrated initiative, leadership skills, innovation and drive for results including ability to undertake a diversity of tasks within a rapidly changing and demanding environment on short deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to deal rapidly, and in a timely and accurate manner, with shifting priorities and work pressure with minimum supervisory requirements.
• Outstanding inter-personal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively within a multi-disciplinary and cultural country team and with other Bank groups and development partners, while demonstrating political sensitivity and mature judgment.
• Excellent spoken and written communications skills including strategic analysis and planning and the ability to draft clear and concise reports, correspondence and briefs.

Core Competencies:

• Bank Instruments, Policies, Procedures, and Systems – Recognized by peers and/or managers for providing high quality, pragmatic advice to teams on the appropriate use of Bank policies, procedures and instruments and financing mechanisms.
• Portfolio Management (OS) – Leads the monitoring of country/sector strategy and work program; Flags implementation issues for attention of clients and Bank management and takes a leading role in resolving these.
• Analytical and Technical Skills, Operational Strategy Development & Advice – Recognized by peers and/or managers for ability to identify and pro-actively solve operational issues and problems.
• Operational Project Management – Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of project management tools & methodologies, as well as of Bank instruments and processes related to project preparation & implementation, resource management, and stakeholder communications.
• Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions with others.
• Deliver Results for Clients – Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.
• Make Smart Decisions – Recommends and takes decisive action.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability – Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context.
• Sector Dialogue – Able to conduct a dialogue with the client on familiar topics, with a narrow scope, based on a solid understanding of the sector.
• Operational Policies Application to the Project Cycle (fiduciary, disbursement, safeguard and GAC policies) – – Possesses a strong understanding of procurement and disbursement policies; knows what issues might arise and who to involve in problem resolution.
• Team Leadership – Leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.
• Knowledge of Relevant Operational Policy and Associated Good Practices – has a solid understanding of all aspects of OP 10 and associated Good Practice Notes

Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. 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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