Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year renewable term appointment. Sub-Saharan Africa, with a population of around 700 million people in 47 countries, is home to 34 of the world’s poorest countries and despite recent progress continues to present the world with its most formidable development challenge. The Africa Region comprises about 1,500 staff members, of whom over half are based in the Region’s field offices. The Region has an active work program encompassing a large number of IDA operations, a smaller number of middle-income clients, a wide-ranging advisory and analytical program, active partnerships with Regional and Sub-Regional institutions and a large portfolio of around 400 projects under supervision. The core values guiding our work are passion for our mission of sustainable development and poverty reduction, putting the needs of our clients at the core of our work, trust and respect in everything we do, intellectual rigor and imagination, teamwork, and openness to learning from our successes as well as our failures. As part of the Sustainable Development Department, the Fragile States, Conflict and Social Development Unit (AFTCS), with around 50 staff, plays strategic, cross-support, advisory and knowledge roles for the Region’s work in three key areas. (1) Support for fragile states and conflict-affected countries, including management of trust funds to support the demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants in the Great Lakes, and to address gender-based violence across the Region. (2) Support to Task Teams to meet social safeguard requirements and improve the sustainability of the Bank’s investments in the Region. (3) Broad social development with a strong focus on social accountability (or the demand side of governance). With close to one half of countries in sub-Saharan Africa affected by conflict and/or considered fragile states, AFTCS manages a number of regular IDA operations, multi- and single-country Trust Funds, and advisory/analytical services to support the Region’s work in fragile and conflict-affected countries. AFTCS has active programs in Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, the Great Lakes and Nigeria. |
AFTCS is looking for a Senior Conflict and Development Specialist, to be based in Nairobi, to strengthen the quality and timeliness of our support to fragile and conflict-affected states throughout the Africa Region, with a particular focus on East Africa and the Horn of Africa. This recruitment should be seen in the context of the Region's decision to scale up its support to fragile states in the sub-region. Over the coming year, it is expected that a broader presence of sector staff will be built up in Nairobi to serve the Region's fragile states. It is expected that about half of the Specialist’s time would be dedicated to providing on-demand strategic advice and analysis to country teams and senior management and the other half to managing and supervising projects and trust funds; however this will be assessed as the assignment progresses. Reporting directly to the AFTCS Sector Manager in Washington DC, the main responsibilities of the Senior Conflict and Development Specialist would include but not be limited to:
Providing timely and strategic advice to CMUs, Country Teams and Bank Senior Management on addressing issues of fragility, conflict, and political instability and crises.
Develop a close working relationship and exploit synergies with the Region’s AFTPR (governance) colleagues working on fragile states from the Nairobi Office, as well as sectoral colleagues working on fragile states co-located in Nairobi.
Develop a joint AFTCS/AFTPR learning and knowledge agenda on governance and fragility in the Africa Region.
Manage the AFTCS Somalia program, including operations funded by donor Trust Funds, JSDF and the Peace and State Building Fund, and represent the Bank in the Somalia donor coordination processes in Nairobi.
Manage a small trust-funded DDR operation in Uganda which is expected to close on June 30, 2011, and provide advice to the CMU on conflict-related issues in Uganda.
Interact closely with CMUs and Country Teams to provide strategic advice during CAS preparation, and develop the Unit’s operational, analytical and advisory work program.
Build and maintain close contact and partnerships with donors (including the UN, AU and sub-regional bodies) in Nairobi and throughout Africa (as appropriate) on the Bank’s fragility and conflict agenda, as well as donor harmonization initiatives.
Manage the work program and mentor junior staff and/or consultants that may be recruited to work on fragile states in the Nairobi Office.
Be an integral part of the Fragile States and Conflict team in AFTCS, participate and contribute to achievement of the Unit’s objectives, and as required and time permits contribute to other operations or analytical services undertaken by AFTCS.
Under the direction of AFTCS management contribute to the Region and the Bank’s overall agenda on fragile and conflict-affected states.
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Graduate degree in a relevant discipline and at least 8 years of relevant experience working on fragile and conflict-affected states and issues.
Direct operational experience and/or broad knowledge of themes relevant to conflict-affected or post-conflict countries, such as DDR, Post-Conflict Needs Assessments, Multi-Donor Trust Funds, political economy and/or conflict analysis and diagnosis, and post-conflict reconstruction strategies and programs.
Knowledge and interest in broader issues of governance and core public sector systems, and ability to integrate and explore synergies between the governance and the fragility/conflict agendas.
Bank accreditation for management of Trust-Funds will be required once the Specialist is on board.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in challenging fragile and post-conflict environments, effectively advising Bank country teams and Senior Management, interacting with and engaging in policy dialogue with host governments, and coordinating with donors and UN agencies and other stakeholders.
Professional experience in Africa, with a good understanding of the World Bank’s mission, policies and processes.
Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work effectively as an integral part of multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural and multi-agency teams.
Very high level of energy and initiative, capacity to generate work programs and funding from CMUs and interested donors, and ability to deal with rapidly shifting priorities and work demands in complex and volatile environments.
Strong client orientation and diplomatic skills, including demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of government and civil society counterparts, and donor and UN partners.
Willingness and availability to relocate to Nairobi, Kenya for the length of the assignment, and to travel frequently within Africa.
Strong analytical, verbal and written communication skills, including ability to make effective presentations to diverse audiences, and interest in knowledge management and dissemination.
Ability and willingness to manage and mentor more junior staff working in Nairobi on fragile states issues and countries.
Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in French is a strong advantage. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
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