Operations Officer - Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory

Job #: req35778
Organization: IFC
Sector: Infrastructure
Grade: GF
Term Duration:  3 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Dakar,Senegal
Required Language(s): English, French
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date: 3/12/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works 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.

The WBG People Vice Presidency is responsible for getting the right public and private sector solutions to our operational teams and to our clients, and to produce scalable impact.  Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to enable and support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs; supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, policy environment, and private sector mobilization; focusing on agribusiness, healthcare, infrastructure, manufacturing, and tourism; and support and accelerate specific targets such as M300, Health 1.5bn, and SP 500. The VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams.

The World Bank’s Infrastructure VPU, part of the WBG knowledge Bank at IFC, provides investment and advisory services for private and public sector clients across energy, mining and metals, transport, waste, and tourism sectors, and further mobilizes private sector capital from institutional investors and other financial institutions. 

As part of the Infrastructure VPU, Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory (SIA) offers sustainability-related services on climate, digital, and social inclusion to IFC’s investment clients and partners, to ensure broad stakeholder benefit from, and build community buy-in, and the development of resilient infrastructure For this purpose, a global team of experts based in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Washington DC, delivers tailored advice to clients based on their unique circumstances, risks, and sustainability objectives. The team is guided by the World Bank Group’s core values - Impact, Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, and Innovation. 

The team is looking for a motivated professional with strong sustainability experience in the mining industry. The ideal candidate will have delivered robust climate and social advisory work with mining, energy and/or transport companies in emerging markets. The position will be based in Dakar, Senegal reporting to the SIA Africa Lead.

Duties and Accountabilities 

The Operations Officer’s primary responsibilities will focus on the delivery of SIA’s services with a goal of contributing to growing investment business in infrastructure, particularly on mining and energy as well as other infrastructure sectors such as transport, waste, etc. The responsibilities of the position will include but are not limited to the following: 

1.Client engagement/Business development: The incumbent will support the regional team client engagement across Africa to identify new business opportunities and design innovative solutions to address the clients’ business risks and sustainability challenges. Specifically, the Operations Officer will:

• Lead or contribute to risk and opportunity assessments to understand sustainability issues faced by IFC clients. 
• Design innovative solutions and develop proposals and project pitches using PowerPoint and research databases for client support based on the full range of SIA services. 
• Work closely with the investment, ESG, legal and other relevant teams to develop tailored solutions that are aligned with World Bank Group mandates and the clients’ operations.
• Prepare projects’ legal agreements based on agreed terms of the client proposals and ensure that they are executed accordingly.
• Provide contributions to strategy development for specific sectors, countries, or regions for client engagement as may be required by the team.

2. Portfolio management and delivery of client projects: The responsibilities will also include the delivery of current or new projects in the regional portfolio.

• Lead the preparation of project concept notes, implementation work plans, budgets, and program/project reports including the semi-annual supervision reports, donor briefs and other reports as may be required.
• Provide deep sustainability (climate and social inclusion, skills, jobs) expertise to mining, energy and transport private sector clients and select others. 
• Participate in the selection, screening, recruitment and the management of service providers, consultants, and implementation partners.
• Provide quality assurance and ensure compliance with project delivery timeline, budget, and contractual agreements with IFC.
• Lead or participate in field missions, necessary to provide input in the assessment of the quality of the work delivered by implementation partners, consultants and other service providers selected to conduct specific assignments on the project’s work plans. 
• Engage with World Bank Group staff to develop and implement solutions to address clients’ challenges and deliver impact. 
• Build and maintain relationships and strengthen networks with key stakeholders including IFC clients, government officials, civil society groups, etc., and develop synergy with donors and other programs in the project area.
• Develop a strategy for successful engagement with host communities, IFC clients and other relevant stakeholders on project delivery. 
• Coordinate the organization of program-related events, including preparing meetings notes, disseminating them accordingly while ensuring that the outcomes of relevant events are reflected in project reports and in the design and implementation of program activities. 

3.Knowledge creation and dissemination. Finally, the incumbent will support the regional team to develop and disseminate lessons learned and knowledge materials on SIA’s services and market relevant sustainable finance topics. For this purpose, he/she will:

• Lead the development of knowledge materials through the consolidation and systematization of good practices on SIA’s services and other sustainability topics.
• Share expertise as a subject matter expert, provide advice, peer review and contribute to knowledge products across the World Bank Group to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. 
• Participate in relevant development fora and industry events to enhance networking, collaboration, lesson learning and knowledge sharing on sustainability topics and SIA’s mandates. 
• Facilitate relationship development across different stakeholder groups on sustainability-related challenges, recommendations, and learnings. 

Selection Criteria

• A master’s degree in relevant discipline e.g., business, metals & mining, finance, business administration, social sciences, economics, sustainable development, and engineering, etc.
• Minimum eight (8) years of relevant mining experience in sustainability, sustainable finance, and resilient infrastructure development.
• Good understanding of the evolving ESG reporting landscape, and sustainability indicators, as well as monitoring and evaluation techniques.
• A proven record in designing, implementing, and managing complex operations using innovative approaches, including demonstrated ability to uphold operational procedures.
• Ability to develop and manage relations with diverse stakeholders, including private and public sector partners.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French and ability to effectively dialogue with and relate to clients and stakeholders; and
• Strong analytical/critical thinking skills, with sustainability expertise in private sector development in Africa or emerging markets.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

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.

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