Head

Job #: req36316
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Infrastructure
Grade: GH
Term Duration:  3 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date: 4/16/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Data Privacy Notice: 
As part of the application review process, your application details will be shared with a third-party panelist, who is assisting with the recruitment and interview process. This third-party panelist will only use your personal data to determine your eligibility for the role to which you applied and in accordance with the World Bank Group Privacy Notice for Job Applicants.
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? 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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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.

Infrastructure Vertical:

The WBG Infrastructure Vice Presidency provides public and private solutions to operational teams and clients across the WBG to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs by: (i) supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, (ii) policy environment, and (iii) enabling and mobilizing private sector capital. With 60 years of experience, the WBG is poised to support the sector becoming an engine of growth and jobs through improving policies and governance, foundational infrastructure and private sector investments. WBG lending in the sector is expected to grow substantially. The Infrastructure VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure

Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF)

Despite infrastructure’s vital role in driving economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development, EMDEs face a persistent and widening infrastructure investment gap. Public balance sheets are stretched; while private investment into infrastructure in EMDEs has stagnated, constrained by the limited supply of well-structured, bankable projects. Fewer than 10% of government-initiated infrastructure projects in EMDEs reach commercial or financial close. 
GIF was established in 2014 as a G20 initiative to address this critical challenge to private investment in infrastructure, namely, the shortage of bankable pipelines of investment opportunities that are attractive to private capital. GIF does this by providing funding and technical support to its MDB partners to help client governments prepare infrastructure programs that crowd-in private investment. Over the longer term, GIF aims to help expand the market for private infrastructure finance in EMDEs; that is, to help increase the number of structurally sound, sustainable, quality, and bankable projects seeking finance, and broaden the range of private investors that are willing to risk capital in those projects. Since inception, GIF has approved over US$ 145 million in support for project preparation and transaction advisory services, for 197 project activities across 77 countries. As of June 30, 2025, a total of 35 projects have reached commercial close, 23 of which have subsequently reached financial close. The expected private sector mobilization of these projects is estimated to be US$ 21 billion. 
Delivering bankable investment pipelines at scale requires the systematic collaboration of EMDE governments, development partners and private investors at global and country level. As the only global MDB-led project preparation platform, a key part of GIF’s mission is to foster continuous public-private dialogue around enhancing commercial infrastructure investment and other relevant topics through its private sector Advisory Council and its extensive network spanning governments, MDBs/DFIs, other development partners and the private sector (developers, banks, investors). GIF is also engaged at the global level, maintaining an independent seat at the G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG), where it provides technical support and thought leadership to successive G20 Presidencies upon request. Its global positioning is further strengthened by the growing recognition of project preparation as a cornerstone of the private capital mobilization (PCM) agenda. In addition, the GIF actively contributes to other global initiatives across the infrastructure finance landscape, reinforcing its role as a trusted platform for advancing sustainable and bankable infrastructure.
GIF is structured as a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) hosted by the World Bank Group and supporting the pipelines of a broad range of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). Funding for GIF is provided by GIF’s Funding Partners , which currently includes sovereign donors and the World Bank, who also provide strategic direction to the GIF. GIF’s activities are implemented by its MDB Technical Partners, or implementing entities that have been accredited to receive funding from GIF. Currently, GIF collaborates with 11 accredited MDB technical partners . Additionally, GIF is distinctive through its engagement of the private sector, as Advisory Partners. Among GIF’s 50+ Advisory Partners are pension funds, insurers, asset managers, and investment and commercial banks, together representing more than US$18 trillion in assets under management. These Advisory Partners are called upon throughout the structuring process and during market soundings on GIF-supported infrastructure programs and projects to maximize attractiveness to private capital when investment opportunities are brought to market. For more information about GIF please visit: http://www.globalinfrafacility.org/
The position under recruitment is for the Head,  GIF. The GIF Management Unit resides within the Infrastructure Vice Presidency of the World Bank Group. 
This hosting arrangement allows GIF to benefit from secretariat services and technical support for operations provided by the World Bank Group and also facilitates knowledge sharing with experts across the World Bank on the global infrastructure agenda. The Head will oversee the GIF Management Unit, which is responsible for assessing the technical support needs of projects/programs, recommending the allocation of GIF resources, and functioning as a coordinating body. The Management Unit is staffed by World Bank Group employees. It is comprised of a small, high-performing team based in Washington DC, Singapore, Tokyo and Nairobi. GIF-supported activities are implemented by its MDB Technical partners, and as such, the Management Unit does not lead operations. However, GIF Management Unit staff have a mix of project finance, infrastructure economics, regulatory and sectoral skills and work with governments and Technical Partners to identify gaps, financial and regulatory needs for investments, assess project risks, and leverage the role of Advisory Partners. For more information about GIF please visit: http://www.globalinfrafacility.org/
The GIF Head will report to the Director for Strategy and Operations within the Infrastructure Vice Presidency.  In addition, the position will also  report to GIF’s Governing Council  to assure that the Facility is operating in the common interests of Funding Partners, Technical Partners and representatives of beneficiary countries.  The GIF Head will be accountable for upholding the core principles of GIF as follows:
• Leveraging the private sector — project financing and operational modalities to draw together comparative advantages of public and private sectors
• Addressing public goods — focus on core infrastructure sectors, particularly projects that are climate friendly and/ or trade enabling.
• Partnering for solutions — mobilization of resources and encouraging collaboration among WBG and private, public and multilateral development partners
• Promoting sustainability & protecting investors and partners from reputational and other risks
• Developing an investment asset class — contribution, over time, to the emergence of infrastructure as a recognized asset class in developing economies. Critically, one of the key goals of GIF will be to mobilize private sector capital through its platform.
More specifically, the GIF Head will be responsible for:
Donor Management, Fundraising, and Institutional Representation
• Maintain fruitful relationships with existing donors, balancing donor policy priorities with the need for a consistent, impact-driven mission for the GIF. Manage Governing Council dynamics and competing priorities diplomatically.
• Proactively fundraise, including by recruiting new donors to enable GIF to scale its resources & impact.  
• Continue an ongoing process of enabling GIF to accept contributions from private sector donors, navigating potential conflicts of interests transparently and in line with GIF governing principles and WBG FIF guidelines. 
• Represent GIF in international engagements thematically related to GIF, e.g. the G7, G20, COP, etc.
Business Management Responsibilities
• Lead the GIF Management Unit — The GIF Head will manage a team of infrastructure finance specialists that will review proposals from and provide support to Technical Partners, as well as client governments, on project structuring options for PPPs. The GIF Head will assure that best practices and latest approaches on PPP design and infrastructure finance are applied to each GIF project, and that the lessons learned from GIF approaches at the platform level as well as the project level are captured, returned to the GIF and made widely available.
• Partnership Coordination, Portfolio Quality and Trust Fund Management — The GIF Head will be responsible for coordinating relations with the Funding, Technical, Beneficiary and Advisory Partners, as well as other partners and initiatives in the emerging market infrastructure finance ecosystem; planning, implementing and reporting on uses of funds; and responding to the audit and information requests of the Governing Council in a timely manner. 
• Project Preparation and Pipeline Development— As the main focus of activities for GIF, the GIF Head will lead a team that will work with Technical Partners, and in response to country requests, to identify a pipeline of qualifying infrastructure programs and projects, evaluating needs in project preparation, transaction support and financial structuring and assessing market-readiness, government commitments and project feasibility. Technical Partner teams lead and implement GIF-funded activities, with support provided by experienced GIF Management Unit staff. Activities supported by GIF include: (i) Project Readiness Assessments: standardized project screening approach; (ii) Project Definition Activities: Pre-feasibility studies, Cost Benefit Analysis & value for money, Design and appraisal, and preliminary structuring and (iii) Project Preparation and Structuring Activities: Full Feasibility Studies, Project Structuring, Market Sounding and roadshows; Contract Development, tendering and procurement, and Negotiations from contract award to financial close. 
• Strategy Development,  Global Knowledge and Private Sector Engagement —The GIF Head will also lead GIF strategy development, ensuring that GIF strategy and interventions evolve with the market to remain responsive to Governing Council priorities as well as private sector needs and appetite for bankable projects. The Head will lead the partnership with the Advisory Council as a key vehicle to gain private sector knowledge about viable project structures and risk tolerance so as to improve and expand the pipeline of projects. Under the GIF Head’s guidance, the GIF team will organize regular meetings of Advisory Partners around core themes related to the financing of infrastructure, lead efforts related to the development of PPP pipelines and undertake highly targeted analytical work related to the bankability of infrastructure projects and the development of infrastructure as an asset class.   
People/ Talent Management responsibilities
• Lead, supervise and motivate the GIF team with a focus on client orientation, development outcomes, strong cross-practice coordination and problem solving, and takes responsibility for achieving and communicating these outcomes with operational staff, technical staff, and country management. 
• Create a positive work environment in which GIF staff can succeed and maximize their impact.
Resource Management Responsibilities
• Ensure that deployment of Bank's resources is consistent with Resource Management rules, policies and internal controls including World Bank’s Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) requirements.
• Sets priorities and allocates budget within and across countries, in line with institutional priorities and a view to maximizing the impact and value-added of the Bank's activities.

Selection Criteria

• Substantial professional experience (typically the successful candidate will have at least 15 years of experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility) structuring infrastructure finance transactions, advancing PPPs, and developing strategies for implementing infrastructure policy. Experience with  country and regional level infrastructure policy, investments, and economics of infrastructure finance is a must. A track record in advancing a knowledge agenda on PPP is desired 
• Experience leading organizations or initiatives with demonstrated ability to grow resources and build consortia of supporters.
• Experience working in or with the private sector (i.e., in a development finance institution that co-invests with private investors) is strongly preferred.  
• Experience in the field of development finance (including bilateral coordination) with deep and hands-on experience in portfolio management and operations, including supporting governments in structuring projects for private participation, in particular with transaction advisory, project (grant or loan) implementation.
• Experience representing prior employer institutions in multilateral events (G7, G20, etc.) and development finance engagements (UNGA, COP, NY Climate Week, etc.).  Strong preference for prior experience as lead representative and for experience liaising with government representatives. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong, productive partnerships with senior representatives across government, private sector, experts, and NGO/communities.
• Proven track record of commitment and stability in their career, with sustained contributions in previous roles. 
• Prior work experience in achieving results on the ground in more than one world region (including both pre-Bank and Bank experience).  For WBG staff, a corporate assignment may substitute for experience in a second region.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and prioritize work effectively with minimal supervision, applying creative and practical problem-solving skills.
• Experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and hybrid (mixed virtual and in-person) teams in a supervisory/co-supervisory capacity; Excellent organizational skills, tact, and judgment.
• Demonstrated team spirit and strong desire to work in team management and collaboration.
• Advanced university degree(s) and Master’s degree (or additional degree or equivalent experience) in Finance, Economics or relevant field/discipline (such as public policy, business administration, engineering, and law). 
• Fluency in English is required with strong writing and pitching skills.

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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