Urban Specialist

Urban Specialist

Description

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.

Regional Context

Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa is occurring at an unprecedented pace. The share of Africans living in urban areas is projected to grow from 38 percent in 2016 to almost 60 percent by 2040, translating to an additional 40,000 new urban citizens every day until 2040. The region’s urbanization rate, one of the highest in the world, can lead to economic growth, transformation and poverty. However, many cities in Africa still have not fully captured the benefits of urbanization and poorly managed urbanization have exacerbated existing infrastructure challenges, resulting in increased inequality, urban poverty, proliferation of informal settlements and vulnerability to hazards. Adverse natural events present a serious obstacle for achieving sustainable social and economic development, particularly in vulnerable regions as Sub-Saharan Africa. Disaster affects the poor most severely; unplanned human settlements, unsafe building practices, high population densities, economic growth, and accumulations of assets in risk prone areas has dramatically increased exposure to hazards and increased disaster loss. Climate change has the potential to significantly worsen the situation. Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better. https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

Position context

The West and Central Africa sub-region harbors some of Africa’s protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile. This creates a huge development challenge which compounded with other natural shocks like floods and droughts, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future. The WBG’s experience in Africa offers important source of insight, drawing on an array of lessons learned from multi-sector operations in FCV or disaster-conflict nexus situations.

The AFW Urban, Resilience and Land Units (IAWU4) brings together a wide range of important and interrelated development and financing instruments to support national and sub-national clients to: harness urbanization and enable effective land management in support of both growth and poverty reduction; foster social inclusion of marginalized groups; support the responsiveness and fiscal, financial, and management capacities of local governments – cities, municipalities, and rural districts – to deliver local infrastructure and decentralized services; strengthen resilience and disaster risk management related to natural hazards; reduce conflict and violence; scale-up access to finance for sub-national governments; and reduce the carbon footprint of cities.

IAWU4 Unit is seeking a highly qualified and motivated Urban Specialist (GF). The Urban Specialist will be based in Libreville, Gabon and will report to the IAWU4 Practice Manager based in Accra. He/She will work across the Urban and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) program in the area of urban development and infrastructure, with a particular focus on Gabon and the Central African Republic (CAR). He/She will be expected to provide technical support in operational and analytical tasks, including but not limited to the (i) preparation and implementation of lending operations, operational and analytical projects; (ii) contribute to teams within the unit and beyond; (iii) support cross sectoral and multi-sectoral urban development, DRM and infrastructure engagements across various global practices; and (iv) support the further development and implementation of the urban, DRM and resilience programs through a range of Bank instruments and engagement modalities. Given the multi-GP nature of the urban agenda, the Urban Specialist is expected to demonstrate the highest collaborative competencies, working with colleagues across the range of technical areas within the unit and, equally importantly, from other Global Practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Urban Specialist’s responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to the following:

• Provide substantive contributions to engagement in Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management through existing country programs and provide technical support towards the implementation of the urban and resilience agenda, including through participation in the Bank’s dialogue with clients.

• Support the supervision of Urban/DRM investment operations, including reviewing Terms of Reference (TORs), technical specifications, and bidding documents; leading supervision missions; and preparing internal reporting documentation.

• Lead or co-lead technical reviews, technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and capacity-building activities related to civil engineering, urban development, infrastructure, and resilience, in coordination with clients and development partners. Supporting/providing leadership on stakeholder engagement.

• Provide operational support to government counterparts and implementing agencies by, identifying potential problems and advising on required actions as well as overall project/program implementation. Participate in missions and provide technical inputs, project briefs, aide memoirs, and other materials as part of The World Bank internal documentation.

• Provide technical and substantive inputs to analytical activities as part of the Urban and DRM program in AFW, including implementation of cutting-edge analytical instruments and knowledge products. Conduct spatial/economic/statistical analysis, desk reviews, and data interpretations on urban related issues, including urban management, finance and services; reviews and interprets data.

• Support team leaders on coordination of stakeholders in the URL activities, including development partners, government institutions, and civil society for better implementation of the Government’s urban sector disaster risk program.

• Support the task team leaders in the management of Trust Fund (TF) activities including preparation and review of grant proposals, consultation on technical issues, preparation of progress reports, project briefings, disbursements and quality control of deliverables.

• Contribute to business development in the urban development, DRM, infrastructure, and resilience areas by identifying key opportunities and priority areas for engagement and by conceptualizing, preparing and implementing urban solutions both in the operational and analytical realms.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced university degree (Master or PhD) in a field relevant to urban development such as urban planning, civil engineering, hydrology or a related field.

• Minimum 5 years of proven experience in the urban, urban drainage/drainage sectors or in a related infrastructure field (either with a government’s authority, contractor(s), design or supervision consultant(s), or development institutions) with demonstrated ability to work on: (a) infrastructure design or planning; (b) civil works contract management and execution; (c) urban development and urban resilience policies; and (c) economic, social, and environmental impact of infrastructure investments;

• Strong civil engineering expertise in urban infrastructure, including urban development works (roads, drainage,, etc.) and/or hydraulic engineering.

• Experience in working either with the World Bank, or on programs financed by other development partners, multilateral or bilateral organizations;

• Effective verbal, analytical and written communication skills in English and French, and demonstrated ability to produce quality documents and analytical reports;

• Work experience in Gabon or CAR and familiarity with the issues and problems of the Urban and Disaster risk management sectors in those countries are desirable;

• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural teams (with virtual teams located in different countries), and with clients, different stakeholders and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries.

• Good project management skills, an ability to work effectively on multiple activities simultaneously, strong problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to self-navigate, with minimal support, through complex bureaucratic environments.

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.