Operations Analyst

Operations Analyst

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. 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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

VPU Context

The Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region serves twenty two countries across different income groups, of which fourteen are active/potentially active IBRD/IDA borrowers (Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Tunisia, and Yemen), with a total of 251 projects and over $51 bn in total commitment. Eight are users of the Region's non-lending services, mostly on a reimbursable basis (Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates).  The mission of the region is to foster sustainable growth with a focus on job creation and poverty reduction, economic and social inclusion, and good governance. The region attaches importance to creating a supportive work environment based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, and client service, underlined by professional excellence. The region places high value on diversity. The region is organized into seven Country Departments (CMUs), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, and the Development Effectiveness Unit (MNADE).

With an expanded regional strategy, the World Bank aims to help the region weather the current crises, move from stabilization to transformation, unlock its vast economic potential of youth and women, develop its human capital to adapt to global megatrends, and foster innovation (https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena).

Unit Context

 The World Bank Mashreq Department (MAP02) is situated at the center of the MENAAP Region, serving four Middle Income Countries (Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon) and 1 IDA country (Syria) which comprise a total population of approximately 160 million. Since the establishment of the department, the Country Management Unit (CMU) has worked to design projects to cater for the specific development needs of the countries through lending, grants, as well as Advisory Services and Analytics. 

Syria is a low-income country in the Middle East with a population estimated at around 26 million. Nearly 14 years of conflict have resulted in widespread devastation, with damage to nearly one-third of the country’s pre-conflict capital stock. Direct physical damage is estimated at US$108 billion, while reconstruction needs are estimated at approximately US$216 billion—nearly ten times Syria’s projected 2024 GDP—highlighting the scale of the challenge and the need for international support. The economy has contracted sharply, with real GDP declining by an estimated 54.6% between 2010 and 2024, and poverty affecting about 69% of the population.

As of June 2025, Syria’s active portfolio comprised two IDA projects worth approximately US$166 million. The program supports recovery and resilience, with priority areas including energy, public financial management, health, water, transport, digital transformation, education, social safety nets, agriculture, and private sector development, alongside continued analytical work and technical assistance. For more information on Syria, please visit: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/syria.

The Mashreq Country Management Unit is seeking to recruit a highly motivated Operations Analyst who will report to the WBG Country Director and/or the Operations Manager, supporting the World Bank Group’s Syria program. This is a local term (two-year) position initially based in the World Bank’s office in Jordan. The position is expected to relocate to the World Bank’s Country Liaison Office in Syria once it becomes operational.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Operations Analyst will report directly to the Country Director (CD) and/or the Operations Manager (OM). The Operations Analyst will provide substantive operational, project, research, statistical, and other analytical support to the Syria work program. More specifically, the Operations Analyst will undertake the following tasks:

• Contributes to specific operational activities at all stages of the project design and implementation, including participation in the development of concept notes, facilitating communication between the World Bank Groups’ task teams and counterpart agencies, drafting project-related correspondence, reviewing budget planning, monitoring use of funds and assisting with client billing. 

• Carries out substantive research and analytical tasks on a wide range of country issues, maintains informational databases in order to assist the WBG Country Director with regular country monitoring notes and updates; drafts sections of briefing materials on the status of the country program and project issues for the World Bank Group Annual and Spring Meetings, as well as for management visits and other purposes; and prepares materials for annual and mid-year portfolio reviews and country team meetings;

• Interacts with country and task team members, and the government agencies in the formulation and implementation of the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) and/or other documents related to strategic cooperation with the Government of Syria; prepares standard sections of the CPS document and country strategy submission as input into business plans, work program agreements, mid-year reviews, etc.; reviews and screens relevant documents/reports for consistency with the CPS and other documents;

• Works closely with the WBG Country Director on portfolio monitoring, analyzing operational data and providing regular and ad hoc reports to management on the status of the country program; coordinates with Resource Management staff to ensure accuracy of the data in the institutional information systems; identifies issues and raises concerns with regard to the overall portfolio quality, as needed.

• Works in close coordination with IFC investment, advisory, and upstream teams to ensure alignment with broader IFC strategy and objectives to support the identification and development of impactful pipeline of projects. Analyzes projects at completion, comparing actual results with those projected at the concept note stage.

• Undertake research and analytical tasks on specific country issues, maintain informational databases to assist the TTLs and task teams with regular country monitoring notes and updates.

• Interact with country and task team members, and the respective government agencies in the formulation and implementation of documents related to strategic cooperation with the government. 

• For visiting missions, support the practice group (PG) teams in mission scheduling and meeting arrangements and participating in meetings with government agencies and development partners and maintaining records of meetings to ensure consistency with aide-memoires and other correspondence with the government, in coordination with the Division Director.

• Provide support to World Bank missions to Syria and staff visits through involvement in the preparation, coordination, planning and logistics of visits.

• Other tasks, as needed. 

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree and minimum 2 years relevant experience. Candidates with a Bachelor's degree with significant demonstrated experience working in fragile, conflict, and violence-affected (FCV) environments, including significant direct relevant experience in the duty country, may be considered where the combination of skills and on-the-ground expertise is assessed as equivalent.

• Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic. 

• Familiarity with World Bank Group operational procedures and processing would be desirable; or an ability to quickly learn relevant procedures and practices. 

Required Competencies

• Strong analytical and conceptual skills - In-depth understanding and experience of impact evaluation as an analytical and policymaking tool.

• Evaluation Approaches and Methods - Understands and applies the approaches, methods, and tools of development evaluation. Assists in developing, the strongest feasible design to answer the evaluation questions and respond to the evaluation's purpose.

• Data Collection and Management - Ensures data relevance and quality through appropriate selection of data sources and sound collection and management. Develop appropriate strategies for dealing with data quality issues. Effectively uses software and systems in support of work.

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.

• Policy Dialogue Skills - Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.

• Deliver Results for Clients - Proactively addresses clients stated and unstated needs.

• Strong interpersonal skills - Behavioral competencies that facilitate dialogue with country partners and country teams, including listening skills, training and capacity development skills, and ability to adapt advice to the local institutional realities.

• Commitment to teamwork, knowledge-sharing, and ability to influence across organizational boundaries. Creates a team climate of practical and innovative action, facilitating collaboration between stakeholders.

• Lead and innovate - Brings new and different insights. 

• Delivery Results for Clients - Contributes to delivery of results for clients on complex issues. 

• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates within team and across boundaries. 

• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Actively contributes to and readily applies WBG’s body of knowledge for internal and/or external client solutions. 

• Make Smart Decisions - Leverages available data and makes timely decisions.

COS Competencies - COS competencies

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.