ET Temporary

Description

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients. Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The World Bank Group (WBG) is the largest multilateral development institution in the world. Headquartered in the city of Washington, District of Columbia (DC), United States of America, it comprises 5 international institutions that make available financing and technical assistance on development-related issues. Its mandate is to reduce poverty and increase shared prosperity on a livable planet. These 5 institutions are: (i) the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD); (ii) the International Development Association (IDA); (iii) the International Finance Corporation (IFC); (iv) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and (v) the International Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

The first of the WBG institutions (IBRD) was established in 1944; the latter (ICSID) in 1988. The WBG now comprises 189 member countries in total, although not all countries are members of all 5 institutions. These member countries, or shareholders, are represented by a Board of Governors, who are the ultimate policymakers at each of the institutions. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (EQG) is a standing member of all 5 institutions of the WBG, having joined the first of these institutions (IBRD) in 1970 and the latter (ICSID) in 2024.

Unit Context:

The WBG has recently established its first-ever in-country Resident Representation for the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (EQG) in the city of Malabo. This Country Office (CO) is headed by a WBG Resident Representative (RR) who covers four of the five institutions of the WBG. The RR is the Head of Office and is responsible for leading the WBG relationship with the Government of EQG.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support to Resident Representative’s Front Office

• Maintain and manage the calendar and schedule of the WBG RR, ensuring adequate attention and planning of the RR to critical meetings, events, missions, travel, deadlines, and always procuring appropriate back-up arrangements for the office.

• Be the main point of contact for all communications to and from WBG CO, ensuring proper security protocols for visitors and up-to-par attention services for clients visiting the office.

• Independently produce and proof-read standard documents based on variable data (alpha/numeric) needed for any CO-related tasks or ad-hoc tasks requested by the WBG RR, using the most complex features of standard word processing and spreadsheet software packages and artificial intelligence (AI).

• Manage the daily schedule of the WBG CO, in general, and coordinate meetings, conferences, and retreats considering the priorities of the work program.

• Respond to non-routine office-related inquiries using knowledge of work program and staff schedules.
Provide training and guidance to less experienced office support personnel.

• Be responsible for providing country clearance on behalf of the RR, and upon receiving the security clearance.

• Be the main point of contact for all WBG teams, both operational and performing/fulfilling corporate functions.

• Supervise the distribution of critical documents to and from the CO, ensuring that the necessary consultation and clearances take place.

Support to Programs

• Monitor WBG program with EQG anticipating any needed logistics and critical administrative support.

• Be responsible for preparing, maintaining, and keeping up to date the CO Country Brief/Logistical Note to ensure all staff coming in and out of the country have the necessary information to work in and with EQG.  

• Monitor unit work program and budgeting process under the general guidance of the RR:

    • maintaining a constant rapport with the accounting, finance and budgeting teams;
    • participating in the oversight of work unit budgets;
    • being responsible for entering and extracting data related to the work program and administrative budget, producing any reports, performing ad-hoc inquiries in non-standard        databases, and/or retrieving and summarizing basic statistics, as needed;
    • undertaking quality control of project documentation and is familiar with operational directives of importance to the unit; and
    • ensuring the integrity of the database for key modules (administrative budget, work program, etc.), monitoring adherence to guidelines and processing procedures and keeping abreast of all system developments and changes in policies and/or procedures.

• Coordinate equipment acquisition and liaises with appropriate WBG personnel regarding equipment selection and procurement, monitoring delivery and payment of equipment purchased.

• Monitor compliance with WBG’s guidelines/loan agreements with respect to bidding documents (procurement), official correspondence with borrowers and/or vendors, etc., for signature of officers; reviewing signed contracts to ensure compliance with previous approvals; preparing data on approved biddings/contract awards; and monitoring audit reports and project disbursements.

• Answer routine inquiries from borrowers and suppliers on procurement and exercises judgment in referring them to the corresponding divisions within the WBG.

Support to Teams

• Oversee work-related trips, duly liaising with accredited travel agencies and guaranteeing an optimal end-to-end experience for the traveler (including visas, accommodation, transportation, catering, interpretation, and printing services, among others).

• Provide operational assistance in implementation of the unit work program, collaborating as needed in support of visiting missions with the planning process for missions’ agendas, anticipating scheduling problems and helping ensure the participation of critical client counterparts.

• Arrange computer setup for staff and visiting missions in collaboration with and under guidance from remote WBG information and technology (IT) staff support.

• Perform basic troubleshooting of hardware and application systems under remote supervision of designated WBG IT staff or teams.

• Serve as the point of contact on all matters related to hardware, software and communications support for the office.

• Help the remote IT team to maintain a proper inventory of all CO IT-related equipment and promptly report any loss or defect of assets in the office.

• In collaboration with and guided by the remote IT team and CO Management, ensure service-level goals are met by local service providers for procured IT services and products.

• Escalate IT support issues to the designated support team without delay and ensure timely follow-up.

• Relay end-user feedback on IT training requirements and coordinate user training sessions in collaboration with designated trainers and IT team.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Act as main direct supervisor to lower grade positions being the first point of contact to those positions and providing inputs in their annual performance and talent reviews.

• Provide needed training and/or mentoring to colleagues in office-related management tasks, applications and uses, as needed.

Selection Criteria

Attention: Preference will be given to local talent, that is, applicants that are authorized to work in the duty station for any employer. Internal applicants may apply per existing guidelines.

• Minimum of a Tertiary Education Certificate or equivalent (post-secondary education). Holding a bachelor’s education and/or any graduate education degree is a plus.

• At least 5 years of work experience and/or relevant combination of years of formal education and work experience. Having worked on a multilateral development institution and/or the private sector will be an asset.

• Fluency in English and Spanish (spoken and written) mandatory and to be tested; fluency in French (spoken and written) would be highly valued.

• Good level of digital fluency for enterprise-level IT core services and products (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, software applications, virtual meetings, printing/scanning).

• Advanced proficiency usage of Microsoft 365 ecosystem and core productivity applications (Word , Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), as well as AI Tools that enhance productivity (MS Copilot, ChatGPT, Google Gemini).

• Previous work on executive/secretarial management of daily tasks for an authority of any given institution is desirable, though not mandatory.

• Excellent work experience (and academic, if presenting combination of academic and work experience) references. At least two references will need to be provided.

• Key competencies and skills: i) proactivity; ii) responsibility and accountability (taking ownership); iii) maturity to manage complex and potentially stressful situations; iv) flexibility to adapt to constantly changing conditions and working under pressure; vi) ability to work in multi-country, multi-cultural teams and to effectively coordinate with internal and external clients of the WBG; viii) superb interpersonal skills and client focus; x) excellent communication skills; xi) ability to prioritize critical activities, while dealing with multi-tasking; and xii) superior organizational 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

As per WBG policy, an Extended Term (ET) appointment is subject to a lifetime maximum of three (3) years. Former and current ET staff who have completed or are in the process of completing their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.

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.