WBG Young Professional

WBG Young Professional

Are you ready for a career with a lasting impact?

The World Bank Group’s Young Professionals Program (YPP) offers exceptional professionals from around the world the opportunity to apply their specialized technical expertise, broaden their experience, and contribute to solutions to some of the most pressing development challenges. Young Professionals (YPs) work across the World Bank, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID in support of our mission to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more than 60 years, this highly competitive program has selected outstanding professionals to contribute to the institution’s work and develop as future leaders in global development.

We seek candidates who demonstrate strong leadership potential, exceptional technical skills, and a clear commitment to our mission and values. As a YP, you will collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and institutions, applying your expertise to help address pressing development challenges and improve lives around the world.

YPs join the World Bank Group on an initial two-year term contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance. During this period, YPs complete three eight-month rotations: one with their primary function and area of expertise, one cross-institutional rotation, and at least one rotation based in a country office.  These assignments enable YPs deepen their technical and operational knowledge while gaining experience across different areas of the institution.

Through the YP Academy, YPs undertake a structured learning and development journey that includes technical and operational training, language programs, negotiation and business skills, and leadership development. They also receive individual coaching, connect with mentors, and participate in strategic dialogues with senior leaders.

In the context of the World Bank's broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel (SVP-GC), is responsible for providing legal advice and support to internal and external Bank clients on operational, advisory, financial, administration, and institutional matters.

The Legal Vice Presidency provides legal services required by the World Bank Group and plays an active role in all the World Bank Group's activities. In addition, LEGVP helps to ensure that all World Bank Group activities comply with the Articles of Agreement of the various group institutions, as well as their operational policies and procedures. The position will allow for opportunities to work in the LEGVPU’s IBRD/IDA Operational Practice Groups (groups that that are geographically-based and that are devoted to the legal and policy aspects of the World Bank's lending operations), as well as within the Policy and Advisory Practice Groups within the LEGVPU, which provide advice on operations policy, environmental and international law, development finance and structured finance and guarantees and Corporate Practice Groups, which provide advice on corporate finance, administrative and institutional matters for the World Bank. 

What You’ll Deliver

• Draft, review, negotiate and finalize project legal agreements
• Cover a broad operational portfolio of countries, providing risk-based advice to clients on legal and policy issues in operations.
• Provide legal advice to ongoing projects and programs, including reviewing project and program documents, for adherence to World Bank policies, procedures and business objectives.
• Conduct comparative legal analyses on a range of issues, identify legal and policy issues, research relevant precedents, and propose appropriate solutions to colleagues and clients.
• Engage in policy discussions and negotiations with government officials internally and externally.
• Protect the World Bank's interests and promote its goals and values.
• Write and review policy papers, undertake legal research on topics in an area of concentration and contribute to dissemination of policy and best practices in a given field.
• Prepare legal briefs on diverse topics, as required.
• Perform ad hoc assignments as requested by the Chief Counsel or designated Lead/Senior Counsel.

What You’ll Bring

• A minimum of An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent
• 2-6 years of relevant experience and be admitted in at least one jurisdiction.
• Excellent legal research, writing, drafting, analytical and communications skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Experience in international, commercial or contract law, in transactional legal work and/or preparation and negotiation of legal agreements;
• Excellent legal drafting skills, including of agreements, legal memos and/or well-reasoned litigation pleadings;
• Familiarity in the use of varied legal research sources (including electronic sources on the internet) and other databases;
• Proven ability to operate effectively as a member of one or more teams; must be a self-starter and collaborate well with others; ability to exercise sound judgment in recognizing what issues to bring to the attention of the Chief Counsel and/or another supervising Counsel, and which to handle autonomously;
• Proven ability to deal sensitively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues;
• Ability to supervise and work with local counsel in a collaborative and collegial way; and
• Ability to work under time pressure and to juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines.
• Solid experience in a reputable, preferably international, law firm, will be a strong advantage.
• Legal Drafting, Research and Communication:  Proven ability to draft transactional documentation (e.g., loan agreements), briefs and variety of legal instruments and related documents independently. Conducts research as necessary to acquire insight and information.  Is aware of the need for precision and focus on quality. Uses a writing style that is clear and precise.
• Independence:Carries out work with due care, preparing accurate documents and reports, ensuring that pertinent facts are fairly presented without seeking to obfuscate (either through too much information or withholding relevant information).  Interprets information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism when required. Does not divulge or exploit confidential information.
• Professional Maturity:Understands others and the reasons for their behavior. Takes the time to clarifying others' points of view so that progress can be made particularly in situations of stress or conflict. Proven ability to deal sensitively and effectively across organizational boundaries, as a team member, in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues;
• Negotiation skills:Engage in policy discussions and negotiations with officials internally and externally, developing relationships with members of the legal profession and lawyers working in development partner agencies.
• Legal Reasoning: Breaks down problem into their component parts. Articulates the implications of situations in a step-by-step way.  Remains objective when reviewing problems or situations to understand the issues.  Makes sure he/she possesses all the facts.
• Recommends and takes decisive action: Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy.  Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term implications of decisions.  Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.
• Client Orientation: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Flexibility: Able to adapt strategy, and objectives, making corresponding structural or organizational changes as needed, to move the work forward and meet the needs of the situation.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making: Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

• Create, Apply, Share Knowledge: Leverages department’s expertise and body of knowledge across WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. Seeks to learn from more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and helps others to learn. Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department.
• Deliver Results for Clients: Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself. Immerses oneself in client experiences and perspective by asking probing questions to understand unmet needs. Demonstrates accountability for achieving results that have a development impact and financial, environmental and social sustainability. Identifies and proposes solutions to mitigate and manage risks. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, and works to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
• Makes Smart Decisions: Seeks diversity of information and inputs, researches possible solutions, and generates recommended options. Identifies and understands risks and proposes recommendations. Based on risk analysis makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility, considering the interests and concerns of stakeholders.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries: Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches displaying a sense of mutuality and respect. Integrates WBG perspective into work.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other languages may be an advantage.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful 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.