WBG Young Professional

Job #: req38195
Organization: World Bank Group
Sector: Other
Grade: GF
Term Duration:  2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date: 9/30/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

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.
Rapid urbanization in developing economies is placing mounting pressure on city governments and utilities to deliver reliable infrastructure services — particularly in solid waste management, urban water supply and sanitation, land development, and affordable housing. Closing the urban infrastructure financing gap requires sophisticated financial structuring that mobilizes private capital alongside public resources, including World Bank Group (WBG) instruments.
What you will deliver
  • Structured Finance Advisory
    • Assess the financial viability and creditworthiness of urban infrastructure projects, including municipal utilities, special purpose vehicles (SPVs), and public-private partnership (PPP) structures.
    • Design and evaluate structured finance solutions appropriate to the project context, including but not limited to:
      • Revenue-backed bonds and municipal bonds
      • Project finance structures (limited and non-recourse)
      • Land value capture mechanisms (tax increment financing, developer contribution frameworks, betterment levies
      • Blended finance structures combining concessional and commercial capital
      • Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and output-based aid (OBA) mechanisms
      • Green bonds, blue bonds, and sustainability-linked financing instruments
    • Advise on risk allocation frameworks, credit enhancement tools (guarantees, first-loss facilities, subordinated debt), and de-risking strategies to improve bankability of urban projects
    • Provide technical inputs on the deployment of WBG financing instruments across the urban infrastructure portfolio, including: IBRD/IDA loans and guarantees (including Partial Risk Guarantees and Partial Credit Guarantees), IFC equity, quasi-equity, and senior debt for private sector urban infrastructure, MIGA political risk guarantees
    • Support teams in structuring operations that leverage WBG products to crowd in additional financing from bilateral donors, development finance institutions (DFIs), and commercial lenders
    • Assist in preparing financial models and investment memoranda that articulate WBG value-added in financing structures
  • Sector-Specific Financial Analysis
    • Solid Waste Management
      • Analyze tipping fee structures, off-take agreements, and revenue adequacy for waste management concessions and PPPs.
      • Assess financial models for waste-to-energy, recycling, and composting operations, including subsidy requirements and private sector return profiles.
    • Urban Water Connections
      • Support financial analysis of water utility reform, including tariff studies, operating cost benchmarking, and capital investment planning.
      • Advise on financing mechanisms for last-mile water connections to low-income households, including output-based aid, microfinance linkages, and utility on-lending.
      • Evaluate non-revenue water (NRW) reduction programs and their impact on utility financial sustainability.
    • Land Development
      • Analyze land value capture instruments (betterment levies, density bonuses, land readjustment) as financing sources for urban infrastructure.
      • Assess feasibility and financial structuring of large-scale urban development schemes, including serviced land programs and urban renewal projects.
      • Advise on government land monetization strategies and public land development vehicles.
    • Housing Finance
      • Support financial analysis of affordable housing programs, including housing subsidy design, mortgage market development, and rental housing finance.
      • Evaluate PPP models for social and affordable housing delivery, including cross-subsidy structures and inclusionary zoning mechanisms.
      • Advise on financial intermediation structures for housing microfinance and incremental housing programs targeting low-income households.
  • Financial Modeling and Due Diligence
    • Build and review project financial models (income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, debt service coverage, IRR, NPV) for urban infrastructure operations across all four sectors.
    • Conduct financial due diligence on project sponsors, utilities, and municipal counterparts, including assessment of fiscal capacity, debt sustainability, and creditworthiness.
    • Prepare sensitivity and scenario analyses to assess project resilience under stress conditions (tariff shocks, demand variability, exchange rate risk, fiscal tightening).
    • Review and comment on financial models prepared by clients, consultants, and co-financing partners.
  • Client Advisory Support
    • Advise client governments, municipalities, utilities, and private sector sponsors on financing strategies for urban infrastructure programs and projects.
    • Prepare and deliver capacity-building sessions, workshops, and training to strengthen client understanding of structured finance, capital markets access, and WBG financing instruments.
    • Prepare technical notes, policy briefs, and financial advisory reports for client counterparts.
    • Support the structuring of capital market transactions (bond issuances, securitization) and accompany clients through transaction execution as a technical advisor.
  • Knowledge and Coordination
    • Contribute to the development of knowledge products, good practice notes, and sector strategies on urban infrastructure finance.

What you will bring
  • Minimum of a master's degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. CFA, CPA, or equivalent professional certification is an advantage.
  • 2-6 years of relevant professional experience in infrastructure finance, project finance, or structured finance, with a focus on urban sectors.
  • Experience working with or alongside multilateral development banks (MDBs) or DFIs is highly desirable.
  • Experience in emerging markets and developing economies is a plus.
  • Advanced financial modeling skills (Excel; knowledge of dedicated project finance software is an advantage).
  • Strong command of project finance, blended finance, and municipal finance concepts.
  • Knowledge of land value capture, green/blue bonds, and sustainability-linked finance instruments.
  • Familiarity with urban sector policy and regulatory frameworks in developing economies.
  • Fluency in English. Proficiency in other languages is an advantage.
  • Ability to synthesize complex financial and technical information for non-specialist audiences.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary, multicultural teams.

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.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.