Senior Program Officer

Senior Program Officer

Description

At the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The WBG Infrastructure Vertical provides public and private solutions to operational teams and clients across the WBG to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission. The Infrastructure VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams.   For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure

The Metals and Minerals Policy and Regulation unit is embedded within the INF VPU’s Metals and Minerals Department of the World Bank Group. This global unit of technical experts is responsible for the design and implementation of World Bank operations and knowledge activities in mining at both global and country levels. 

The Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) Multi Donor Trust Fund helps low-and middle-income countries fully benefit from their mineral resources and leverage mining to support new industries, create jobs, and build infrastructure. Currently in its third phase (EGPS 3), the program focuses on four priority components: Climate Smart Mining (CSM), the Resilient and Inclusive Supply chain Enhancement (RISE) Partnership, Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) and Transparency in Extractive Industries. The program is inherently donor facing and partnership driven, with strong and expanding engagement with development partners, including a growing number of European bilateral donors and the European Union. EGPS creates an ecosystem of partnerships, including through collaboration with the G7, G20, Multilateral Development Banks, industry, academia, civil society and other international organizations.

The Senior Program Officer is a core member of the EGPS Program Management Team and works with a high degree of autonomy under the guidance of the EGPS Program Manager and the strategic oversight of the KIMIS Manager. The position serves as a coordinating focal point across all EGPS-3 windows and directly supports the EGPS Program Manager, ensuring continuity of leadership, decision-making, and strategic direction across the program.

Duties and accountabilities

A. Program-Wide Coordination and Program Manager Support

• Serve as the coordinating focal point across all EGPS-3 windows working in close collaboration with the EGPS Program Manager and ensuring coherent, cross-window program direction and delivery.
• Coordinate regularly with individual window managers to align priorities, track cross-cutting risks and dependencies, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure consistent reporting and messaging across windows.
• Deputize for the EGPS Program Manager as needed on program-wide strategic, coordination, and management matters, ensuring business continuity in the Program Manager's absence.
• Support the roll-out and implementation of EGPS-3 annual work plans across all windows, including coordinating inputs, monitoring progress against milestones, and flagging implementation risks to the Program Manager.
• Support the EGPS knowledge agenda, including coordinating the pipeline of cross-window analytical and knowledge products, ensuring alignment with EGPS strategic priorities and donor expectations.
• Support EGPS-wide reporting and communication, including consolidation of program-level donor reports, annual reports, and communication materials that reflect the full EGPS-3 portfolio.

B. Strategic Program Development and Delivery

• Provide strategic leadership in the design, positioning, and delivery of EGPS 3 program with a focus on the RISE and RISE + Partnerships, ensuring coherence across regions, and partner initiatives.
• Lead preparation and quality assurance of annual work programs, block allocations, and priority pipelines, coordinating closely with regional and operational teams. 
• Provide senior level guidance on grant proposals and activity concepts, including programmatic fit, results frameworks, fiduciary alignment, implementation readiness, and delivery risks.
• Contribute to and shape flagship analytical, advisory, and knowledge products supported by EGPS.
• Serve as a senior counterpart to Task Team Leaders (TTLs) and implementing units, advising on program design, delivery approaches, risk management, and contribution to EGPS development objectives.
• Provide guidance to the EGPS Monitoring & Evaluation and Communications teams as part of reporting to development partners and visibility efforts.
• Ensure systematic mainstreaming of jobs, climate and resilience objectives, including Paris Alignment considerations, and other corporate targets in EGPS activities.

C. Donor Relations and Resource Mobilization

• Provide strategic advice to management on donor engagement, positioning, and resource mobilization strategy.
• Engage directly with donors and partners to understand priorities, identify collaboration opportunities, and ensure alignment with EGPS objectives.
• Lead preparation of high level donor briefings, concept notes, proposals, and presentation materials, including shaping narrative, value proposition, and results story.
• Lead preparation of EGPS Partnership Council meetings, including agenda setting, coordination of team inputs, and quality assurance of documentation.
• Coordinate contributions to EGPS technical working groups and partnership governance bodies, acting as a senior focal point to ensure follow through and responsiveness.

D. Strategic Partnerships and External Engagement

• Develop and implement partnerships and engagement frameworks with MDBs, international organizations, including G7 and G20, think tanks, and policy platforms relevant to sustainable mining and critical minerals value chains.
• Take leading role in MDB coordination efforts/initiatives on behalf of EGPS, ensuring EGPS is well-represented and aligned in relevant multilateral development bank coordination mechanisms and joint initiatives
• Represent the World Bank in high level external forums, steering committees, technical working groups, and policy dialogues; help shape coordinated institutional messaging and positioning.
• Monitor and analyze global policy, geopolitical, and market developments relevant to mineral supply chains and advise management on strategic implications for EGPS and the World Bank.
• Contribute to the World Bank’s institutional positioning and thought leadership in mining and mineral value chains, working closely with communications and external relations counterparts as needed.

E. Corporate Contributions and Management Support

• Prepare senior level briefs, talking points, presentations, and strategic notes for EGPS, M&M, and Infrastructure management, including inputs for high level engagements.
• Contribute to internal coordination across Knowledge Bank, regions, and corporate units to ensure cohesive delivery and effective stakeholder management.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and quality review support to junior team members and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and results oriented team culture.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in economics, public policy, international development, energy, mining, climate, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 8–10 years of professional experience in international organizations, development finance institutions, or government.
• Deep experience in program development, management and coordination of multi donor trust-funds; in-depth knowledge of World Bank trust-fund fiduciary responsibilities and processes including donor reporting.
• Extensive experience in resource mobilization and donor relations, including preparation of Partnership Council meetings.
• Proven track record of building strategic partnerships and managing multi-stakeholder working groups and initiatives, including experience in MDB or cross-institutional collaboration.
• Experience in program management in mining and mineral value chains is a significant plus; operational experience in an additional infrastructure sector closely linked to mining, such as energy or transport and logistics, preferably including cross-border regional programs, is also an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting senior and executive level management of international organizations, including preparation of briefing notes, talking points and ministerial  or principal level engagements, as well as contributing to corporate strategies, flagship publications, and senior level initiatives.
• Private sector experience in mining, mineral based processing, and/or manufacturing value chains, including exposure to governance, investment, or strategic decision making, is highly desirable.
• Operational experience within the World Bank Group or another multilateral development bank, including hands on work with core Bank instruments—Development Policy Financing (DPFs), Investment Project Financing (IPFs), and Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs)—across multiple stages of the project cycle.
• Operational experience in one or more of the priority regions supported by EGPS—particularly Sub Saharan Africa—is a significant advantage; experience in fragile and conflict affected settings is an asset.

As the World Bank Group continues to evolve, we value candidates who:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
• Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
• Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

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.