Senior Procurement Specialist

Senior Procurement Specialist

Description

At the World Bank, a member of 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 https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd.

Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS) plays a pivotal role in achieving the World Bank Group's mission by assisting frontline staff in delivering results to clients. OPCS develops and oversees the Bank's operational policies for country strategies, lending operations, advisory services and analytical support, procurement, and environmental and social standards. OPCS teams also provide advice and support to World Bank senior management and staff as well as hands-on assistance to help teams apply the Bank's policies, processes, and risk management tools. Several corporate functions carried out by OPCS include coordinating exchanges with the Board (in particular, the Committee on Development Effectiveness), managing interactions with the WB’s oversight units, and representing the WB in several global partnerships.

The Operations Procurement Department (OPSPR) in OPCS sets procurement policy, provides oversight, and supports the effective application of the Procurement Framework in Bank-financed operations. The function also develops standard procurement documents, supports complex and high-risk operations, promotes good practice, and leads engagement with suppliers, industry associations, public agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders. 

The Procurement Change Program has increased the emphasis on quality, innovation, early market engagement, and stronger development outcomes. At the same time, participation by leading firms in several sectors and supplier markets remains below its potential. Stronger, sustained engagement with industry is therefore needed to improve the Bank’s understanding of market capacity, technology, commercial practices, risk allocation, supply chains, and barriers to participation, and to translate those insights into better project and procurement design. 

The Bank seeks an experienced sector and market specialist with deep knowledge of one or more priority sectors and familiarity with public procurement, development finance, or international project delivery. The role will bridge sector expertise, supplier markets, operational teams, and procurement policy and practice. 

Scope of Work: The objective of the role is to strengthen the Bank’s ability to design and implement procurement approaches that are market-informed, sector-responsive, competitive, and capable of attracting high-quality suppliers. The specialist will bring current industry intelligence into Bank operations, support structured engagement with the private sector, and help operational and sector teams apply the World Bank Procurement Framework in ways that reflect sector realities while maintaining fairness, transparency, integrity, and value for money. Reporting to the Director and Chief Procurement Officer and/or the Manager of the Procurement Department, the selected candidate will be a dynamic and energetic professional with strong market instincts, a keen awareness of evolving industry trends, and the ability to translate market insights into the Bank’s work. The candidate will be responsible for the following:

A. Sector and market intelligence:
• Maintain a current view of the relevant sector or subsector, including market structure, leading firms, emerging competitors, technology trends, financing and delivery models, supply-chain constraints, commercial practices, and key drivers of supplier participation. 
• Analyze Bank operational and public procurement data, market studies, project pipelines, dashboards, and other evidence to identify participation gaps, market concentration, capability constraints, and opportunities to broaden competition. 
• Translate market intelligence into concise, decision-ready advice for sector teams, regional procurement teams, management, and project teams. 
• Develop practical sectors and market profiles that identify procurement implications, risks, opportunities, and recommended engagement priorities. 

B. Industry outreach and strategic relationships:
• Design and deliver targeted engagement plans for priority sectors, subsectors, and supplier markets, aligned with the Bank’s operational pipeline and country and sector priorities. 
• Build sustained professional relationships with leading companies, new market entrants, industry and professional associations, chambers of commerce, trade and investment agencies, technology providers, bilateral partners, and relevant multilateral development banks. 
• Plan and facilitate structured early market engagement, supplier consultations, roundtables, industry days, and participation in relevant sector forums. 
• Systematically capture industry feedback and ensure that relevant insights are communicated to operational teams without creating preferential access or compromising the integrity of future procurement processes. 
• Coordinate, as appropriate, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and sector teams, regional units, and government relations colleagues to ensure a coordinated and consistent World Bank Group engagement approach. 

C. Operational and procurement advisory support:
• Work with sector and task teams early in project preparation to assess market capacity and inform procurement strategies, packaging, qualification requirements, evaluation approaches, risk allocation, contract models, and market engagement plans. 
• Provide practical advice on the application of international public procurement principles, strategic procurement methodologies, market engagement approaches, and value-for-money considerations, including familiarity with multilateral development bank and government procurement frameworks. 
• Contribute sector and commercial expertise to strategic reviews and complex or innovative procurement initiatives in collaboration with procurement, operational, and sector specialists. 
• Help teams identify and address barriers that may discourage qualified firms from participating, including unclear requirements, unsuitable packaging, disproportionate qualification criteria, unbalanced contractual provisions, unrealistic schedules, or insufficient market communication. 
• With Support from OPCS procurement team Advise on procurement approaches that encourage quality, innovation, competition, sustainability, and effective contract delivery while remaining consistent with applicable Bank requirements. 

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in Engineering or relevant sector, Business Administration, Law, International Policy, Public Procurement, or related discipline.
• Strong understanding of development finance, public sector operations, and emerging global development challenges, with the ability to identify strategic risks and opportunities across diverse country contexts. 
• At least eight years of relevant operational experience in priority development sectors, including energy, transport, urban services, water and sanitation, health, education, and digital infrastructure.
• Knowledge of international public procurement, overseas trade, development financing, and supplier engagement frameworks, including experience with multilateral development banks (MDBs), government agencies, export promotion organizations, or international financing institutions.
• Demonstrated ability to follow, interpret, and anticipate market and industry trends in the priority sectors, with a genuine curiosity about how supplier markets, technologies, and supply chains are evolving, and the drive to keep that knowledge current.
• Proven success in designing and executing private-sector engagement strategies, complemented by a strong record of producing high-quality communications.
• Ability to source, analyze, and translate diverse data, including Bank and public procurement data, dashboards, and AI-enabled insights, into focused outreach and action.
• Proven experience in designing and delivering stakeholder engagement and/or capacity-building initiatives.
• Collaborative, energetic self-starter who builds strong relationships, takes initiative, and pursues innovative solutions.
• Sound judgment and decisive execution, with the ability to work autonomously, remain composed under pressure, and deliver multiple priorities to tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required and there is also a preference for German language ability. Any additional languages would be an advantage. 

The assignment will begin on December 15, 2026. 

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.