Governance Specialist (WBG Young Professionals Program)

Do you want to join a diverse group of professionals who help change the world?

The World Bank Group (WBG) is a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.

Our Young Professionals Program (WBG YPP) is an exciting way to start a career with the World Bank Group. For close to 60 years, the program has recruited some of the brightest young minds to contribute to our top priorities, from poverty eradication, social development and climate change to the current response to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Governance Specialists with YPP qualifications below are encouraged to apply from June 15 - July 15 at www.worldbank.org/ypp

We are looking for individuals who are younger than 32 years of age, who demonstrate a passion for international development, graduate level education, relevant professional experience and the potential to grow into leadership roles across the World Bank Group. 

Description

The Governance Global Practice brings together professionals in financial management, taxation, public management, regulatory policy, transparency, digital governance, law and development, anticorruption, performance management, monitoring and evaluation, and social accountability to develop innovative, integrated solutions to pernicious institutional problems. The practice utilizes a problem-driven, diagnostic approach, combining global comparative knowledge of reform successes and failures with keen understanding of the institutional challenges and opportunities of developing countries.

YPP Selection Criteria

• Born on or after October 1, 1990
• Relevant Master’s by September 2022 OR PhD by September 2023
• 3+ years of relevant experience OR continued study at the doctoral level**
• Fluency in English

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Accounting, Economics, Finance, Law or Public policy) with 5 years or more experience in one or more of the following areas: policy analysis and policy process in the public sector; use of technology to improve organizational performance, accountability and responsiveness; data science and use of big data analytics to solve governance problems; public financial management, including fiscal policy, budgeting, public investment management, budget execution, accounting and audit; public administration, including human resource management, civil service reform, and administrative services; inter-government fiscal issues, subnational government capacity building, and municipal service delivery; revenue administration,  including tax audits; and transparency, including beneficial ownership and asset declaration frameworks.
• Analytical and quantitative skills for policy, economic and financial analysis. 
• Policy dialogue skills, ability to identify and assess policy issues and play an active role in dialogue with senior government officials and other stakeholders, preferably in developing economies. 
• Integrative skills, working across sectors and integrating governance in the development agenda.  
• Collaborates within teams and across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives; multicultural perspective, ability to interact effectively with client countries and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds. 
• Written and verbal communication, ability to deliver information effectively in support of team or group work. Evidence of policy or academic publication/s would be a plus. 
• Language Skills: Fluency in other official bank languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish) a plus. 

World Bank Group Core Competencies

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
• Integrative Skills - Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability - Contributes to the design of projects and programs based on an understanding of the country and sector context.
• Sector Dialogue - Able to conduct a dialogue with the client including on complex issues, based on a solid understanding of the sector.
• Client Orientation - Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.
• Drive for Results - Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Knowledge, Learning, and Communication - Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Gathers inputs, assesses risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term.

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, IFC and MIGA including our values and inspiring stories.