Social Protection & Jobs Specialist/Economist (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. 

Social Protection & Jobs Specialists, and Economists 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. 

Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice (SPJ GP)

The WBG is the largest provider of development finance and solutions for social protection, labor and jobs, working with high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries to develop country-tailored solutions for specific social protection and labor challenges. These range from increasing the efficiency with which social resources are spent, including well-designed social safety net and pension programs; to integrating social protection systems, including management information systems; and improving employment outcomes, especially of vulnerable groups, through employability programs and associated labor policy reforms. The Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice delivers analytical and operational approaches and evidence-based solutions to help countries supporting individuals and families to manage social risks, cope with chronic and transitional poverty, and access better livelihoods and jobs. These include:

• Advisory, analytical and operational services on the strategic level, to develop national social protection, jobs, and labor strategies, identifying reform priorities across the entire SPJ spectrum and supporting the implementation of related action plans.
• Advisory, analytical and operational services on the sectoral level, like social expenditure reviews and the development of integrated social protection delivery systems (outreach, application assessment, beneficiary registration, benefit payment, beneficiary management, monitoring and evaluation, grievance redress mechanisms).
• Advisory, analytical and operational services on the program level, to support reforms of social safety nets, disability programs, labor programs and policies, pension programs, as well as cross-cutting issues like childcare. 
   

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 Profiles & Qualifications:

• Economists interested in social policy and social protections and labor issues 
• Labor economists interested in delivering practical, evidence-based programs to increase employment and jobs agenda 
• Social welfare economists/public policy specialists interested and having expertise in the design of social benefits programs that are administratively simple and follow good economic principles in their design 
• Expertise in impact evaluation design and methodology 
• Experience in the administration of human development and social protection and labor programs  
• Skills that are fungible across SPJ areas, social risk management and jobs (i.e. labor market interventions, social insurance, social safety nets/social risk assessments, public administration and public finance).   
•  Language skills in French, Spanish, Arabic or Russian is 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 and 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.