Job Vacancies The World Bank, August 2010
Job Vacancies The World Bank
Job # 101682
Job Title Lead Specialist
Job Family Other
Location Washington, DC
Appointment International Hire
Job Posted 06-Aug-2010
Closing Date Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Language Requirements English [Essential]
Appointment Type
Background / General description
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a five (5) year renewable term appointment. The World Bank Institute (WBI) is currently undergoing a process of major renewal. The new vision for WBI is a global leader in capacity development, which fosters and mainstreams innovative solutions to emerging or chronic development issues, inspires policymakers to undertake challenging reforms, wholesales cutting-edge global knowledge and learning informed by local conditions through regional centers of excellence, connects practitioners across regions for knowledge exchange around shared problems, and facilitates multi-stakeholder consensus-building and leadership capacity building to help achieve results on the ground. WBI is supporting innovation, knowledge and learning globally, regionally and at the country level in many of the key sectors of Bank work, with a focus on seven thematic areas that reflect corporate priorities and strong country demand—fragile and conflict-affected states, governance, economic growth and competitiveness, climate change, health systems reform, urban management, and public-private partnerships. As an integral part of its Renewal Strategy and the World Bank’s new Knowledge Strategy, WBI has established the Capacity Development and Results unit (WBICR) as a central resource to improve the quality and results of capacity development practice across the World Bank and beyond. Many development strategies, lending projects, and analytical and advisory activities are designed and delivered with limited attention to the full range of issues that need to be addressed to ensure sustainable policy and institutional change that delivers results on the ground. Standard packages of training and investments in systems and technical assistance are still the norm in Bank operations despite the evidence of their limited effectiveness in the face of institutional constraints to local stakeholder action. There is also growing consensus around the need for more adaptive Bank country strategies and project cycles that link strategic vision, capacity diagnostics, activity design and results measurement—while building in strong local ownership. Globally, there is an urgent need to improve our understanding of what actually works in capacity development practice to deliver results, and how this can best be supported. WBI aspires over time to become a repository of knowledge and a provider of advisory and learning services for World Bank staff working on capacity development issues. WBI’s Capacity Development and Results Practice (WBICR) is spearheading that effort as the leader in analytics and knowledge concerning results-focused capacity development.
The WBICR work program is divided into three broad agendas:
(a) the Capacity Development Agenda;
(b) the WBI Results Agenda; and
(c) the Corporate Services Agenda.
Key elements include:
Capacity Development Agenda
1. Developing, identifying and sharing promising innovations, lessons and good practices in capacity development work
2. Testing and sharing innovative tools and approaches for capacity development management and practice with strategic external partners
3. Providing advisory support to World Bank operational teams in applying cutting edge capacity development approaches and practices, including for strategy-related products
4. Preparing and disseminating/delivering internal knowledge and learning activities with a view to improving World Bank policies, practices and skills for capacity development work
5. Conducting knowledge sharing & consensus building with strategic external partners on concepts, strategies and practices for capacity development WBI Results Agenda
1. Supporting WBI teams in designing and implementing results-focused capacity development programs—including needs assessment, results framework, identification of indicators, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), interpretation of M&E data for program adjustments, and results reporting.
2. Establishing and maintain a system to monitor, analyze and report results for WBI.
3. Preparing materials for updates on implementation of WBI’s strategy and other periodic reporting on WBI performance and results Corporate Services
1. Leading major Bank-wide operational and policy reviews for WBI, and commenting on critical corporate documents and initiatives and needed developments in World Bank Group strategies, policies and guidelines
2. Providing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) services and products for the World Bank’s Staff Learning Board (LB)
3. Supporting WBI’s senior management with technical and strategy advisory services WBI is seeking a Lead Specialist who can serve as the deputy to the Manager, Capacity Development and Results, contributing across the full range of WBICR’s deliverables and activities, and with a special responsibility for the Capacity Development Agenda.
The Lead Specialist will report to the WBICR Manager and will also be part of the WBI Management team which is led by WBI’s Vice President. Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 5 year renewable term appointment.
Duties and Accountabilities
# The primary responsibility of the Lead Specialist is to lead the work on WBI’s Capacity Development Agenda or CD Agenda. The results expected from the Capacity Development Hub over the next two to three years include: (i) systematic application of results-oriented approaches to designing and implementing capacity development strategies and programs in World Bank operations; (ii) stronger evidence of results and improved accountability in World Bank-financed capacity development work; (iii) promotion of innovations in capacity development practice globally, and new knowledge and skills for the emerging capacity development practice in the World Bank Group; (iv) better alignment of capacity development practice between donor and country partners; and (v) advancement of the capacity development goals of the Paris Declaration and Accra Action Agenda, particularly those in support of local ownership. To that end, the Lead Specialist will: Advise the Manager of WBICR on priority setting and strategic business planning for the Capacity Development Agenda.
# Develop and lead the execution of key work program tasks in the Capacity Development Agenda and oversee other tasks in the Capacity Development Agenda, providing guidance and quality assurance to other staff in the development and execution of their tasks.
# Forge partnerships with internal and external partners necessary for effective development and implementation of the Capacity Development Agenda. The Lead Specialist will also work with the WBICR Manager to develop and execute key strategic and operational priorities for the overall unit, and support the Manager in creating a dynamic and well-managed environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and results. To that end, she/he will:
# Assist the Manager with the selection, motivation and mentoring of staff, support staff career development, and provide oversight and direction in the management of staff performance, including monitoring the quality of outputs and providing qualitative assessments of performance.
# Work with other task team leaders and resource management staff to track and monitor unit deliverables and budget to ensure delivery of timely and high quality unit products.
# Develop and oversee execution of WBICR’s strategic communications, and partnerships and fundraising strategies.
# Draft agendas for weekly team meetings through consultations with the Manager and other staff, identify objectives for WBICR retreats, and act for the Manager when he is on mission or leave.
Selection Criteria
# This position requires a person with a strong reputation in international development, who is well known and respected for her/his substantive knowledge, intellectual leadership, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the person will have an excellent operational track record, and an ability to manage a complex program in a particularly challenging area of development work and nurture an enabling environment for innovation in team and organizational settings. Specific selection criteria include:
# Advanced degree in a discipline relevant to economic and social development. At least 12 years of work experience in this field in developing countries with a Master’s degree and more than 10 years with a Doctoral degree.
# Leader with excellent conceptual and analytical skills, demonstrated strength in her/his area of technical expertise and experience in applied operational environments, with a broad understanding of development issues, debates and agendas.
# Prior experience or background to understand results-focused capacity development (e.g., experience in public sector and governance reform, change management, and program evaluation).
# Demonstrated ability to share technical knowledge and experience, identify and disseminate lessons and best practices.
# Excellent client orientation with a strong track record of effectively serving client needs, with experience working with developing and transition country governments at the highest levels on policy and institutional reforms and their implementation, including preparation and negotiation of associated strategies, operations and analytical outputs.
# Proven track record of building and managing multicultural and multidisciplinary senior expert teams and creating an enabling environment for effective teamwork. Proven ability to effectively plan and manage to ensure high quality delivery of results.
# Mature and flexible personality, strong interpersonal skills, proven team orientation, and ability to effectively and diplomatically lead multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams across organizational boundaries.
# Ability to work simultaneously and effectively on a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment, proactively assuming responsibility for tasks, responding to ad-hoc requests, independently adjusting priorities and achieving agreed results.
# A strong, persuasive and clear communicator with excellent written and oral English communication skills. Proficiency in French would be an advantage. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
World Bank
1818 H St NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 473-1000
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