Operations Officer

A Good Job

_p__strong_Description_/strong__/p__p_Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org_/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Req#:_/strong_ req20622_/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Application Closing Date:_/strong_ 1/23/2023_/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Regional Context_/strong__/p__p_The World Bank Group serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle-income clients to lower income countries to small Caribbean states to one fragile state. Despite immense resources, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearly a quarter of the Region's people living in poverty. The Bank's strategy in LCR is focused on five pillars: (a) stimulating growth and improving competitiveness; (b) reducing poverty and inequality; (c) making governments and institutions work for people; (d) providing a platform for tackling global issues (climate change, trade, disease, migration); and (e) reducing risk, whether from extreme weather events, climate change, crime and violence, or other. During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, LCR’s strategy is being adjusted to help counties respond to unprecedented health and economic crisis by saving lives; protecting poor and vulnerable people; ensuring sustainable business growth and job creation; and strengthening policies, institutions, and investments. The Bank will support countries in pursuing a green, inclusive, and resilient recovery._/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_CMU and Country Office Context_/strong__/p__p_The Caribbean Country Management Unit covers 19 countries, with a total population of about 18 million people, ranging from Sint Maarten (40,000) to Haiti (11 million). The CMU and key staff, including the Country Director and Operations Manager, are based in Kingston, Jamaica._/p__p_Caribbean countries benefit from common opportunities, including ocean resources and beautiful landscapes, a well-educated population, a vibrant diaspora, and proximity to larger markets (US, Canada, and Mexico). Some countries have hydrocarbons and mineral resources. The Caribbean is also one of the world’s greatest centers of biodiversity. Caribbean countries also face significant common challenges: their small size leads to diseconomies of scale, unemployment, and high energy costs. They are vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters, and some countries face economic and financial sector weaknesses and high debt. Haiti is a fragile country with high poverty and extreme vulnerabilities. Nearly all the Caribbean countries are facing negative impacts from climate change with rising frequency and severity of natural disasters. While the early implementation of social distancing measures helped contain the spread of COVID-19 in most Caribbean countries, the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on the region’s economy due its dependence on tourism and remittances._/p__p_In collaboration with Global Practice Groups, the Caribbean CMU supports the development priorities of Caribbean countries through financing and knowledge services, and also provides reimbursable advisory services in Overseas Countries and Territories. The active program includes a portfolio of 77 projects with commitments of about $3 bn in World Bank and Trust Fund financing and 50 advisory services and analytics products. In Sint Maarten, the CMU administers the Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Program Trust Fund, funded by the Netherlands (over US$500 million)._/p__p_In addition to the Country Office in Kingston, Jamaica, where the Country Director is based, the CMU has Country Offices in Haiti and in Guyana. A Caribbean CMU anchor unit represents the CMU in Washington, D.C., and support the overall work program._/p__p_The Caribbean CMU is recruiting an Operations Officer to be part of the CMU’s operations team, under the management of the Operations Manager for the Caribbean and under the overall direction of the Country Director for the Caribbean. The duty station for this position is Kington, Jamaica._/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Roles & Responsibility:_/strong__/p__p__strong_Duties and Accountabilities_/strong__/p__p_A dynamic development professional is being sought to join the Caribbean Country Management Unit as an Operations Officer; s(he) will be a key member of the CMU’s operations team led by the Operations Manager. The Operations Officer’s job responsibilities will include:_/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Operations Quality Assurance. _/strong_Help ensure strategic and high-quality lending and non-lending products by supporting the CMU’s operational clearance function. Review operational documents in the project cycle. Ensure consistency and compliance with World Bank operational policies and procedures, and promote best practices and distill and help disseminate operational lessons learned. Support the preparation of the unit’s operational quality tables and reports. Participate in selected missions to support operations and country dialogue. _/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Portfolio Implementation Monitoring and Support. _/strong_Take a proactive role in managing the operational quality of the ongoing Caribbean lending and non-lending program, reviewing and monitoring country portfolio performance in close collaboration with CMU country representatives/coordinators; project teams; fiduciary, safeguards, and legal staff; and government counterparts. Identify and assess implementation problems and bring them to the attention of the Operations Manager. Assist project teams in addressing complex operational challenges that emerge during implementation, liaising with the Bank’s operational departments. Also, participate in periodic country portfolio performance reviews and monitor follow-up. More broadly, help conceptualize improved operational implementation arrangements in small states with low capacity environments and help develop an improved and innovative implementation model tailored for small states. _/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Country Strategy Documents. _/strong_Participate in the preparation of Country Engagement products (Systematic County Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, etc.), including research, drafting sections of these documents, and preparing the results frameworks._/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_General CMU Support. _/strong_Support the Country Director and Operations Manager by preparing notes, briefings, and other communication products for internal and external clients. Assist in responding to correspondence. Assist with the organization of management and senior management visits to Caribbean countries._/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Reporting:_/strong__/p__p_The Operations Officer will report to the Operations Manager._/p__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Selection Criteria_/strong__/p__ul__li_Master’s degree in a relevant field such as economics, finance, business, and international relations, or other related field._/li__li_Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience with development agencies, government, non-governmental organizations, or comparable organizations._/li__li_Knowledge of World Bank Group organizational structure and its goals, and a strong understanding of World Bank development initiatives would be advantageous._/li__li_Demonstrated competence in key areas of sustainable development topics with sound understanding of development and developing country issues; proven capacity to assess policies and interrelationships for sector, macro-economic, and country strategies._/li__li_Strong integrative thinking and ability to support project teams in developing an integrated point of view around a development challenge._/li__li_Strong analytical skills. Ability to organize and interpret data and produce tables and graphs, especially in Excel._/li__li_Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft concise reports and correspondence. Excellent PowerPoint skills is highly desirable._/li__li_Outstanding inter-personal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively in multi-cultural environment with a multi-disciplinary team._/li__li_Have knowledge of or experience working in an international financial institution and/or multilateral/bilateral organization would be advantageous._/li__li_Familiarity with operational issues and broad understanding of links to development policies would be advantageous._/li__li_Basic proficiency in French is desirable but not essential to support the Haiti program._/li__/ul__p__br /__/p__p__strong_Competencies_/strong__/p__p_COS Generic Competencies: _strong_https://tinyurl.com/y34lnxvu_/strong__/p__p_WBG Core Competencies: _strong_https://bit.ly/2kbIA7O_/strong__/p__p__br /__/p__p__em_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._/em__/p__p__br /__/p__p__em_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._/em__/p_