Adviser - Civil Society

The External Affairs Vice Presidency (EXT) manages strategic communication and relationships with key stakeholders for the World Bank Group. EXT’s overall mandate is to increase understanding and support for the Bank Group’s mission both at the global and country levels, and to leverage the Bank Group's development impact through effective communication, advocacy, diplomacy, and issues management. EXT puts special focus on supporting the institutional goals of Results, Accountability, and Openness.

The World Bank has been working to strengthen its engagement with civil society since 1981, when its first operational policy note on relations with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) was approved by the Board of Executive Directors. In the early 1980s, leading international NGOs and the World Bank established the NGO-World Bank Committee which held regular meetings to discuss Bank policies, programs, and projects. Since then, the World Bank has greatly expanded its engagement with civil society at both the global and country levels, having promoted joint World Bank-civil society dialogues on global issues, greater consultations with civil society when formulating policies and strategies, and adopting operational policies to expand civil society participation in Bank projects.

The rationale for the Bank’s engagement with civil society has grown even stronger with the recognition that civil society organizations can be pivotal actors in public policy and in effective development.

The candidate

EXT is seeking an experienced and dynamic professional to lead the Bank’s engagement with CSOs, and to head a small civil society team based in the Operational Communications unit (EXTOC). S/he will report to the Manager, EXTOC.

The civil society team formulates the corporate CSO engagement strategy, provides advice and support to senior management in this area, undertakes research and dissemination, and develops programs to reach out to CSOs at the global level and (in partnership with the Bank’s Regional communication offices) within countries. It coordinates these efforts with the Bank’s operational departments that work directly with CSOs in their respective sectors.

The successful candidate will help develop and implement a cutting-edge CSO strategy that will provide greater depth to this work, taking into account the latest global trends and developments related to the expanding space for civil society, emergence of new players within the CSO universe, and role of information technology.

S/he would have a proven track record of working in or with CSOs, achieving results, and first-hand experience of development on the ground. S/he would be experienced in developing and implementing engagement and outreach strategies, and would possess demonstrable leadership, communication and diplomatic skills, excellent political judgment, a broad network of contacts in the sector, and an ability to work across silos and build effective partnerships.

Adviser - Civil Society