Lead Specialist (Operational Procurement), Washington

Background / General description:

OPCS works with other Bank units to raise the level of our country partners' satisfaction with the Bank's performance in helping deliver development results while supporting effective management of operational risks. It provides advice and support to Bank management and staff on preparing implementing country strategies, lending and non-lending operations, and on portfolio management. This includes advising and providing hands-on assistance on the Bank's policies, processes and risk management related to operations, including on risk management, procurement, financial management, safeguards and results management. Its' Network responsibilities include the Country and Operations, the Procurement, Financial Management and Safeguards Networks.

The Operations Risk Management Department (OPSOR) is responsible for the overall framework for managing risk in Bank operations in a way that is integrated with and supportive of overall corporate risk management. The Procurement and Financial Management Networks have more than 400 professional staff across the Bank and the anchor functions are integral parts of the Department lead and coordinate the Networks' Boards and OPCS support for the Governance and Anti-Corruption (GAC) in Operations Program. OPSOR coordinates the corporate interface between Operations and the Internal Audit Vice-Presidency, the Integrity Vice-presidency and the Inspection Panel, and it houses the dispute resolution facility.

The Operations Risk Management Department (OPSOR) is responsible for the overall framework for managing risk in Bank operations in a way that is integrated with and supportive of overall corporate risk management, which includes the procurement and financial management functions in operations. The Procurement and Financial Management Networks have more than 400 professional staff across the Bank and the OPSOR anchor units coordinate the Networks' Boards, and OPCS support for the Governance and Anti-Corruption (GAC) in Operations Program. OPSOR coordinates the corporate interface between Operations and the Internal Audit Vice-Presidency, the Integrity Vice-presidency and the Inspection Panel, and it houses the dispute resolution facility.

The Procurement and Financial Management Networks support the Bank's work in helping country partners achieve sustainable and inclusive development outcomes. At the global level, the networks participate in organizations and initiatives that promote reform, develop policies and standards, provide hands on support to operational project delivery and work with other donors and lenders to harmonize requirements and build client capacity. They work collaboratively with other units of the Bank in promoting coordinated support for enhanced public financial accountability assurance, public and private sector financial management and procurement reform and development. At the country level, the Networks seek to help countries improve their institutional performance in accordance with their development priorities. In every Bank-supported operation, the networks seek to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to help strengthen client institutions dedicated to sustainable and inclusive outcomes while managing fiduciary risks of the operations.

The primary function of the OPSOR Anchor Unit is to support the work of the Network, comprising teams in each of the World Bank's six regions, to deliver results and to support ongoing development of the effectiveness of the Networks. This includes the delivery of the Enhanced Financial Accountability strategy with increased integration between both the Procurement and Financial Management Sector Boards and Networks, supporting specific technical Bank reform activities within the Procurement and Financial Management disciplines, fostering quality through advice and collaboration with other Bank units and external bodies, representing the Bank in international forums, generating and promoting knowledge and experience sharing, and coordination of sector staffing and expertise.

Recognizing that financial accountability is a multi-faceted issue, the Bank is looking for Lead Procurement Specialist that can support its clients and network teams across both procurement and financial management.

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 4 year term appointment.

LEAD SPECIALIST - OPERATIONAL PROCUREMENT

In addition to delivering the Enhanced Financial Accountability Strategy, Procurement within the Bank is undertaking a major reform program that will transform activities. This reform, will reposition procurement in the Bank, fostering application of fit for purpose procurement approaches, based on utilizing country procurement systems whenever possible (having appraised the system, identified any gaps and agreed methods to close them), exercising commercial judgment to deliver development outcomes informed by sector specifics and market capacity.

The Lead Procurement Specialist (Operational Procurement) will support existing Bank procurement activities, managing business delivery risk and business as usual activities (whilst procurement reform takes place). Simultaneously this role will develop, lead and implement activities to streamline existing procurement activities/approaches - supporting procurement staff in releasing time to support new areas of work.

This role will champion change, it will drive solutions to meet project and development needs, it will ensure risks managed, in particular business as usual activities, whilst Bank Procurement reform activities take place. This role will be a model for procurement in the bank, it will lead by example and build confidence across the Bank in the procurement system and will drive the right solutions for stakeholders. Critically this role will ensure procurement resources are released in both the anchor unit and the regional procurement teams through streamlining existing activity.

This is a leadership role, requiring strong change management skills, that also requires the ability to 'hands-on' undertake tasks as needed, modeling behaviors in others, by actively doing what needs to be done to support delivery of operational bank procurement activities during this time of change. A practical knowledge of existing Bank Guidelines and policy is critical to success in this role, as is an ability to exercise judgment to maximize the flexibility that exists in the current policy framework.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Serve as a recognized authority on operational procurement who advises management and procurement staff on strategy and long-range interventions on procurement policy/systemic issues and related operational issues across sectors/sub-sectors and typically impacting individual countries, groups of countries, a region, or operations as a whole.
• Leads an extensive and far reaching streamlining program of existing work activities within the bounds of the existing policy framework
• Serves as a focal point or spokesperson on operational procurement issues to clients and other external constituencies and procurement experts.
• Coordinate operational procurement activities within the Anchor Unit, providing leadership, project management, technical support, quality control and where necessary hands on action to undertake tasks as needed to ensure deliverables are met.
• Review of the highest risk/highest value, non-standard or most complex contracts being financed by the Bank (many of which are cases to the Operational Procurement Review Committee), ensuring the optimum approach is take to deliver to maximize development outcomes whilst managing fiduciary risks.
• Leads timely reviews of OPRC cases manage risks and maximize opportunities for development effectiveness, ensure issues raised at OPRC focus on key aspects and drive solutions - engagement style is supportive and helpful
• Undertaking corporate reviews of key internal Bank documents, such as Country Partnership Strategies, to advise on procurement risk issues or opportunities that may be present - exercising flexibility to deliver the best development results
• Providing answers to technical questions and queries on Bank Procurement Guidelines, Standard Bidding Documents and technical guidance notes - identifying solutions as needed to maximize results
• Producing the Annual report 2013/14 of operational procurement and financial management - taking a concise, plain language approach
• Monitoring the delivery of existing IT systems and tools, such as the Electronic 'No Objection' system
• Develop and support communities of engagement working on operational procurement within the network. Foster collaboration with practitioners working on these issues across the World Bank Group and externally to deliver optimum performance.
• Deliver regular reporting, including annual reports, on performance.
• Contribute to the implementation of the Enhanced Financial Accountability Strategy, through support to specific reform programs/projects of the FM and Procurement networks and play a leading role in advice to OPCS senior management and the Regions on achieving greater integration and better client services which maximize integration and streamline processes and practices.
• Develop and implement effective communications and outreach strategies that facilitate access to information by key stakeholders within the Networks and the rest of the Bank on operational procurement.
• Promote collaboration and partnerships with international organizations working on standards and issues related to procurement and represent the World Bank, as required, in international forums.
• Facilitates and organizes external events with key client/borrower counterparts, international experts, etc., to debate and exchange ideas on key procurement issues, policies and practices.
• Oversees preparation of and/or produces a range of key policy papers, operational directives, reports, standards, guidelines and other procurement products, etc.
• Develops and facilitates client and other business relationships at senior/policy levels.
• Plays a significant role within the function in guiding/mentoring and is a key contributor in design of professional and operational training or development activities in procurement.
• Contribute to OPSOR support and administrative functions, as required.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• Senior and Executive Management at HQ and in the field, including MDs and VPs.
• Top government officials at ministerial level and equivalent contacts in other international organizations, partner entities etc.
• Counterparts within and across VPUs, Networks and other units integral to delivery of business objectives and product.
• The media and other external constituencies and expert groups.

Selection Criteria:

TECHNICAL

• Reform/Development and Integration Experience - Thoroughly understands change management, and expertise in leading transformation and providing hands-on support to implement and sustain reforms. Ability to influence the design and execution of reform programs; to conceive and promote innovations in policies, project design, organization and management to improve operational and sector work. Contributes to the design of diagnostic tools, methodologies and approaches. - Demonstrates 'hands on' change management experience and senior level expertise in designing and managing major reform or development programs in complex organizations together with practical experience in large organizations delivering diverse, high value and high risk projects - is recognized as a 'champion of change', role modeling change behaviors to inspire others.
• Policy Advice and Dialogue Skills - Has a track record of conducting effective policy analysis and dialogue; uses evidence based intervention logic/diagnostic tools; communicates and defends difficult issues and positions to senior bank management and government officials.
• In-depth knowledge - Considered an expert in procurement, with demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate procurement-specific knowledge with broader operational and policies, research objectives, etc. can demonstrate how they have exercised flexibility in policies and rules to deliver results.
• Operational Delivery - Shows hands on practical experience in supporting major projects and has a proven track record of designing, managing and delivering complex, large-scale procurement operations etc.
• Intellect - Proven very strong conceptual, analytical, strategic and evaluative skills - demonstrates use of strategic models to analyze problems, uses evidence based decision making and can translate complex issues into short, focused explanations that are plain language and easy to understand.
• Influencing - Highly developed diplomatic and negotiating skills to handle the most complex technical issues in politically sensitive environments with considerable business interests at stake.
• Institutional strengthening and capacity development - Demonstrates in-depth knowledge and expertise in the design and implementation of integrated institutional strengthening and capacity building in Procurement. Able to lead, advise and mentor staff in assessments and provide advice. Demonstrated expertise in analytical and project work that has delivered results.

LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION

• Client Orientation - Understands and tailors approaches and responses to client needs. Build linkages across boundaries to achieve optimal outcomes, influences key stakeholders and gain commitment on difficult issues. Communicates in an appropriate manner to get the best results.
• Drive for Results - Drives successful implementation and delivery of key Network and Corporate programs and projects to achieve outputs that positively impact results. Is highly action orientated, with strong program and project management skills to ensure delivery. Provides proactive hands on support as needed to ensure deliverables are met to time and quality, has a track record of delivering fast, effective results. Can target and eliminate excess processes, through streamlining and process engineering, ensuring inputs are proportional to outputs.
• Effective Communicator - An excellent, articulate, persuasive communicator that speaks concisely in a focused manner. Demonstrates a strong command of all forms of communication and delivers messages in a consistently effective, timely and engaging manner; is a high quality speaker and writer in all media - is clear, succinct, uses plain language; has an ability to tailor communications to different audiences; and can persuade and influence. Is a role model of great communications, is engaging, interesting and persuasive. Work produced is easy to read and understand, demonstrates excellent technical knowledge in materials that is relevant to target audiences. An ability to work in other UN official languages is desirable.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Creates a dynamic team climate of practical and innovative action, facilitating collaboration between competing interests and stakeholders. Encourages others to reach their full potential through effective team leadership skills with ability to motivate others to deliver results, is an action oriented role model of positive behaviors.
• Business Development Skills - Possesses an understanding of how to mobilize organizational resources and has a track record of successfully attracting support and funding for initiatives. Has the ability to build and sell business cases for development initiatives.
• Intellectual Leadership and Network Representation - Recognized as a respected expert within the profession and able to identify and promote new ideas and alternate approaches and practices, including the use of new technologies. Is readily able to turn concepts and ideas into practical solutions, can clearly and simply articulate them in plain language, so that they can be easily implemented. Demonstrates ability to coordinate, participate in, and act as a catalyst for, strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.
• Knowledge and Learning - Produces and disseminates practical, user-friendly, plain language, concise knowledge products and tools to create added value. Ensures lessons learned are captured, documented and shared with internal and external stakeholders through appropriate media. Enhances Region and Network client capability through effective and timely knowledge transfer and facilitates discussion and productive exchanges of ideas. Formulates good practices and disseminates them within the bank and to clients and other partners.
• Strong managerial skills - Proven track record of building and managing teams during times of major change, creating an enabling work environment and in effectively handling managerial and administrative functions, including human resource management, staffing, budget management, administrative tasks, reporting, quality control, and mentoring.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Provides leadership in analytical decision making across network and organizational boundaries. Serves as a trusted advisor to others on their decisions and ensures alignment with other units and generates optimal impact on the organization as a whole. Mentors and provides counsel to staff on understanding and assessing risk, dealing with crises and solving problems.

OTHER

• Resilience - Can work on their own initiative, coping effectively with difficulties and challenges to deliver a change program.
• Organizational savvy - Understands organizational dynamics, works in an astute manner to deliver change and acts positively to drive change, motivating others.
• Mentorship - Demonstrated ability to effectively mentor/guide groups of staff during times of major change, is able to design training/skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills.
• Works across a matrix - Ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment, both as a team leader and team member.
• Builds relationships - Ability to function effectively during times of change and deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Multi-region experience - Prior substantive and sustained work experience in achieving results on the ground in more than one world region (including pre-Bank experience and Bank experience). Experience in fragile and conflict affected states is desirable.
• Delivers in complex environments - Ability to reach consensus and implement a change program in a complex political environment; manage processes or operations which produce rapid and practical operational results.
• Academic Qualifications - Advanced degree in a relevant discipline
• Minimum years of Experience - Ten years of relevant experience working on complex procurement issues.

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