WORLD BANK JOBS AND CAREERS 2017

Senior Social Development Specialist- Soc Safeguards and Soc

THE WORLD BANK GROUP

Background / General description

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2014, the WBG committed $65.6 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $22.2 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188 member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). IBRD and IDA are commonly known as the World Bank, which is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions, and – as of July 1, 2014 – has introduced fourteen Global Practices (GPs) as well as five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas (CCSAs) to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

GLOBAL PRACTICES & CROSS-CUTTING SOLUTIONS AREAS

The 14 GPs are: Agriculture; Education; Energy and Extractives; Environment and Natural Resources; Finance and Markets; Governance; Health, Nutrition and Population; Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management; Poverty; Social Protection and Labor; Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience; Trade and Competitiveness; Transport and ICT; and Water. The 5 CCSAs are: Climate Change; Fragility, Conflict and Violence; Gender; Jobs; and Public-Private Partnerships. The new operating model is part of a broader internal reform aimed at delivering the best of the World Bank Group to our clients, so that together we can achieve the twin goals of: (1) ending extreme poverty by 2030; and (2) promote shared prosperity for the bottom 40% of the population in every developing country.

THE “SOCIAL, URBAN, RURAL AND RESILIENCE” (SURR) GLOBAL PRACTICE

The SURR GP covers a wide gamut: (i) developing green, inclusive and resilient cities; (ii) addressing the social inclusion of the poor, vulnerable and excluded groups through accountable institutions, and ensuring compliance with social safeguards; (iii) enhancing urban and rural development through supporting and managing the urban-rural transition, assisting local development through developing land tenure, management and information systems; and (iv) assisting in disaster risk management through issues of risk assessment, risk reduction (including flood management, urban drainage, coastal management, and retrofitting of infrastructure), disaster preparedness (including hydromet services, early warning systems, and civil defense), risk financing (including CAT-DDO), and resilient reconstruction (including post-disaster damage and loss assessment).

A key responsibility of the GP is to provide professional expertise and operational support to other GPs to implement the WBG operational policies (the WB’s safeguard policies and the IFC’s Performance Standards) to deliver sustainable development results that ensure that any adverse impacts of WBG interventions are limited and mitigated.

The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Regional/Country/Global Unit Context

The World Bank’s Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice (GPSURR) has an active work program in the Africa Region, encompassing a large number of IDA operations, a smaller number of middle-income clients, a wide-ranging advisory and analytical program, active partnerships with Regional and Sub-Regional institutions and a large portfolio of around 400 projects under supervision. The two Africa Social Development Units, part of GPSURR, play a strategic, advisory and knowledge role for the Region and the GP’s work in these areas. The combined Units have around 53 staff and a wide range of engagements including social safeguards (involuntary resettlement and Indigenous Peoples); community driven development; support for fragile states and conflict-affected countries; citizen engagement and social accountability; social inclusion; and social resilience.

The Africa Social Development Unit II (East and Southern Africa) is looking to recruit a (Senior) Social Development Specialist for the World Bank Office in Dar-es-Salaam to support work related to social safeguards and social risk management. The (Senior) Social Development Specialist will report to the GSURR Practice Manager for Social Development in East and Southern Africa, and on a day-to-day basis will work under the supervision of the Social Development Coordinator for the AFCE1 CMU.

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 3 year term appointment.

The Senior Social Development Specialist – Social Safeguards and Social Risk Management will have the following responsibilities:

• Work under the coordination of the regional focal point for safeguards on the social safeguards portfolio, providing oversight and quality assurance. This will include direct operational support to high risk and complex operations, and advising management and staff on responses safeguards related complaints including Inspection Panel cases.
• Serve as social development focal points for 1-2 countries and engage actively and regularly with country units and teams, and identify business opportunities for the social development team in consultation with clients and country units.
• Participate in cross-practice teams responsible for the preparation of policy notes, Systematic Country Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social development topics.
• Advise and participate in project teams to help develop operational designs and mechanisms to assess social opportunities, impacts, constraints and risks related to Bank supported operations; develop and evaluate proposed technical solutions, and assist in the preparation of project documentation.
• Undertake policy dialogue with clients on social sustainability and safeguards issues and advise counterparts on technical options for social development, particularly resettlement, indigenous peoples, mitigation plans and institutional development strategies.
• Handle complex technical, institutional and program implementation issues regarding social development and lead the related dialogue with counterparts.
• Participate and play a leading role in portfolio reviews on selected social development topics.
• Lead or participate in analytical studies, support other analytical work on different social development topics, and stay abreast of developments in social development globally and on cross-cutting issues.
• Manage projects mapped to the regional Social Development team.
• Support the Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in social development by participating in thematic groups, exchanging best practices, and drafting technical notes.
• Help develop sustainable local and national consultation mechanisms and strategies.
• Supervise the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency and conformity to Bank standards.

Application Instructions