Counsel

Job #: req24368

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Legal

Grade: GF

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: International Recruitment

Location: Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): French or Spanish; Arabic or Portuguese a plus

Closing Date: 10/6/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

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

In the context of the World Bank’s broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel, is responsible for providing legal support to internal and external Bank clients on operational, advisory and corporate matters.

The Development Finance (LEGDF) Practice Group in LEG is responsible for the legal work on major aspects of the Bank’s external funds, including with respect to the International Development Association (IDA), trust funds and global partnerships and financial intermediary funds (FIFs). Its principal client is the Development Finance Vice Presidency (DFi), the Bank’s vice presidency responsible for managing and monitoring policies and procedures for World Bank development financing vehicles. DFi engages in strategic resource mobilization, playing an intermediation role to help align the needs of recipients, World Bank Group institutional priorities, and priorities of funding partners through a variety of funding instruments. LEGDF also provides support to other departments in the Finance Partners (namely TRE, WFA, CRO) as well as to OPCS and the Regions on trust fund related issues.

The selected candidate will be a lawyer who can operate independently to handle complex legal, operational and policy issues related to the Bank’s development financing business – with a focus on trust funds, programs and partnerships and FIFs – while working collaboratively with other lawyers within the Practice Group and LEG as a whole.

Roles & Responsibility:

The Counsel position requires demonstrated technical depth, ability to apply rigorous analytical skills, to work harmoniously in a team, and to exercise good judgment within a broad range of contexts on increasingly complex projects. The level and quality of these skills will be a determining factor in the selection for the position, and references will be given consideration in this determination.

The Counsel will function as a principal legal advisor to one or more assigned internal World Bank clients. The selected candidate will work under general supervision of the Chief Counsel, with day-to-day guidance provided by one or more Lead or Senior Counsels working in the same practice specialties. The Counsel will be expected to handle at least some of the following areas of responsibility: Key Opportunities

•  Develop a comprehensive understanding of the legal and policy issues related to trust funds, programs and partnerships, financial intermediary funds, IDA and the mobilization of private investment in general, particularly in financing responses to various natural and man-made crises.
•  Work on the implementation of recommendations on trust fund reforms that have been endorsed and approved by the Executive Directors.
•  Work on the replenishment of IDA resources.
•  Have a positive and tangible impact on WBG collaboration and best practices with respect to trust funds, programs and partnerships, FIFs and IDA, as well as broaden your exposure to key thought leaders regarding this topic within the institution.
•  Develop an in-depth understanding of creating and successfully implementing culture change, including facilitation, communication, and governance practices.

Core Responsibilities

Specifically, the selected candidate will be expected to:

•  Serve as a lawyer in LEGDF, which provides legal advice and services to the following Vice Presidencies within the World Bank: Development Finance, Treasury, Chief Risk Officer, Controllers, Regions, as well as to the Global Practices.
•  Address all trust fund issues from a legal perspective in support of DFi, including assistance on trust fund policy and procedural issues, development (in conjunction with LEGOP) of model forms of trust fund documentation, review of trust fund proposals, and drafting and negotiating of agreements with donors.
•  Provide legal support with respect to global partnerships and programs (GPPs), including business process development for GPP review, assistance on policy and procedural issues, review of GPP proposals, and drafting agreements for GPP implementation.
•  Provide legal support with respect to IDA matters.
•  Handle a wide variety of other projects relating to transactional, operational and policy issues as requested by the Chief Counsel.

The work program will involve frequent interaction with the following:

•  Trust Fund and Partner Relations Department (DFTPR) and Corporate IBRD IDA (DFCII) financial and operational officers and managers.
•  Other Treasury, Chief Risk Officer, Controllers, and Development Finance staff, including management.
•  Staff in the Regions and Global Practices, including management.
•  Counterpart officials with development partners and other stakeholders, in particular government, supranational organizations, bilateral agencies, regional and other multilateral agencies, foundations and other corporations and clients.
•  Outside counsel for the World Bank, regarding highly specialized matters.
•  Colleagues within the Legal Vice-Presidency.

Selection Criteria

•  An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction is required.
•  Excellent oral and written English skills required. Additional languages French or Spanish strongly preferred; Arabic or Portuguese a plus.

General Competencies Required

•  Excellent legal research, writing, drafting, analytical and communications skills.
•  Excellent interpersonal skills.
•  Experience in international, commercial or contract law, in transactional legal work and/or preparation and negotiation of legal agreements.
•  Excellent legal drafting skills, including of agreements, legal memos and/or well-reasoned litigation pleadings and ability to deliver cogent oral arguments, where applicable.
•  Familiarity in the use of varied legal research sources (including electronic sources on the internet) and other databases.
•  Proven ability to operate effectively as a member of one or more teams; must be a self-starter and collaborate well with others; ability to exercise sound judgment in recognizing what issues to bring to the attention of the Chief
•  Counsel and/or another supervising Counsel, and which to handle autonomously.
•  Proven ability to lead initiatives, programs and portfolios.
•  Proven ability to manage legal risk, through sound judgment, determining and escalating risk appropriately, providing risk-based advice, and guiding more junior staff on the same.
•  Proven ability to deal sensitively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.
•  Ability to supervise and work with local counsel in a collaborative and collegial way; and
•  Ability to work under time pressure and to juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines.

Values, Leadership Potential

– Demonstrated commitment to the World Bank Core Values for WBG and a proven track record of fostering a strong and healthy culture of diversity, inclusion, teamwork, honesty, trust, openness, integrity, and accountability.

– Demonstrated ability to be sensitive to issues around race, gender, ethnicity, inclusion, and intersectionality.

– Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and foster a positive working environment.

– Demonstrated commitment to the Bank’s mission, and ability to work towards WBG’s corporate targets for successful outcomes.

– A strong results-oriented mindset.

– WBG Core Competencies for all staff: Client orientation; drive for results; teamwork & collaboration; knowledge, learning and communication; and good judgment.

Other Competencies Required

•  Legal Drafting, Research and Communication: Proven expertise drafting transactional documentation (e.g., loan agreements or other financial agreements), briefs and variety of legal instruments and related documents independently. Conducts research as necessary to acquire insight and information. Is aware of the need for precision and focus on quality. Uses a writing style that is clear and precise.
•  World Bank Legal and Policy Framework: Has an extensive knowledge of the World Bank’s legal framework, policies and procedures relevant to his or her responsibilities and can apply them correctly and consistently. Identifies where these policies are not being applied or not being applied as intended and informs the appropriate parties.
•  Independence: Carries out work with due care, preparing accurate documents and reports, ensuring that pertinent facts are fairly presented without seeking to obfuscate (either through too much information or withholding relevant information). Interprets information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism when required. Does not divulge or exploit confidential information.
•  Professional Maturity: Understands others and the reasons for their behavior. Takes the time to clarifying others’ points of view so that progress can be made particularly in situations of stress or conflict. Proven ability to deal sensitively and effectively across organizational boundaries, as a team member, in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
•  Legal Reasoning: Breaks down problem into their component parts. Articulates the implications of situations in a step-by-step way. Remains objective when reviewing problems or situations to understand the issues. Makes sure he/she possesses all the facts.
•  Recommends and takes decisive action: Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy. Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term implications of decisions. Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.
•  Client Orientation: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
•  Flexibility: Able to adapt strategy, and objectives, making corresponding structural or organizational changes as needed, to move the work forward and meet the needs of the situation.
•  Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making: Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work.
•  Create, Apply, Share Knowledge: Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside the WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions: Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG, clients, and partners. Is known across WBG in their subject area and is sought out by WBG colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products of others. Seeks mentoring opportunities with more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and mentors junior staff; Builds networks across the WBG and as part of external professional groups/networks.
•  Mentoring: Provides junior staff with guidance and feedback on both routine and new tasks. Identifies others in the organization or from other parts of the Bank to provide guidance and support.
•  Deliver Results for Clients: Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client; Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally and socially sustainable; Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients; Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes.
•  Makes Smart Decisions: Recommends and takes decisive action; Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy; Evaluates risk and anticipates the short- and long-term implications of decisions; Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.
•  Lead and Innovate: Develops innovative solutions with others; Encourages and works with others to identify, incubate and implement relevant solutions; Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG’s values and mission; Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.
•  Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries: Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront; Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect; Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due. Leverages expertise of all team members to ensure successful outcomes; Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.