Manager

Job #: req24789

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Environment

Grade: GH

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: International Recruitment

Location: Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): French, Spanish – Highly desirable

Closing Date: 11/17/2023 (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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

About the Global Environment Facility (GEF) The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral financial mechanism created in 1991 to provide grant and concessional funds to recipient countries for projects and programs that address biodiversity loss, climate change mitigation and adaptation, degradation of international waters, land and forests, ozone depletion, elimination or reduction of persistent organic pollutants and mercury, all within the framework of sustainable development.

The GEF unites 186 countries in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. An independently operating financial organization, GEF is the designated financial mechanism for five international environmental conventions: the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Minamata Convention on Mercury. GEF is also a designated financial mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

In the years since its establishment, the GEF has funded over 4,500 projects in 170 countries, and many thousands more through the GEF Small Grants Program, providing $20.5 billion in grants that leveraged $112 billion in co-financing. The GEF Secretariat, construed for administrative purposes as a Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) within the World Bank, has approximately 70 professional and administrative and client support staff.

The GEF Secretariat is looking for a dynamic and experienced Manager to lead its Programming Division overseeing a multi-disciplinary technical team of environmental specialists that provides timely assessments of the quality and eligibility of proposals across all focal areas of the GEF submitted by countries through GEF-accredited agencies for funding, along with upstream guidance to project proponents. The Manager will also coordinate the engagement with the private sector and the blended finance approach as well as manage the staff associated with these functions.

The ideal candidate would have had experience with overseeing the provision of high-quality technical input to peers and colleagues related to environmental projects and programs, ideally with exposure to private or public funding mechanisms. The candidate would also have solid managerial experience supervising large teams, departments or divisions, a deep appreciation for the new directions of the GEF, its increasing global mandate, and its vision for 2030, and a significant understanding of the complexity of the GEF partnership arrangement.

The candidate should have strong interpersonal skills, political acumen and the capacity to work effectively on sensitive issues as part of the senior management, with the GEF Council and across different agencies of the GEF.

The Manager has the responsibility to supervise and manage the daily project cycle operations of the Programming Division, including overseeing the work of about 30 technical staff responsible for upstream guidance to proponents, project processing, project reviews and approval of recommendations for funding of proposals coming from the different GEF countries and regions, and spanning the various GEF focal areas and investment windows.

The Manager will also work with other Division leads on functions that require cooperation and collaboration related to the programming of GEF resources. This will also require managing cross-division work of the technical staff in the Division.

The Manager oversees the preparation of the GEF Work Programs and associated council documents twice a year to be presented to the GEF and GBFF councils. The Manager also works with the Director of Strategy and Operations to manage the overall budget with special focus on the travel and variable costs expenses.

Duties and Accountabilities

•  Lead the monitoring of the Division’s work program and individual staff deliverables and facilitate resolution of issues related to performance.
•  In close collaboration with the Director, coordinate the development of the Programming Directions Strategy for the GEF Trust Fund and GBF Trust Fund, for every replenishment cycle and as needed.
•  Lead and coordinate the workflow of the project cycle and recommend technical clearance of projects and programs in collaboration with the technical staff and regional coordinators.
•  Coordinates GEF programming across the different funds with relevant colleagues and GEF Division heads.
•  Manages the Country Engagement Strategy and its budget as well as oversees elements of the CES that are implemented by other Divisions.
•  Coordinates the GEF Portal and its technical specifications including defining the proper workflow for project clearances.
•  Works closely and in collaboration with the Manager of Integration and Knowledge to ensure the programming and implementation of the Integrated Programs and the role of the technical and focal area teams in the review of projects and programs related to IPs.
•  Coordinates the organization, composition, and priorities of the regional teams in their engagement with countries and duties related to the programming of GEF resources.
•  Work regularly with the Director and other senior staff in the Division to ensure coordinated delivery of the main responsibilities of the GEF Programming Division.
•  Maintain productive relationships with the GEF network, including GEF agencies, national governments, and other stakeholders to promote the role of GEF on the international environmental agenda.
•  Lead or assist with the preparation of Council papers and reports to the conventions and other bodies as needed.
•  Design and or oversee the administration tools, methodologies, and instruments for project review management, internal unit operations, implementation, and other relevant policies, taking into account the environmental drivers-based approach and the integration strategy of GEF Programming.
•  Undertake other duties as required, including assisting the Director of Strategy and Operations and the CEO as appropriate in activities that support the successful management of the GEF.

Selection Criteria

•  Minimum master’s degree (Ph.D. highly desired) in one of the environmental sciences (e.g., conservation, climate change, chemicals, land use), economics or sustainable development;
•  Successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility; Sustained record of achieving high-quality substantive results over an extended period (at least 12 to 15 years);
•  Prior substantive multi-regional and cross-thematic work experience in achieving results on the ground.
•  Professional experience with funding and/or implementation of environmental projects in developing countries.
•  A proven track record in designing and implementing complex operations using innovative approaches, demonstrated strong knowledge of multicultural contexts and strong analytical and program strategy skills.
•  Client orientation, diplomatic skills, as well as sensitivity to social and cultural issues as they affect environmental and sustainable development projects and programs.
•  Ability to lead/coach teams to achieve results, build strong teams across the matrix and develop/nurture new talent.
•  Outstanding communications skills, including the ability to influence and persuade.
•  High degree of discretion, ethics, tact and sensitivity in handling confidential and sensitive information.
•  Language: English is essential; Spanish or French strongly desired.

GEF Specific Competencies:

•  Collaborates across GEFSEC and with partners drawing on robust professional networks.
•  Clearly articulates and models expectations of collaborative behavior, recognizes collaboration and contributions of other.
•  Provides safe environment for exchange of ideas where people feel free to express dissenting opinions, handling conflicts as opportunities and problems to be solved.
•  Prioritizes GEFSEC corporate goals over individual or team goals when in conflict.
•  Fosters open discussions with broad audiences to set vision and establish buy-in for innovation that can enhance GEFSEC effectiveness.
•  Inspires others to develop new solutions that have a development impact and advocates for changes and application of new methods to enhance results.
•  Establishes an environment where knowledge is created, applied and shared.
•  Leverages external knowledge and partnerships to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
•  Encourages a learning culture by seeking out and being open to feedback, as well as effectively mentoring others, on how to improve contribution and impact through continuous learning and knowledge acquisition.
•  Builds networks of experts and clients to share knowledge and experience for the purpose of strengthening internal and/or external
•  Makes timely decisions, which anticipate, evaluate and plan for the impact across organizational boundaries and stakeholder groups.
•  Demonstrates the confidence to make bold decisions quickly, balancing speed and thoroughness even in the face of ambiguous circumstances.
•  Takes accountability for decisions that involve higher levels of risk, works effectively with stakeholders to minimize risks involved.

Deliver results for clients

•  Acts as a trusted, strategic advisor, partnering with clients to deliver results
•  Creates opportunities that are aligned with the mission to increase impact and leads initiatives to take advantage of these opportunities
•  Proactively guides clients to see the possibilities in new approaches and solutions
•  Takes full accountability for managing risk and ensuring outcomes consistent with WBG strategy

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries

•  Leads collaboration across WBG and with partners drawing on robust professional networks
•  Clearly articulates and models expectations of collaborative behavior, recognizes collaboration and contributions of others
•  Provides safe environment for exchange of ideas where people feel free to express dissenting opinions, handling conflicts as opportunities and problems to be solved
•  Prioritizes WBG corporate goals over individual or team goals when in conflict

Lead and Innovate

•  Inspires and influences others to drive innovation
•  Fosters open discussions with broad audiences to set vision and establish buy-in for innovation that can enhance WBG effectiveness
•  Inspires others to develop new solutions that have a development impact and advocates for changes and application of new methods to enhance results
•  Develops partnerships and relationships that enable the WBG to achieve results through innovation

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge

•  Establishes an environment where knowledge is created, applied and shared
•  Leverages external knowledge and partnerships to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients
•  Is known across WBG and externally in their subject area and is routinely sought out by WBG colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products of others
•  Encourages a learning culture by seeking out and being open to feedback, as well as effectively mentoring others, on how to improve contribution and impact through continuous learning and knowledge acquisition
•  Builds networks of experts and clients to share knowledge and experience for the purpose of strengthening internal and/or external client solutions as well as WBG’s role as convener and facilitator of knowledge

Make Smart Decisions

•  Makes timely decisions that have a broad impact
•  Makes timely decisions, which anticipate, evaluate and plan for the impact across organizational boundaries and stakeholder groups.
•  Demonstrates the confidence to make bold decisions quickly, balancing speed and thoroughness even in the face of ambiguous circumstances
•  Takes accountability for decisions that involve higher levels of risk, works effectively with stakeholders to minimize risks involved

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.