Operations Officer
Job #: req23144
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Operations
Grade: GF
Term Duration: 4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Islamabad,Pakistan
Required Language(s): English, Urdu
Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 6/23/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
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.
As part of the South Asia Region (SAR), the Pakistan Country Management Unit (CMU) is responsible for overseeing the World Bank’s program in Pakistan. CMU is led by the Country Director for Pakistan, supported by the Operations Manager (OM) and the Operations team in Islamabad and the Country Program Coordinator (CPC) and team in Washington DC. In addition, there are four Program Leaders in the CMU who provide direction and support to all of the Global Practices (GPs). Within the office, much of the logistics (fleet management, conference and workshops, catering and cafeteria management, visiting mission support, support to international staff) is grouped under the Business Facilitation Center (BFC). The Operations Officer will be part of the CMU team based at the World Bank office in Islamabad.
The World Bank’s Pakistan CMU, based in the Islamabad Country Office, is responsible for overseeing a country program lending US$1-2 billion per year to the Government of Pakistan, and mobilizing a modest amount of grant resources. This program includes financing a wide range of operations and direct Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) for sensitive policy advice, small and large infrastructure operations, and services in a wide range of areas (health, social protection, education, finance, energy, digital, mobility, water and sanitation, solid waste management, urban, agriculture, disaster risk management, environment, domestic revenue mobilization, public financial management, trade, poverty reduction, governance, etc.).The Office has about 120 staff. The Country Management Unit within this manages the overall portfolio and strategy of the program.
The Pakistan CMU is looking for an experienced, high-performing, energetic member of its Core Operations Team who will report to the Operations Manager (OM), and will work with the Country Director, Program Leaders, colleagues of the Pakistan Country Team and World Bank clients in Pakistan.
The Operations Officer’s responsibilities will include:
1.Develop and maintain contacts and relationships with government counterparts, and keep abreast of country/provincial developments as well as internal institutional developments, to support the CMU’s operational and strategic country engagement with task teams. This includes being a Focal Point for the CMU on a province’s lending pipeline (including trust funds) and portfolio performance (the Focal Point assignment may be Balochistan and/or another province – these assignments are subject to change based on business need) as well as a PG’s ASA work;
2.Provide CMUs operational and ASA support to Bank teams in the designated focal areas, identify and implement actions CMU can take to support them and the client to support efficient and high quality of delivery of results in the portfolio and of new operations and Advisory Services and Analytics. This includes discussing client needs and feedback, project implementation status (including monitoring of key performance indicators, disbursements); guiding deliverable/portfolio milestones (including lending, signing, effectiveness, ASA,deadlines), guiding and advising on restructurings and Implementation Completion and Results reports, providing input/analysis, advising on WB policies and procedures for operations and analytical work supported by all WB financing instruments as well as government procedures; providing advice to Program Leaders and Task Team Leaders on best practices; liaising with WB fiduciary and environmental and social risk management colleagues. This support will involve mission travel.
3.Coordinate with Program Leaders in reviewing implementation readiness of projects under preparation in the focal area, including advice on project design, results, M&E, risk management.
4.Support preparation and conduct of reviews of portfolio performance and quality, disbursement, pipeline development with the government as well as WB operations units.
5.Work with operational teams and ASA teams also through the review of operational documents on behalf of the CMU (including quality assurance, client responsiveness, corporate commitments, CPF alignment, risk management) during the project cycle,including Concept Notes, Project Appraisal Documents, Program Documents, Implementation Status Reports, Management Letters, Aide Memoires, ASA Deliverables and Implementation Completion Reports. Advise the Country Director, Operations Manager and Program Leaders on findings of these reviews, as needed.
6.Develop and maintain close working partnerships with operational and ASA teams and stay up to date on latest policies, procedures and best practices.
7.Review portfolio and pipeline analytics, working with core operational team members, and prepare presentations, briefings, memos and other materials to help assess lending scenarios, portfolio risk and performance. Develop new and innovative approaches including through use digital technologies, templates, tools and agile approaches.
8.Work with the Operations Manager and PLs in the preparation of Work Program Agreements (WPAs), and budget requests (core WPA team member for the CMU), to ensure smooth program development and implementation as well as alignment with the CPF objectives.
9.Prepare inputs to briefs, reports, memos, talking points, and other background materials for the CD and OM, and as needed for senior management.
10.Contribute to the roll out of the upcoming new Country Partnership Framework through special initiatives of the CMU that cut across several sectors/GPs. This may include strategic communications, policy series, participation in operational teams or ASA programs.
11.Support continuous development of the World Bank Group Campus to exemplify corporate commitments on green development, an inclusive and respectful workplace, a healthy workplace, and digital innovation.
12.As needed, support office administrative procurement and business facilitation.
13.Contribute to donor coordination by developing and maintaining contacts with key stakeholders within the focal area. Coordinate any other consultations / meetings / forums etc. with donors and clients as needed.
14.Provide regular updates and support to the Operations Manager, the Program Leaders and the Country Director, as needed, for smooth delivery and implementation of the CMUs work.
Selection Criteria
a)Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline. b)Minimum 5 years of relevant experience, preferably working with a reputable national or an international development agency. c)Demonstrated initiative, and drive for results including ability to undertake a diversity of tasks within a rapidly changing and demanding environment on short deadlines. d)High degree of motivation, initiative, flexibility, reliability, and responsiveness to changing demands; capacity for effective multitasking, with demonstrated ability of being an independent starter with minimal supervision, and a high capacity to persevere for results. e)Strong research and analytical capabilities: ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze, interpret and integrate data and diverse information from varied sources into clear and concise conclusions and recommendations; f)Strong spoken and written communications skills in English including the ability to speak and write persuasively and present ideas clearly and concisely. g)Outstanding inter-personal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary team.
COS Competencies
https://worldbankgroup.sharepoint.com/sites/hr/Documents/Career%20Management/Professional%20Family%20Mapping/COS_PFM_Criteria.pdf
World Bank Group Core Competencies
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