Senior Executive Assistant

Job #: req23105

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Administration/Office Support

Grade: GD

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Cairo,Egypt

Required Language(s): English, Arabic

Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 6/22/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. Visit www.worldbank.org.

Background

MNC03 is the country department managing the Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti country programs. The WBG is a major development partner for all three countries. A rich program of knowledge and analytical work underpins our engagement in all three countries. In Egypt, a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) was approved for Egypt, laying out the World Bank Group’s strategy in the country for FY2023–2027. It aims to support Egypt in building pathways out of poverty, enhancing shared prosperity, and creating conditions for green, resilient, and inclusive development. The CPF puts Egypt’s people at the center of the strategy in pursuit of three high-level outcomes: (1) more and better private sector jobs; (2) stronger human capital outcomes; and (3) improved resilience to shocks, underpinned by two cross-cutting themes: governance and citizen engagement, and women’s empowerment. The current portfolio is over $6.4 billion and new projects of about US $ 1 billion per year are envisaged over the next 5 years. In Yemen, IDA has embarked upon an innovative engagement in a country in conflict, pushing the boundaries of the humanitarian developmental nexus. Over the past year alone, more than $650 million in IDA grants have been provided for emergency operations –through a partnership with the UN–to help preserve human and development assets in the country, along with preparations for recovery and reconstruction. In Djibouti, IDA-19 has provided a substantial increase to the IDA envelope supporting the country’s developmental agendas including through regional operations as well as the emergency response linked to the COVID pandemic and the food security agenda. This is supported by significant leveraging of grant resources; with a current portfolio in excess of $435m.

For more information on Egypt, please visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/egypt

The MNC03 program is managed out of the Egypt country office. The Egypt Country Office has about 80 staff and works as a regional hub for some other functions also. The Yemen program is headed by a Country Manager (CM) currently based in Amman (plans to move to Yemen when security situation permits). The Djibouti Country Office is headed by a Resident Representative (RR). The Country Director is based in Cairo and is supported in Cairo by 4 Programs Leaders, 2 Senior Operations Officers as well as an Operations Analyst. In addition, in HQ, the office includes a Senior Operations Officer, Country Officer and a Program Assistant.

The Egypt Country Office is looking to recruit a high-performing, experienced Senior Executive Assistant reporting directly to the MNC03 Country Director.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Senior Executive Assistant will be expected to handle a variety of concurrent activities and competing demands in a fluid and fast-paced environment, including the following duties:

•  Perform with a high degree of efficiency, discretion, and judgment to provide a wide range of executive assistance to the Director, especially in the areas of managing priorities, and workflow; staff interaction with the Director; screening of all in-coming documents; screening, prioritizing and following up on emails and phone calls and ensuring the smooth delivery of services. Ensure all documents requiring signature are of high quality and adhere to administrative operational guidelines. Routinely prepare correspondence on a range of topics on behalf of the Director and prepare minutes of meetings.
•  As the first point of contact for the Director, keep abreast of and maintain sufficient working knowledge of the tasks being performed in each unit with an ability to independently respond to inquiries and exercise strategic thinking and decision-making skills to address clients within and outside the Bank.
•  Use judgment, tact, diplomacy, and discretion in answering and/or redirecting inquiries to appropriate sources and in dealing with sensitive or highly confidential matters; make decisions when multiple courses of action are possible.
•  Coordinate the time management and scheduling on behalf of the Director, to include effective prioritizing and resolving related conflicts and competing demands. Gather and collate materials and prepare mission briefing materials and binders for the Director’s schedule of meeting. Handle logistics of Director’s mission travel. Handle logistical planning for meetings or equivalent events held in the office or sponsored by the office.
•  Support the management team of the MNC03 as well as work collaboratively with others in diverse work groups/teams/task forces.
•  Ensure smooth operation of office and administrative support by maintaining and coordinating general office procedures and guidelines and ensure their dissemination across the function to enable efficiencies and consistency. Identify potential areas for improvement and develop solutions, in coordination with the support staff of the units within the MNC03.
•  Working as part of the ACS team, ensure adequate support is in place for the MNC03.
•  Inspire trust by keeping others informed via timely dissemination of relevant information, reports, etc.
•  Establish and maintain an effective network of contacts both within MNC03 and throughout the Bank Group to ensure effective liaison in support of business needs.

Selection Criteria

•  Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and minimum of seven years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
•  Externally recruited Senior Executive Assistants must have demonstrated managerial experience, the ability to quickly grasp the Bank’s procedures/rules/processes, and a commensurate level of maturity/years of managing diverse work environments.

Required Competencies

•  Technology and systems knowledge – Exhibits excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and proficiency of technology or/and systems relevant to functional area. Able to coach less experienced staff on relevant technology and systems.
•  Management of Tasks – Able to undertake diverse and complex assignments with minimal supervision and resolve competing demands. Demonstrates good organizational skills, can plan and prioritize own work and work of internal clients (e.g. manage manager’s calendar).
•  Institutional policies, processes, and procedures – Demonstrates relevant functional knowledge and understanding of institutional priorities, policies, operational and administrative procedures, and people. Able to practically apply and guide others in policy application.
•  Versatility and adaptability – Demonstrate initiative and motivation to proactively learn new developments in relevant policies, procedures and technology. Is able proactively identify, prevent and/or solve problems. Able to participate in change activities and initiatives.
•  Demonstrates initiative, independence, and autonomy in addressing client needs in changing business contexts and environments.
•  Has knowledge of department strategy, vision, and goals and can link them to those of the larger organization. Allocates and prioritizes resources according to areas of most urgent need and greatest impact for the client.
•  Adopts a collaborative approach to improve overall effectiveness outside one’s department and displays an open, helpful attitude toward others. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved.
•  Demonstrates understanding of and acts to incorporate multiple perspectives.
•  Frames thinking/actions with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.
•  Applies creativity, flexibility, and persistence to develop new approaches.
•  Considers own behavior in context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact on others.
•  Frames problems and recommends solutions.
•  Takes ownership for organization of knowledge-sharing and learning activities.
•  Contributes to the knowledge of the work group and beyond.
•  Uses feedback to develop self and mentor others.
•  Builds personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group.

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.