Senior Procurement Specialist

Job #: req23529

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Procurement

Grade: GG

Term Duration: 4 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: International Recruitment

Location: Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 8/4/2023 (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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region

We need the best and brightest talent focused on our region in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Home to about 700 million of Africa’s people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. The subregion harbors some of Africa’s protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continues to keep people from reaching their full potential.

This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade! But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.

More information about Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/eastern-and-southern-africa The Governance Global Practice (GGP) comprises a variety of different professional disciplines working on public institutions, including procurement, public sector management, governance and anti-corruption, and financial management. GGP convenes a leading group of practitioners focused on advancing cutting-edge practices and innovations in the fields of procurement, anti-corruption and open government. To enhance its capacity, the Department seeks to recruit/appoint a highly organized, energized and experienced professional, capable of operating effectively.

GGP-Procurement Unit in Eastern and Southern Africa Region (AFE) is largely decentralized and based in the 20+ country offices. The Procurement team in AFE is managed by an Accredited Practice Manager (APM) who is based at Nairobi, Kenya. AFE Procurement Team seeks to recruit a highly organized, energized, and experienced professional to work on procurement reforms. This position is geared to assisting the World Bank staff and the Governments of AFE countries in implementing sustainable and digital procurement solutions, including e-Government Procurement (e-GP) and Data Analytics, through World Bank-financed and administered programs by providing relevant technical support, advice, guidance, and oversight.

The Senior Procurement Specialist will be internationally hired and be based in Washington D.C., USA, to provide support for all AFE countries. The Senior Procurement Specialist will be working under the oversight and guidance of a Lead Procurement Specialist based in Washington D.C., USA, who reports to the AFE Accredited Practice Manager based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Senior Procurement Specialist will help support and further develop dialogue for innovative reform activities in all AFE countries with particular focus on Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) as well as electronic government procurement (e-GP) including data analytics. He/she will participate in the operational, analytical, and advisory activities of AFE and Governance Global Practice. This requires strong knowledge of both economic and public-sector governance issues, as well as extensive experience in operations. He/she will have exceptional diplomatic skills to engage effectively with the many stakeholders involved inside and outside the Bank. He/she will also have a demonstrated ability to work effectively with counterparts in government as well as with multilateral and bilateral institutions. He/she is also expected to establish and maintain good working relationships with a variety of international and national partner organizations (academia, society groups, local research centers). He/she will work closely with the AFE Procurement Hub-Coordinators under the overall guidance of the APM to ensure a coordinated approach with all AFE client countries to support their procurement reforms with focus on strengthening country.

He/she will provide a complete range of SPP and e-GP services to AFE countries’ portfolio and work with institutions to improve service delivery and public expenditures management through more transparent, effective, and efficient procurement and contract management with sustainable outcomes. He/she will:

•  Play a leadership and advisory role to clients and colleagues in handling complex SPP and e-GP tasks and issues, which frequently cut across sectors and/or work units. Likewise, the selected candidate would substantially support the country dialogue in regard to reform and modernization of public procurement system, to strengthen legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks and build procurement capacity.
•  Develop and promote SPP and e-GP in Bank procurement policies to improve Bank project and sector work while serving as a recognized authority in advising management and procurement staff on strategy and long-range interventions on SPP and e-GP policy systemic issues and related operational issues across sectors.
•  Support client countries in modernizing procurement systems using state-of-the-art digital technologies to achieve value for money (VFM) and enhance economic, social, and environmental development outcomes.
•  Contribute to the Bank’s efforts in promoting SPP and e-GP reform dialogue, working in close collaboration with Governance sector colleagues and in professionalizing the function of procurement.
•  Make significant contributions to the design and implementation of SPP programs and e-GP systems, including supporting the assessment of systems, creating country capacity, influencing the design, reform and strengthening of institutional capacity within borrower entities and monitoring the reform initiatives in client countries.
•  Participate in missions as an SPP and e-GP expert in countries along with Procurement Hub Coordinator and country- based Procurement Specialists.
•  Play a key role in developing innovative, practical approaches to SPP and e-GP including concepts, synergies, and solutions in line with good international practices while simultaneously dealing with relevant policy and operational issues at the regional, country and or sector levels.
•  Play a significant role within the function in guiding, mentoring, and establishing a framework and approach to SPP and e-GP knowledge dissemination and be a key contributor in the design of professional and operational training or development of relevant knowledge products.
•  Design and deliver SPP and e-GP capacity building workshops for Bank staff and borrowers.

Carrying out the responsibilities of the Senior Procurement Specialist, will involve interaction with TTLs, program leaders. practice managers, government officials, and counterparts in other international organizations and Governance-Public Sector and -Financial Management specialists.

Selection Criteria

•  Sustained record of achieving high-quality substantive results over an extended period and a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience including broad expertise in the management of public procurement with multiple regional experience.
•  An advanced degree (MA/MSc/MBA) in a relevant discipline (e.g., engineering, procurement, law, IT, finance, business, or commerce).
•  In-depth knowledge of Bank operations and demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate SPP and e-GP specific knowledge with broader operational policies, research objectives, etc.
•  Proven ability to carry out assessment of procurement capacity of implementing agencies, conceptualize and design procurement arrangements for new operations (including PforR operations).
•  Proven track record in supporting clients in initiating and implementing programs/projects with development impact including in using appropriate lending instruments and modalities, e.g., introducing innovations, including e-GP and SPP approaches, or replicating and customizing successful projects to meet client needs.
•  Experience in designing, leading and delivering large scale and complex international e-GP operations and implementations.
•  Experience in designing and implementing SPP practices with socio-economic and environmental objectives.
•  High level of integrity with demonstrated strong client-service skills, and a sense of personal responsibility for achieving a high level of technical quality and timeliness in performing the procurement fiduciary and service functions and in delivering the work program.
•  Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships among business drivers and procurement processes, and ability to deal sensitively in a country-specific and multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
•  State-of-the-art knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices which govern international procurement as well as public procurement policies.
•  Strong communication skills and persuasiveness in presenting, negotiating, and resolving highly complex issues, both orally and in writing.
•  Ability to identify complex issues and to respond innovatively, without adding unnecessary complexity to tasks or projects.
•  Ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment, both as a team leader and team member.
•  Proven ability to conceptualize, design and implement major projects.
•  Ability to promote client commitment to ensuring implementation and longer-term sustainability of projects/programs.
•  Ability to travel frequently.
•  Excellent command of English.

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.

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