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

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region

We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. We are committed to making the Africa regional teams into leading innovation hubs.

Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in infrastructure, education, health, and skills. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been made over the past decades.

In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 387 projects totaling more than $44.1 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation — all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.

Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better after COVID. 

https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

The Infrastructure Practice Group

Globally, 840 million people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 1 billion people lack electricity, and 4 billion people lack Internet access. Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor. The Infrastructure Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies.

Transport Global Practice

Better transport has the potential to improve the lives and livelihoods of billions of people by facilitating access to jobs, markets, and essential services such as healthcare or education. The World Bank provides financial and technical assistance to help countries implement sustainable mobility solutions that create real, lasting development benefits. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/transport 

The Transport Practice Manager (PM/IAWT3) for Western and Central Africa (AFW), will be one of the 2 Transport PMs managing transport programs in AFW.  S/he will have direct responsibility for managing the delivery of the GP’s programs in three CMUs (the Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon CMUs) which cover the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic.  The operational portfolio managed by the IAWT3 PM comprises about 11 projects for about $2.4 billion, as well as a program of strategic ASA.

The Practice Manager will report to the AFW Regional Director for Infrastructure.  S/he will be a member of the AFW Regional and Transport GP Management Teams, and jointly with the other Transport PM for AFW represent Transport in regional discussions.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Practice Manager (PM) will be expected to take a strong lead role in understanding and responding to the transport challenges facing the region. The PM will collaborate across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to help design and deliver development solutions to a diverse range of clients, aimed at: (i) improving regional connectivity to enhance trade opportunities through regional integration and efficient freight logistics, rural access to enhance agriculture productivity, and urban mobility to support more inclusive urban development; (ii) strengthening the capacity of clients to plan and implement transport interventions across transport modes through policy and institutional reforms, improving the knowledge-base and feedback loops, strengthening planning processes, managing environmental and social safeguards and mainstreaming social accountability; (iii) leveraging resources through strong partnerships (donor coordination and PPPs), including increasing commercial and domestic financing for connectivity, mobility and logistics projects in the countries, and (iv) ensuring sustainability by improving governance and efficiency in the sector, bringing transformative technologies on transport planning and service delivery, as well as increasing resilience of transport infrastructure and supporting a low carbon path. 

The PM will work closely with colleagues in other Global Practices in areas of governance, public expenditure management, trade facilitation and regional integration, climate change, public private partnerships, urban development, digital development, agriculture, social and environmental safeguards, procurement and financial management, decentralization and local governance, and monitoring and evaluation of impact and results.

The PM will need to demonstrate strong teamwork and collegiality, as well as strong strategic leadership.  In consultation with AFW’s CDs and Program Leaders, s/he will lead the preparation of AFW’s annual work programs, and in coordination with the other regional PM, support the deployment of staff resources to implement transport programs across AFW, while ensuring coherence with the Infrastructure Practice Group and Transport Global Practice strategic directions.  He/she will partner with the PMs covering AFW and AFE and ensure adequate representation of the GP and coordination of positions at a regional level.  He/she will manage the day-to-day activities of the team, and oversee the effective performance evaluation, and career development of the staff mapped to him/her.  More specifically, the PM is responsible for the following areas:

Solutions and Results to Clients (main responsibility):

• Leads her/his team to deliver the AFW key strategic priorities and, in collaboration with the other AFW Transport PM, Country Directors and their PLs, ensures alignment of unit products and deliverables with the WBG Strategy and Country Partnership Frameworks.
• Draws on global thought leadership and implementation know-how to ensure high impact solutions; provides focused, evidence-based and just-in-time analytical insights to clients with a view to inform better decision making.
• Works in partnership with other PMs, the Transport Global Unit, and Global Solutions Leads, and with other GPs, IFC, MIGA, as well as public and private stakeholders, to find tailored solutions to complex development challenges.
• Engages actively with other GPs to ensure the transport team contributes its expertise to operations and activities managed by other GPs; ensures quality of cross-support provided.
• Builds and maintains a balanced portfolio of innovative, cost-effective, and demand-driven products and services.
• Leads a broad based effort in partnership with the SD PG, CMUs, and others to strengthen the environmental and social dimensions of the transport program.
• Ensures quality of pipeline and portfolio of operations and ASA.
• Is accountable for delivering high-quality and timely results.

People/Talent Management:

• Models exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforces these qualities in own team and staff.
• Drives and inspires technical excellence within the team and the GP by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients.
• Supports GP management in developing and implementing appropriate strategies for global staffing, deployment, talent, and performance management.
• Manages transport staff involved in delivering the AFW work program, and in coordination with the other PMs in the GP and Transport Global Unit oversees deployment of staff resources, supports staff engagement in cross support activities across and within regions, and resolves trade-offs in staff work assignments.
• Drives increased decentralization of staff within budget parameters.  Mentors field-based staff, being responsive to staff requests, and ensuring they remain well connected with the rest of the team.
• Supports GP management in developing and implementing appropriate strategies for global staffing, deployment, talent, and performance management. Actively participates in the Transport GP Talent Board to contribute to a successful outcome of the annual staff rotations, and to other talent management initiatives, and represents the Africa region’s perspective in these discussions.

Knowledge Management and Partnerships:

• Responds to global, regional, and national challenges and opportunities in the sustainable transport area.  Ensures that the GP is at the forefront of the development debate and contributes to the global dialogue on Transport.
• Represents the WBG in and contributes to international fora on transport matters, in coordination with other Transport PMs and Global Solutions Leads.
• Develops close partnerships with donor agencies, international organizations, and other development partners active in transport in AFR.
• Strengthens the analytical base of the unit’s work and sets the stage for more policy-based transport lending in the region.
• Ensures timely flow and capture of knowledge and expertise so that clients receive the highest quality support and knowledge they need, when and where they need it.
• Promotes innovative and cross-cutting research, as well as the dissemination of technical and experiential knowledge and learning.
• Instills a culture of evidence-based, yet client-tailored engagement for highest development impact.

Resource Management:

• Manages within available budget constraints, restructures unit as needed and establishes funding priorities.
• In consultation with relevant stakeholders within the WBG, decides on the best use of internal and external resources for maximum client and developmental impact.
• Is accountable for delivering the agreed upon work program through cost-effective use of resources (human and budget) within the agreed parameters and in compliance with internal controls and policies and ensures timely delivery and overall quality of the GP’s outputs.
• Supports the Global Transport GP and AFW Region fundraising efforts, as applicable.

Selection Criteria

• Masters or PhD degree and 12-15 years of relevant experience in a transport related field, in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
• Strong operational and development experience in more than one world region.  Work experience in the Africa region and/or FCV countries will be a plus.
• Ability to influence dialogue and policy on transport, including a track record conducting effective policy dialogue with country counterparts, communicating, and defending difficult issues and positions to senior bank management and high-level government officials.
• Track record of successful management of complex environmental and social safeguards dimensions of operations.
• Technical knowledge and experience in one or more of the Transport areas described above is desirable, though solid managerial and influencing skills are at a premium for this position.
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills with an established track record of managing multi-location and virtual teams.
• Strong sense of strategy, including ability to prioritize and exit some activities, and a track record in streamlining and rationalizing product offerings.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience working successfully across sector issues, practices, and institutional boundaries.
• Good partnership experience, including involving multiple stakeholders – both public and private – in building collaborative alliances for results.
• Understanding of donor relations and the trust funds framework.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with proven experience in dealing with the media, external constituencies, and expert groups.
• Track record of effectively managing people and budget processes in an open and collegial way.
• Fluency in English and French is required. 

WBG Managerial Competencies

Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce.

While this position has been advertised in Washington DC, qualified applicants interested in performing the duties of the IAWT3 transport practice manager position from a country office in AFW are encouraged to apply. 

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.