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.

For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.

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 education, health, and skills, which have Africa only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential.

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 349 projects totaling more than $60 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.

Globally, one billion people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 685 million people lack electricity, and nearly 4 billion people lack Internet access.

Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor.

The Infrastructure (INF) Practice Group within the World Bank is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. The INF Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) currently consists of four global practices (GPs): Energy & Extractives (EEX); Transport; Urban, Resilience and Land (URL), and Infrastructure Finance Practice (IFP). It oversees the Bank’s work across energy and transport sectors, urban development, as well as efforts to promote energy transition, low-carbon transportation, livable cities, disaster risk resilience, land management, and quality infrastructure services through public-private partnerships.

Infrastructure represents around $110 billion of the Bank’s portfolio.

For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure

The Africa energy sector grouping consists of four units across two regions of Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) and Western and Central Africa (AFW), each managed by a Practice Manager.

The units together total over 120 staff of which 58% (over 70) are based outside the US, and more than half of the operational and advisory activities are managed /led by field-based staff.  The Bank is engaged in all aspects of the electricity sector – generation, transmission, distribution, rural electrification, and off-grid.

The Africa Energy Program in Western and Central Africa currently comprises about 41 projects with a value of over US$9 billion, covering reforms (sector and corporate governance, energy security and the environment, regional energy trade, public-private partnerships, energy efficiency, etc.) and investment support in power generation, power and gas transmission and distribution, regional connectivity, rural energy services, renewable energy development, low-carbon and climate friendly initiatives.

The Program uses a variety of instruments, including investment lending, guarantees for public private partnerships, and development policy lending.

In addition, the Bank manages a strong knowledge agenda to inform the policy dialogue in the sector.

The IAWE2 (West Africa) unit seeks an experienced Senior Power Engineer based in Washington D.C.

to provide (i) technical support to the Unit’s operations, including cross-border infrastructure projects, and investments and advisory services to help advance the regional power market of the WAPP; and (ii) technical support/advice on the preparation and supervision of technical assistance and infrastructure projects geared towards the expansion and digitalization of power generation, transmission and distribution segments in West African countries.

In West Africa, where insufficient electricity supply is a major barrier to expanding access, regional power system integration and clean energy transition are key areas of focus to help countries achieve energy security.

Also, reforms remain critical to improve the financial standing of power sectors and utilities and ultimately create the conditions for private investment.

Finally, renewed focus will be given to electrification, based on attentive planning and a combination of grid-based and decentralized solutions as the WBG joins forces with other partners to increase energy access to at least 300 million people in Africa.

The Senior Power Engineer will help strengthen the Unit’s technical competencies and interface with relevant stakeholders (power utilities; project implementation unit – PIUs; energy-sector concerned government agencies; development partners; consultants and contractors), with the ultimate objective to achieve high-quality and smooth preparation and implementation of projects and reliable operation of power systems.

Overall, the selected candidate will serve as focal point on power systems engineering and, in this field, will provide technical leadership in support to project design, preparation and supervision; interface with clients and development partners; and knowledge development.

• At least 8 years of relevant energy sector experience, and notably in planning, designing, and implementing power infrastructure projects including gas-to-power and RE generation, power transmission and distribution, and on-grid and off-grid electrification.

Hands-on experience in managing infrastructure projects is a distinct advantage.

• Recognized and extensive track record in providing technical leadership for the preparation/execution of complex infrastructure projects.

A consistent track record in carrying out high quality and timely analytical work would be advantageous.

• Extensive work experience in West Africa countries, including FCV countries. The ideal candidate will have combined experience at the World Bank, other international institutions and/or companies, government agencies, and/or power sector utilities with consistent record of successful engagement with complex projects.

Extensive experience with multi-donor funded projects, and in interacting with different development agencies is a plus.