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

The Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice

The WB is the largest provider of development finance and solutions for social protection and jobs, working with high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries to develop country-tailored solutions for specific social protection and labor challenges. These range from increasing the efficiency with which social resources are spent (where well-designed social safety net programs, effective pension programs, and integrated social protection systems are proven solutions) to improving employment outcomes through employability programs and associated policy reforms, often most effective when targeted to the poor or the young.

The Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice (SPJ GP) delivers operational approaches and evidence-based solutions to help individuals and families manage risk, cope with chronic or transitional poverty, and access better livelihoods and jobs. These include:

• Strategy, analysis and financing of programs delivering social safety nets social assistance in the form of cash transfers, public works programs, social services, and fee waivers.

• Advisory and analytical services on design and delivery of social insurance programs, contributory transfers, including old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, disability and survivor benefits, and their fiscal sustainability (including budget support for transitions).

• Analysis, design and delivery of Labor market and youth employment programs, with a focus on supply side interventions and intermediation policies, as well as policy advice on labor market regulations and interventions.

• Strategy, analysis, financing and design of integrating social protection delivery systems (e.g., payments, identification, registries, systems assessments) as underpinnings of effective social programs that can help cope with climate shocks or underpin fiscal reforms.

HCSLP, the regional SPJ unit for the Latin America and Caribbean Region (LAC), manages operations and analytical work across the region. In recent years, the Social Protection and Jobs GP has developed an important work program across the region. The total portfolio of some eleven projects amount to over US$ 2.8 billion in net commitments across Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. In addition, the GP manages analytical work, reimbursable advisory support (RAS) and Trust Funds.

As a result of COVID 19, the GP has seen as important additional number of project requests and project restructurings to support country response to the effects of the crisis. Operations include safety net systems and transfers, labor and jobs specific operations, support to restructure unemployment insurance, and operations to support productive inclusion initiatives across many countries in the region. Additionally, the unit maintains an ongoing program of analytical and advisory work at both country and regional level spanning the full range of SPJ thematic areas.

SPJ in Haiti. Haiti is an example of countries in which the COVID 19 crisis has triggered the rapid implementation of emergency assistance, but also the medium-term development of safety net systems. The crisis in Haiti has been compounded by a powerful earthquake in August 2021 that led to significant losses and damages to housing and assets, further exacerbating the plight of chronically poor households and pushing many vulnerable households into poverty. In addition, a deterioration of the security situation triggered by an increase in gang activities and social unrest following an increase in fuel prices in 2022. The SPJ portfolio in Haiti now covers a range of large investments across both operations and analytics, including a US$ 75 million Adaptive Social Protection For Increased Resilience project [under implementation] providing both regular cash transfers as well as accompanying measures to promote financial inclusion and better health and nutrition for increased resilience; a new [under implementation] operation to promote economic inclusion of persons with disabilities , various analytical activities focusing on generating evidence on the impact of cash transfers and of behavior change interventions but also technical assistance to support the delivery of social assistance and adaptive social protection in Haiti to help the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to build its capacity to plan for, budget, and execute SPJ programs.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The World Bank is seeking an Extended Term Consultant to join the SPJ team for Latin America and the Caribbean, based in Port-au-Prince,  Haiti but expected to travel to other regions within the country. The ETC will be a core member of the SPJ-country engagement team. This will include working on safety nets operations throughout the project cycle, facilitating trust fund activities, contributing to country dialogue, and providing operational and technical assistance.

S/he will contribute to the successful day-to-day delivery of SPJ sector policy dialogue, operations and analytical and advisory tasks by working jointly with other team members in the World Bank, clients, development partners and academia that actively support the development and reform of social protection and labor systems. Within the World Bank, s/he shall work with other GPs and contribute to multi-sectoral tasks as per business requirements.

The overall role of the incumbent would be to support the SPJ team in advancing on its objective of supporting the Haitian government in developing an adaptive social protection system through technical assistance, analysis, and financing. Specifically, her/his main responsibilities will include:

– Provide technical and supervisory support to key project implementing agencies, namely, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST) and its partners, and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (BSEIPH) to help ensure successful implementation of social protection programs at the central and local levels (with a focus on Grande Anse department);

– Review annual work plans, budgets, Terms of Reference, procurement documents, and other project-related documents as needed;

– Organize, support and participate in World Bank missions related to social protection in Haiti;

– Coordinate activities with stakeholders in Port au Prince and in the field (including Government but also UN partners) and support engagement and coordination with other partners – donors, NGOs, civil society operating in the social safety nets space;

– Coordinate capacity building activities for the Project Implementation Unit at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and provide operational support to institutionalize the PIU within MAST administrative structures;

– Support Monitoring & Evaluation tools implementation and reporting. This may include, but not limited to on-site moniting surveys, post-distribuion monitoring surveys, focus group discussions, monthly and quarterly reports, etc;

– Advise on and support the development of specific tools supporting the program implementation, monitoring, and grievances redress mechanism (GRM). This may include but not limited to beneficiaries outreach, selection and registration, operational monitoring, information systems (social registry, beneficiary registry, integrated management information system MIS), GRM Standard operations procedures, etc;

– Identify innovative and practical modalities for delivery of program related activities in a fragile and low capacity context. This may include but not limited to electronic payments of tranfers, use of non-standard data such as detailed phone calls data for remote identification, selection and enrollment, delivery of behaviour change awareness measures, and geo spatial enabled monitoring of activities;

– Contribute to Aide Memoires, Implementation Status Reports, and other Bank documentation as needed;

– Prepare inputs for notes, briefs, papers, and reports related to social protection and safety nets;

– Provide support to SPJ task team on analytical and advisory services (ASA) efforts with a focus on delivery systems (e.g., payments, identification, registries, systems assessments, financing instruments) as underpinnings of effective shock responsive social programs, working with other Global Practices as needed.

– Support data collection exercises across Ministry of Finance, line ministries, social services infrastructures, private sector organizations, and World Bank PIUs for the implementation of Bank-Executed Trust Fund activities;

– Review and provide technical inputs to methodology, survey instruments, reports, and other planned deliverables;

– Contribute to knowledge exchange and dissemination activities;

– Represent the Bank as needed in meetings with stakeholders;

– Assist with other related tasks, as assigned.

The successful candidate will report to the Practice Manager of Social Protection and Labor Global Practice for LAC. S/he will be part of the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice in the Latin America and Caribbean Region and will work closely with the Human Development teams and Program Leads for Haiti and the Caribbean. 

Selection Criteria

– Education: Graduate-level training with a minimum of master’s level degree in a social science field (for example, international development, economics, sociology, public policy, political science), with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

– Experience supporting programs related to human development (health, education, social protection) would be an advantage.

– Strong operational skills and excellent command of the entire office package.

– Excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.

– Experience supporting programs funded by World Bank or other donors or United Nations agency would be an advantage.

– Demonstrated ability to share knowledge and experience, identify and disseminate good practices and work effectively in a team setting and across organizational, cultural, and national boundaries.

– High motivation, initiative, a positive attitude, team spirit, and the capacity to work comfortably in a challenging environment.

– Ability to work under pressure and work flexibly and independently on a range of assignments, to adjust to changing needs, and to prioritize among evolving tasks.

– English, French, and Haitian Creole required.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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