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

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 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 350 projects totaling more than $38 billion in areas such as education, agriculture, trade and transport, energy, 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.  

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region link 

The Human Development (HD) Practice Group (PG)

Human development is at the core of the World Bank’s strategy to improve people’s lives and support sustainable development. The Human Development research program spans education, health, social protection, and labor.

Education Global Practice  

Education is a human right, a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability. It delivers large, consistent returns in terms of income and is the most important factor to ensure equality of opportunities. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education 

Hiring unit context

Do you want to work on the most challenging and the most rewarding development issues? Join the West Africa Education team at the World Bank.  We cover 13 countries:  Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, The Gambia and Togo.
This job is for you if you bring top technical/analytical and operational skills, if you are energized by big challenges, if you see the value of listening and learning as much as speaking and informing, if you are able to be agile in adapting to new and evolving realities, and if you work well with diverse teams.

Duties and Accountabilities 

Working under the supervision of the Education Practice Manager and under the coordination of the Task Team Leader(s) working in Togo, the Education Specialist will be based in Lome and will support the preparation, supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects, technical assistance, and analytical and advisory activities.

The candidate will:

• Participate in the design and implementation/supervision of operational and analytical tasks, undertaking field missions, as needed;
• Interact with government counterparts, local education group, and other partner organizations (civil society organizations, academia, etc.) on project- and sector-related issues as required;
• Help identify and resolve implementation problems and bottlenecks, advance progress of various activities and components, based on a thorough understanding of the development objectives and design of projects;
• Participate as a core member of the Country Team, taking part in strategic discussions and exploring opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration within the Country Office and across the extended Country Team; 
• Keep all task teams as well as the Country Management team informed of any issues that arise; focus especially on the areas of safeguards and fiduciary management and liaise with appropriate colleagues and experts in those areas; pay particular attention to issues related to citizen engagement, grievance redress and gender-based violence;
• Participate in review meetings and represent the education teams in relevant Bank-wide initiatives; and 
• Perform other duties and tasks, as specified by the Practice Manager, and the relevant project Task Team Leaders.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s in Education (economics of education, evaluation, etc.) or other related fields (e.g. economics, public policy, other human development or social sector-related areas, etc.);
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in education sector dialogue, leading projects, conducting analytics; demonstrated ability to transform technical skills into a strategic vision; 
• Demonstrated ability to work with private sector actors and to deliver multisectoral tasks;
• Excellent written and oral communication in French and in English is essential; ability to represent the Bank at high-level discussions with client governments and development partner meetings is key;
• Experience with leading education tasks, including preparation and supervision of projects and delivering analytical tasks, is essential. Knowledge of Bank and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) policies and procedures would be desirable.

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.