The Western and Central Africa Region of the World Bank is looking for dedicated professionals with a passion for international development to join our innovative and diverse staff. A career with the World Bank Group offers a unique opportunity to contribute to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. We are opening 20 new positions in our country offices in the Western and Central Africa Region.
Transport in the Africa Region has a large and diversity portfolio of about 54 projects under implementation, with an aggregate value of about US$ 8.9 billion. This portfolio is increasing by 5-10 projects per year, with a slightly smaller number closing over the same period. The record replenishment for IDA20, together with the greater focus on fragile states, gender equality, transformational projects, greater private sector participation, and climate change, is leading to a further increase in both the diversity and scale of the portfolio. The Transport program in Africa is split between four units covering (a) Francophone and Lusophone West Africa and Gambia, (b) East Africa, (c) Southern Africa, and (d) Central Africa, and anglophone West Africa except Gambia.
In the IAWT3 unit, the World Bank serves 10 client countries. Clients range from lower middle-income countries such as Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria with high demand for infrastructure programs, to fragile and low-income IDA countries such as Central African Republic and Sierra Leone. Areas of particular interest for the transport sector in these countries include rural transport for agricultural productivity; urban mobility (particularly Bus Rapid Transit systems) to improve functioning of urban areas and improving accessibility to jobs and social services by the poorer segments of the population; regional integration corridors for facilitating trade and reducing logistics costs; investments in ports, railway, and air transport, for improving connectivity within and across countries; PPPs to bring in efficiencies in the provision of infrastructure and services; and road safety interventions to reduce the high number of traffic fatalities in the client countries.
IAWT3 is hiring a Transport Specialist (Locally Recruited Staff), with outstanding technical skills and knowledge of urban mobility issues, and other transport sub-sector experience and prior direct project management experience—preferably in Africa—to join the WB Country Office in Abuja, Nigeria. She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager, Transport.
Are you ready to make an impact? Are you a development expert who is seeking new career challenges?
Eligibility Criteria
Can I apply? Yes, if you are:
- Interested in a local position in one of the offices of the Western and Central Africa region of the World Bank;
- Hold a Master’s and/or PhD Degree(s) with a minimum of 5-8 years of professionally relevant experience for levels GF, GG, and EC2;
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree and an accounting certificate with a minimum of 2 years of experience for the GE position
- A technical expert with development experience in the relevant areas;
- Fluent in oral and written English. French or Portuguese is also required for some positions.
WBG COMPETENCIES
- Deliver results for clients - Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
- Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
- Make Smart Decisions - Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.
- Integrative skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas
- Policy dialogue skills – anticipate needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners
- Transport policy, strategy and institutions – Solid understanding of transport policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
- Operational Project Management – demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of transport project management tools and methodologies,
- Project design for impact and sustainability – contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context
- Team leadership – leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in race, gender, nationality, culture, and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. Women and SSA/CR candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates with open term appointments will retain their employment status if selected for this position. All others will be offered a 2-year term appointment. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Offered Benefits
- 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.
- Benefits for TERM appointments
- Benefits for ETC appointments
The Specialist will:
- Manage, as Task Team co-Leader, or contribute as member to the supervision of other transport projects in Nigeria covering the core elements of planning, design, procurement, construction, contract management, maintenance, and operations, while paying close attention to the design and monitoring the implementation of safeguards and other cross-cutting issues, including climate change/resilience considerations, gender dimensions, and opportunities for expanding the incorporation of the private sector in the financing and/or provision of transport infrastructure and services.
- Under the guidance of the Transport GP Practice Manager and the Infrastructure PG Program Leader, support the technical dialogue in the transport sector with the authorities of the Government of Nigeria, with a particular focus on urban mobility, which is expected to be a growing agenda in Nigeria.
- Manage or contribute to selected analytical studies, particularly on issues related to urban mobility, financing options, asset maintenance and operations, climate resilience, impact evaluation, and generally best practices in the investment, management and delivery of infrastructure and services.
- Contribute to cross-sectoral teams responsible for preparation of Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Country Partnership Framework (CPF), Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), policy notes, public expenditures reviews, sectoral studies, and research and policy development activities on the relevant topics/sections pertaining to transport and trade and competitiveness.
- Support the Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in the transport practice by participating in a selected number of thematic technical groups and participating in drafting selected technical notes in collaboration with other Global practices to enhance the creation and dissemination of new knowledge and expanding the existing knowledge base.
- Stay abreast of recent developments in the transport sector world-wide, in relation to the topics of specialization for this position.
The Transport Specialist will be based in the Abuja Country Office, on a 2-year appointment, renewable based on performance and business need. She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager. Her/His activities will be defined with the Practice Manager and adjusted based on business needs.
