Senior Financial Assistant, Washington (GD) World Bank Closing date: Thursday, 5 March 2015 (added 25 February)

Senior Financial Assistant, Washington (GD)
World Bank

Closing date: Thursday, 5 March 2015 (added 25 February)Closing date: Thursday, 5 March 2015

Background / General description

The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of race, gender, nationality, culture, and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

Innovation and partnership bond the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.

The World Bank Treasury ('Treasury', TRE) is the Vice Presidency performing treasury functions for the IBRD and for other members of the World Bank Group. Its activities are organized and grouped along three segments: asset management, banking and debt management, and capital markets services. Treasury has been a large and significant player in the international financial markets for more than fifty years and has achieved a global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower, investor and risk manager.

Treasury is responsible for:

managing more than $130 billion in assets for the World Bank and other official-sector investors;
leading the World Bank's financing program in international and domestic bond and derivatives markets;
conducting asset and liability management for the World Bank's balance sheet;
overseeing the development and outreach related to the financing and hedging products the Bank provides for its developing-country clients; and
collaborating with the World Bank member countries to help build their capacity.

Treasury's staff regularly interacts and collaborates with the other departments across the Bank and Finance Teams, including: Legal Finance (LEGFI), Controller's (CTR), Development Finance (DFi), WBG Chief Risk Officer VPU (CRO) and WBG IT Finance (ITSFI).

Quantitative Strategies, Risk and Analytics Department is the focal point of all World Bank Treasury quantitative needs. QRA designs, develops and implements quantitative models, financial solutions, and strategic framework for internal & external clients, as well as portfolio analytics tools to support decision making at desk level. The team also focuses on quantitative advisory for capacity building for central banks, oil & pension funds, office of debt management & strategic partners. In addition, QRA promotes the WBG image and global standing by working as a research hub through articles, working papers and conference speeches.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities

Working with a high level of discretion and confidentiality in providing wide-ranging financial and executive assistance to the Director, the Senior Financial Assistant will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

Supporting and participating in the coordination and preparation of presentations, reports, logistical arrangements and briefings to the Bank's Senior Management Team, the CFO, Treasury's Executive Committees and the Bank's internal and external auditors;
Preparing presentations and reports for internal and external clients leveraging on her/his understanding of economic and financial principles and terminologies;
Providing research assistance, analytical and/or support to the Director in areas related to investment finance and financial economics, as well as support additional analytical work and projects as needed within the unit, using basic econometrics and fixed income mathematics acquired in a university setting or through relevant work experience;
Serving as the first point of contact for the Director and liaising with an extensive network of contacts, both internal and external;
Responding to inquiries from internal and external counterparts/clients and coordinating the maintenance of the Department's contacts database;
Coordinating the smooth administrative workflow of the Director's office and the department, including general office procedures and guidelines;
Ensuring QRA-wide adherence to administrative guidelines and overall quality of outputs requiring Director's approval and/or signature;
Assisting in the processing of board documents and other correspondence requiring legal clearance;
Working with the QRA Management Team and other staff to ensure that QRA's business continuity plans and equipment are up-to-date and fully functional;
Assisting in the planning, development, coordination and support of QRA-related seminars / trainings / retreats / conferences / meetings and other TRE-wide activities;
Interviewing, recruiting, training, mentoring and overseeing of junior staff in an effective manner;
Providing leadership and guidance to the support team within QRA;
Coordinating the TRS and LARS as well as training and assisting staff in the proper use of these systems;
Interfacing with resource management staff and undertake tasks related to resource management as necessary;
Managing the day-to-day calendar, screening incoming correspondence, documents and messages, preparing responses and/or ensuring appropriate follow-up;
Overseeing the medium- and longer-term planning schedule for the Director, including all travel in connection with speaking engagements, conferences and business meetings with other financial counterparts;
Providing general research support as needed; and
Handling ad hoc duties that may be assigned.

Selection Criteria

Degree in relevant field and a minimum 7 years relevant work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Basic understanding of economic and financial principles and terminologies acquired in a university setting or through relevant work experience.
Understanding of basic econometrics and fixed income mathematics acquired in a university setting or through relevant work experience.
A strong team player with the confidence to interact at all levels of an organization.
Knowledge of the Bank's operations, policies, procedures, and practices, as well as its financial position, good understanding of Treasury operations is highly desirable.
Demonstrated supervisory/leadership skills, including the ability to empower, motivate, mentor, train and supervise staff effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Demonstrated ability to independently respond to extensive and diverse inquiries and make decisions when multiple courses of action are possible. Be able to process, handle, and communicate matters of a sensitive and confidential nature.
Demonstrated ability to handle a variety of activities concurrently, and must possess excellent organization and time management skills.
Excellent office technology skills, including experience with SAP, Notes and Microsoft Office.
Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written English.
Excellent interpersonal skills and mature judgment; ability to work under pressure to achieve individual and team results.
Flexibility in work and willingness to perform additional tasks, as required, and work overtime on short notice, when required.
Positive attitude, high degree of initiative and reliability.
Demonstrated ability to work independently.
Highest ethical standards.

Competencies

Lead and Innovate

Applies creativity, flexibility and persistence to develop new approaches.
Considers own behavior in context of WBG's values and mission and recognizes impact on others.
Frames problems and recommends solutions.

Deliver Results for Clients

Demonstrates initiative, independence and autonomy in addressing client needs in changing business contexts and environments.
Has knowledge of department strategy, vision, and goals and can link them to those of the larger organization.
Allocates and prioritizes resources according to areas of most urgent need and greatest impact for the client.

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries

Adopts a collaborative approach to improve overall effectiveness outside one's department and displays an open, helpful attitude toward others.
Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Demonstrates understanding of and acts to incorporate multiple perspectives.
Frames thinking/actions with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge

Takes ownership for organization of knowledge-sharing and learning activities.
Contributes to the knowledge of the work group and beyond.
Uses feedback to develop self and mentor others.
Builds personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group.

Make Smart Decisions

Anticipates, researches, reviews, and analyzes available data and relevant empirical evidence, including lessons learned.
Understands risk and can provide basic assessment using cost-benefit analysis.
Uses critical thinking and good judgment to make decisions.
Supports decisions, takes action and ensures appropriate follow-up actions are taken.