Senior Operations Officer, Washington-------->>

Closing date: Monday, 16 March 2015

Background / General description

The Trust Funds and Partnerships department (DFPTF) is in the Development Finance Vice-Presidency (DFi), reporting to the DFi Vice President. DFi is responsible for the management and monitoring of policies and procedures for the World Bank's development financing vehicles. DFi sets the policy framework for the World Bank Group's development finance by engaging in strategic resource mobilization, playing an intermediation role to help align the needs of recipients, WBG institutional priorities, and priorities of funding partners, through a variety funding instruments. These include the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's fund for the poorest, and Trust Funds, including Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs). Given the nature and variety of this portfolio, DFi works closely with the President's office, Executive Directors, WBG senior management, corporate and operations units across the WBG, funding partners and government officials. The new WBG strategy and corresponding change agenda present an opportunity to further strengthen the Bank Group approach to development finance. As such, DFi has recently undergone a strategic shift and change process, resulting in a more holistic approach to financing, financial policy, and strategic fundraising across IDA, IBRD, and Bank/IFC trust funds and partnerships.

As part of this shift, the VPU now includes the following units:

Trust Funds and Partnerships (DFPTF). DFPTF is at the forefront of the Bank's engagement in trust funds (including financial intermediary funds, or FIFs), global partnerships and innovative financing initiatives. As such, the department is responsible for managing and administering the Bank's US$44 bn portfolio of trust funds and FIFs, designing and establishing new, multi-donor partnership initiatives underpinned by trust funds and FIFs, and setting the policy and procedural framework for trust funds, FIFs and partnerships.
Development Partner Relations (DFDPR). DFDPR is a cross-institutional undertaking which aims to develop a more coordinated, systematic and strategic relationship with funders across the range of WBG financial instruments to help establish a corporate resource mobilization strategy.
IDA Resource Mobilization (DFIRM). DFIRM is responsible for the replenishment and stewardship of the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank's principal facility for providing highly concessional resources to the world's poorest countries. DFIRM is the institutional focal point for the IDA replenishment process and most recently shepherded the IDA17 replenishment process to a successful conclusion as the highest replenishment ever at $52 billion.
IBRD Corporate Finance (DFICF). IBRD Corporate Finance in the DFi focuses on collaborating on new ways to scale up the overall pool of funds and improve the flexibility of instruments.
DFPTF comprises three units: Client Services; Policy, Design, and Risk Management; and Finance and Portfolio Operations. DFPTF is seeking to recruit a Senior Operations Officer who will report to the Head of the Policy, Design, and Risk Management Unit within DFi.

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

The Senior Operations Officer will have the following primary duties and responsibilities

Contribute to the World Bank's trust fund and partnership Reform Agenda through development of partnership and trust fund policies, the design of standardized and simplified business processes, using rigorous, systematic and quantitative analyses as appropriate.
Work and coordinate closely with other internal stakeholders in the Reform Agenda - namely, OPCS, BPS, LEG, WFA, GPVP, Regions - to ensure corporate alignment in terms of priorities.
Lead analytics on the trust fund and partnerships portfolio to inform policy design and impact on the WBG's financial sustainability, budget, cost recovery, and strategic objectives.
Identify key partnership and trust fund policy issues through regular and frequent interaction with the GPs and Regions as well as with relevant corporate units, and facilitate management of such issues in concert with other DFPTF Units.
Prepare and lead communications with internal and external stakeholders on trust fund reform and operational issues, such as Consultative Group on Operational Principles, trust fund process simplification, and cost recovery
The position will report to the Manager of the Design, Establishment, and Implementation Unit within DFPTF.

Selection Criteria

A Master's degree or equivalent with a minimum of 8 years of relevant and progressively substantive operational and policy experience, combined with a good knowledge of the Bank.
Mature judgment and excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders - staff, corporate units and development partners. Ability to work across the WBG in a collaborative manner is essential.
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written. Prior experience in preparing Board papers desired. Experience with corporate communications
Proven track record in change management within or outside the World Bank Group.
Deep knowledge of and experience with key Bank operational policies and procedures, including trust funds, and experience relevant to Bank portfolio management essential.
Ability to contribute to strategic initiatives across DFi and with external partners
Prior hands-on experience with Bank TF program strongly preferred.
Following language abilities a plus: Japanese, Mandarin

In addition to the above selection criteria, the following competencies are expected of the successful candidate

Competencies

Analytical and technical skills, strategy development and advice - recognized by peers and/or managers for ability to identify and pro-actively address trust fund operational policy and application issues and problems
Strong written and oral communication skills
Strong quantitative analytical skills
Ability to conduct a dialogue with clients - GP and Regional staff, donors, senior management - on familiar topics, with a narrow scope based on a solid understanding of the WBG partnership principles and policies.
Team leadership and work -- leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team leadership skills of team members.
Client Orientation - maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based and solution-oriented advice.