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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

THE WORLD BANK GROUP GLOBAL PRACTICES & CROSS-CUTTING SOLUTIONS AREAS. Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2015, the WBG committed $60 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $19 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188 member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

THE ROLE OF THE GLOBAL PRACTICE FOR FINANCE, COMPETITIVENESS, AND INNOVATION (FCI) IN THE WBG. Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation (FCI) is comprised of about 700 staff working across more than 120 countries. It works toward creating an enabling environment in which financial stability, efficiency and firm-level solutions are provided in an integrated way to crowd in the private sector, support the creation of markets, and accelerate equitable growth. FCI also houses the IFC Implementation Units focused on implementing public sector advisory work in support of the finance and entrepreneurship agenda across all six regions. About one third of FCI professional staff are decentralized to the field working closely with the Country Management Units and in proximity to clients. FCI professionals also lead or participate in a wide variety of analytical and advisory work that add to the core expertise delivered to client countries. Knowledge and learning are a central part of the FCI agenda, with work focused on the following thematic areas: (a) Financial Stability and Integrity; (b) Long Term Finance; (c) Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure; (d) Industry Solutions; (e) Firm Capabilities and Innovation; and (f) Crisis and Disaster Risk Finance. FCI works closely with the Global Practice for Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (MTI) on systematic country diagnostics, country strategies, policy lending and other private sector diagnostics, analytical and lending activities.

Eastern and Southern Africa: Home to about half a billion of Africa’s people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. The subregion harbors some of Africa’s protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continues to keep people from reaching their full potential. This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.  

The World Bank’s Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,207 staff, mostly based in 26 country offices, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the following priorities:

• Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies
• Building up the Digital Economy
• Institutions more Efficient and Accountable
• Investing in People
• Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption
• Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence
• Building Partnerships and Working across the African Continent

This position is for an Extended Term Consultant in the FCI Practice of Southern Africa.
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.

Roles & Responsibilities

This position is to support the preparation and implementation of a large financial preparedness and climate resilience program called “Regional Emergency Preparedness and Access to Inclusive Recovery” program – REPAIR. REPAIR is a multi-phase programmatic approach (MPA), including various phases of countries joining the program at different stages (the first one being July 2024). Target countries include Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone African countries. The first phase countries are Comoros, Madagascar and Mozambique.
Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are significantly exposed to climate shocks and Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) Diagnostics and Strategies undertaken in recent years point to a financial protection gap in terms of funding and financial instruments available to respond to disasters.

The REPAIR MPA aims to establish a Regional Climate Risk Fund to provide countries with a suite of affordable financial instruments to respond quickly to disasters, which will include (i) reserves for moderate and frequent shocks, (ii) contingent credit for severe and less frequent shocks, and (iii) parametric insurance for catastrophic shocks. It will link financial preparedness with operational preparedness so that the money flows efficiently to ultimate beneficiaries -households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)- in case of disasters. Each participating country will identify national distribution channels which will be linked to the Ministry of Finance through a governance framework to ensure a swift flow of funds and strong accountability.
The REPAIR MPA and the newly established Regional Climate Risk Fund will be managed by a regional financial institution to create economies of scale, pool the risks of the participating countries and transfer them to financial markets.

In addition to providing support to the REPAIR MPA the consultant may also work on some financial sector activities in the EAEF2 Unit with a focus on financial inclusion, SME finance and climate finance.
The Consultant’s responsibilities are expected to be the following:

• Support the World Bank REPAIR team in the development of climate risk finance and insurance solutions for the countries joining the REPAIR program. In the short-term for the first phase of countries joining the program, support the team on the preparation of an investment policy for the reserves and the structuring of the contingent credit instrument.
• Coordinate with the regional implementing agency to ensure their readiness in meeting World Bank fiduciary and environmental and social standards, as well as reporting and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) requirements. In the initial implementation phase, this will require hands-on support to the regional implementing agency to ensure requirements and countries’ needs are met, and a strong engagement with countries.• Support the preparation of a strategy on onboarding additional countries into the REPAIR program.

• Prepare briefs on the benefits of the REPAIR program and financial leverage / private capital mobilization of the program in individual countries, in various languages.
• Prepare the value for money analysis of the REPAIR program in coordination with the Global Disaster Risk Finance team.
• Contribute to the elaboration and adoption of a governance framework, customized by country, to ensure that funds flow quickly to ultimate beneficiaries in case of disasters. Engage with countries on the dissemination and adoption of this framework.• Elaborate a robust M&E framework to collect information on how many beneficiaries are reached, how, including gender-disaggregated data, to correctly report on the outcomes and results of the REPAIR program. Engage with countries on the design of this framework.

• Develop processes, instruments, and indicators to ensure the gender dimension is well integrated in the REPAIR program.
• Collect evidence and prepare materials to support the country dialogue on benefitting MSME affected by climate shocks with the REPAIR program. Design and oversee surveys on how MSME are affected by climate shocks.• Prepare reporting material to the Global Shield Finance Facility and help onboard other countries are priority within the Facility.

• Contribute to the preparation of the World Bank corporate documents required for project preparation.
Prepare communication materials to various internal and external stakeholders on the REPAIR program.

The Consultant would also work on the private sector workstream – help teams in the South Africa CMU on data and research to inform projects and ASA.

The Consultant will also perform any other tasks are requested by the Practice Manager and Task Team Leader of the project. In particular, the Consultant may be asked to support some of the ongoing projects and activities in the EAEF2 unit on SME finance, financial inclusion and climate finance.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree [or equivalent professional qualification] plus at least 5 years of experience in finance, economics, statistics, engineering, disaster risk management, or related discipline.
• Proven ability to work in teams, as well as support the delivery of complex analytical and advisory services.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality work on time.
• Proven ability and experience to engage with country clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Fluency in French is required. Fluency or ability to prepare/check materials in Portuguese would be an advantage.
• Experience in emerging markets is required.

World Bank Group Core 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.
• Lead and Innovate – Contributes to development of innovative solutions.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
• Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.
• Operational Project Management – Demonstrates broad knowledge of project management tools & methodologies; identifies key risks and mitigation measures; interprets background analysis and proposed solutions.
• Financial Economic Policy – Demonstrates knowledge of economic policy development; demonstrates strong analytical skills & writing ability to help identify and assess policy issues in support of policy dialogue.
• Sector/Program Representation – Ability to constructively participate in strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.

Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Experience in Disaster Risk Finance or climate risks for the financial sector, or climate finance policies and instruments
• Experience in MSME finance, or shock-responsive social protection, or disaster risk management.
• Experience in project preparation of World Bank operations / or managing large and complex World Bank projects.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.

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