Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? 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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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.
Governance Global Practice Context
Sound governance and effective institutions are essential for achieving shared prosperity and sustained reductions in poverty. A rapidly growing body of analytic work demonstrates that there are clear linkages between good governance and development outcomes. Countries capable of improving governance can use their resources more efficiently with fewer losses and distortions. They can attract higher levels of foreign and domestic investment and, on average, grow more rapidly.
The Governance Global Practice brings together professionals in public management, regulatory policy, transparency, digital governance, law and development, anticorruption, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The practice utilizes a problem-driven, diagnostic approach, combining global comparative knowledge of reform successes and failures with keen understanding of the institutional challenges and opportunities of developing countries.
The Governance Global Practice in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region seeks to recruit an Extended Term Consultant (ETC) to contribute to support and our growing program on SOE reform in the region.
Regional Context
The high participation of the state in the economy in the MENA region has the potential to inhibit economic dynamism and growth. SOEs are a key element of MENA’s social contract and economic development strategy. Yet, the SOEs, combined with an uneven regulatory and policy environment, can limit private investment, direct capital toward low-productivity activities, and exacerbate the misallocation of resources, which ultimately slow growth and inhibit job creation.
Over the last few decades, several MENA countries have improved their SOE ownership practices by building stronger oversight bodies, holding boards more accountable, strengthening monitoring, tightening financial controls, corporatizing and, in some cases, privatizing SOEs. However, these efforts often fall short of expectations due to a lack of political will, political economy issues, as well as pressures from a complex web of interests. Despite reforms, financial weaknesses, subsidies, overemployment, fiscal risks, and corruption persist. Full or even partial divestment of the SOE portfolios in most MENA countries are not realistic. Consequently, there a significant need to improve the governance and performance frameworks of SOEs.
Duties and Accountabilities
Consistent with guidelines and findings by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank, our work focuses primarily on improving SOE frameworks along the following dimensions: (i) the legal and regulatory framework for corporate governance; (ii) state ownership arrangements; (iii) performance management frameworks; (iv) Board structures and functioning; (v) financial reporting, accountability, control, and transparency; (vi) procurement policies and practices; and (vii) climate change reporting practices.
Our activities include analytical background reports, advisory services to governments, and financial support through World Bank lending operations. We work closely with other regional and global World Bank teams, development partners, and other international organizations.
In support of these efforts, the ETC will be responsible for the following activities:
- Support regional coordination of the World Bank’s SOE activities, among others through organization of knowledge sharing events, maintaining portfolio overview, and organizing networks of staff experts.
- Provide technical leadership or contributions on key aspects of SOE governance, such as state ownership policies, legal and institutional frameworks for SOEs, financial and aggregate reporting (including climate reporting), board capacities, performance contracts, etc.
- Provide operational and technical support at all stages of the project cycle for advisory services and lending products. This will include participation in the design, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of specific analytical outputs and technical assistance projects/activities.
- Perform quality research and analytical tasks on a wide range of SOE governance issues (including cross-country studies and indicators of SOE corporate governance), providing expert interpretations of information/data, identifying key pertinent issues, and recommending targeted actions/solutions.
- Business development: Cultivate strategic relationships with other task teams, CMUs, client countries, and Development Partners.
Selection Criteria
- Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Public Administration, Political Science, Economics, Finance, Accounting, or a related field with demonstrated ability.
- Demonstrated expertise or deep familiarity with SOE policy reform, including SOE corporate governance and related fields.
- At least eight years of relevant experience.
- Outstanding analytical skills demonstrated through task leadership of major analytical reports and other published work in fields relevant for the assignment.
- Outstanding technical and operational skills ideally as evidenced by a track record of delivery of lending and non-lending operations in the World Bank or similar institutions.
- Strong integrative capacities: i.e., the ability to situate public sector governance and institutional strengthening activities within a coherent strategic framework and economic development narrative.
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to speak persuasively and present ideas clearly and concisely.
- Strong team player with the ability to work independently and effectively both remotely and face-to-face. Experience in quality control of the outputs of junior staff or consultants.
- Ability to prioritize numerous demands and priorities, respond quickly to country and management requests, and set priorities for self and others.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
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