Environmental Specialist

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. 

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region

• The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises 30 extremely diverse countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. Although ten of our clients have joined the EU and seven of these have graduated, most continue to remain active recipients of knowledge and/or lending services. Furthermore, because of the covid pandemic, some of the advanced countries re-engage with the Bank for additional support, including financial. ECA has a strong lending pipeline as well as a large and growing portfolio of Reimbursable Advisory Services. Knowledge is critical to the Bank’s value proposition to client countries in the ECA region in both lending and advisory services.
• A predominantly middle- and high-income region, ECA continues to be at the forefront in confronting the numerous development challenges that countries face in the evolving global economy. The region is at the vanguard of building regional connectivity while having to manage the changing structure of the labor market. At the same time, digital technologies are changing the nature of work, populations are aging, and large migration flows have generated social tensions that have contributed to increased political polarization. These emerging trends threaten to reverse the region’s achievements in regional integration, poverty reduction and shared prosperity.
• The ECA region is also vulnerable to climate change. It has a large potential to strengthen climate resilience and reduce its contribution to GHG emissions. Other important challenges affecting parts of the region include conflicts and domestic political instability.

The Sustainable Development Practice Group

• The Planet Vertical helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Environmental and Social Framework, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water.

Environment Department

• The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes, and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction. The ENB also contributes to sustainability of the entire World Bank portfolio through supporting implementation of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and compliance with safeguards policies.

Central Asia Country Management Unit (CMU)

• The Central Asia region (CA) comprising the countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, is a diverse region with a mix of upper middle- and low-income countries with major strategic importance due to their geographic location and natural resource endowments. The World Bank is endeavoring for over two decades in supporting the efforts of the countries to improve the living standards of their people, promote sustainable economic growth, and ensure that future generations benefit from sound environmental practices and social development.
• The countries of Central Asia share more than just geography; they also share a similar legacy and, more importantly, a common vision for the future. Hence, the World Bank is increasingly approaching the development challenges of Central Asian countries through a regional lens facilitating cross-border cooperation and knowledge sharing and strengthening dialogue and collaboration among the countries. Improved environmental protection, more efficient management of natural resources and a pivot towards greener economies are important elements of county development strategies in Central Asia.
• Central Asia CMU, led by Country Director based in Almaty, with Country Offices headed by Country Managers in Bishkek, Dushanbe, Astana, and Tashkent, oversees an active portfolio of 82 projects and over $12 billion in commitments, the largest in the Europe and Central Asia Region.
• Many operations are complex in nature, reflecting the diversity of income and fragility across the region, and some span multiple countries — adding the ESF risk profile. There is a growing focus on environmental sustainability in the region, with increasing attention to natural resource management, land restoration, air pollution, green growth, and climate change.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCAE1, the Environment Department of Planet Vertical in ECA region, seeks to recruit an Environment Specialist (Local Recruited Staff or LRS) based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and will support a broad and evolving portfolio of lending and policy dialogue in all ENV business lines. He/she will also support operations in Sustainable Landscape Management, Biodiversity, Forestry, Climate Change, and Brown/Pollution. The Selected candidate will work under supervision the ENB Practice Manager based in the WB’s Vienna Office. He/she will have the following main duties and responsibilities: 

Environmental Safeguards/Environmental and Social Framework

• During project preparation: Screen potential Environmental and Social (E&S) risks & impacts; Determine the appropriate risk classification; Prepare Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS); Conduct thorough assessment of E&S risks & impacts; Review E&S documents available prior to Appraisal; and Prepare Appraisal ESRS.
• During project implementation: Supervise project compliance with the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Safeguard Policies as provided in the environmental and social assessment documents and management plans. Participate in project technical discussions and field visits. Review project reports and build effective working relationships with the project implementation agency to ensure proper implementation of the ESF.
• During both preparation and implementation: Go beyond narrow policy compliance to look for opportunities to support clients in achieving the project development goals. Work closely with the project task team and the social development specialist to ensure that projects are implemented in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner.
• Capacity building: Support and build the capacity of the client Bank’s environmental safeguard policies and objectives of ESF.

Operations Support

• Provide support in the preparation and implementation of ENB operations in Kyrgyzstan including: Support the country dialogue and the day-to-day follow up on projects in the three ENB lines of business (Brown, Blue, and Green). This includes, but is not limited to, project preparation, implementation; review procurement plans and TORs submitted by the client to ensure alignment with the project objectives and consistency with World Bank fiduciary policies; participate in implementation support missions under the guidance of the Task Team Leader and follow up on project progress; elaborate mission aide-memoires and ensure timely execution of missions’ action plans.
• Analytical Works: Support ENV’s advisory and analytical works in the ENV business lines, and ESF thematic reviews.

Selection Criteria

• A Master’s or PhD degree in environmental engineering, environmental and/or natural resource management, watershed management, sustainable landscape management, forestry, agronomy, climate change, fisheries, economics, environmental policy or geography, or similar relevant disciplines.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the environment and natural resources management sector, including proven experience in environment and social risks management, integrated landscapes, climate change or/and biodiversity.
• Knowledge and applied experience of ESF including policies, and environmental institutions and policies.
• Field experience in project preparation and supervision of projects on environment and social risks management, working closely with client and stakeholders.
• Co-lead/support analytical tasks that include environment risks management related data and information, linking those analyses to country development priorities and economic impacts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (working knowledge of Central Asia languages and/or Russian is a plus).
• Familiarity with the World Bank Group’s organizational structure, processes, guidelines and procedures will be desirable.
• Strong client orientation with the ability to build an understanding with implementing agency counterparts on the value-added of Bank products.
• Good team player who can work as a member of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team, ability to function independently, with a degree of motivation, flexibility and reliability.
• A drive for results while working with limited supervision and under tight timelines.
• Understanding of the programmatic approach to forests, climate change and natural resources management (in the context of multi-sectoral approaches and the national development plan and using various sources of financing).

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=29647&site=1