Junior Professional Associate

The JPA program at the World Bank is a highly competitive initiative. Candidates who are being actively considered for positions may be required to present academic transcripts and professional references. The World Bank’s Human Resources team and hiring team will reach out exclusively to individuals selected for assessment and interviews. 

Positions may be in any of the World Bank’s offices worldwide.

Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB GP) SEAE1 – EAP ENB

The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB GP) is located within the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Practice Group. We provide expertise, technical assistance and financing to help low- and middle-income countries manage land, sea and freshwater natural resources in a sustainable way to help create jobs, improve livelihoods, enhance ecosystem services, decrease pollution and increase resilience to climate change! Over 360 ENB staff working across the globe help set developing countries on a clean, green growth trajectory for resilient economies and healthy communities.

ENB has five key business lines consisting of lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Landscapes and Biodiversity; (2) Blue Economy; (3) Pollution Management, Environmental Health and Circular Economy; (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions; and (5) Environmental Risk Management. 

ENB has three broad and distinct functions:

• Provide clients with lending and non-lending services aimed to support the GP’s key business lines
• Support effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development, in part through the implementation of the World Bank’s environmental risk management policies; and
• Work closely with team’s environmental specialists to mainstream environmental considerations into their policies, strategies, and operations.

The SEAE1 unit, covers two country units (China & Mongolia, Indonesia). We are one of three ENB units in the East Asia and Pacific Region (EAP) and comprise around 40 staff, with 70 percent based in Country Offices. The rest of the team is based in Washington DC.]

Duties and Responsibilities:

SEAE1 is seeking to recruit a local JPA to be based in the Beijing World Bank office. Working in close collaboration with colleagues in the Unit – particularly with the Country Sector Coordinator and Country ESF Focal Point, both based in Beijing – and other units of the World Bank, the JPA’s responsibilities will be concerned with (i) overseeing environmental risk management of the World Bank’s China and Mongolia program (including all sectors, such as transport, agriculture, mining, health, education, etc.), and (ii) supporting a new and growing environment and natural resources program in China and Mongolia with a focus on landscapes, watersheds, and climate change. This includes support to ENB analytical work and technical assistance in China and Mongolia and providing inputs that would help to support business development for the ENB GP in China and Mongolia. He/She will work according to an annual work plan, adjusted periodically as necessary. He/She will report to the EAP SEAE1 Practice Manager based in Singapore, the ENB Coordinator in Beijing and the Country ESF Focal Point in Beijing. The position is a three-year staff Extended Term appointments. 

The JPA will have the following key responsibilities:

to oversee and support compliance with the WBG’s safeguards policies and ESF, ensuring that environmental sustainability is integrated into project design and implementation, provide support for the ESF training events, internal ESF Deep Dive Meetings, and routine management of the ESMS (Environmental and Social Management System); and to support our growing natural resources and climate change program.

Environmental Risk Management: 

• Provide support to clients and environmental specialists on environmental risk management in World Bank-financed projects including GEF.
• Work closely with the ESF Country Focal Point and environmental specialists of the task team, provide support for internal ESF Deep Dive Meetings, and routine management of the ESMS (Environmental and Social Management System).
• Working closely with the Environmental and Social Specialists, update the projects list retained by Regional Safeguard Secretariat (RSS).
• Working closely with the Environmental specialists, update monthly portfolio table.
• Working closely with the Environmental specialists, maintain all ESF related documents prepared during the preparation and implementation of the project, summarize the key experiences and lessons learnt from the projects.
• Provide environmental input in project documents in accordance with the Bank operational policies and assist with managing timely and proper disclosure procedures and public consultation requirements for all required environmental assessment and management instruments.
• Provide support for technical training and capacity building related to environmental risk management, including WBG safeguard policies and ESF requirements. In addition, maintaining regular dialog with the PMO/PIU and key central government agencies to understand theirs ESF capacity building demands.
• Participate as a team member in various projects (mainly for projects with L and M risk), including participating in identification, preparation and supervision missions; seeking and developing opportunities to integrate sound environmental management and policies into various investment project operations, and contributing to mission outputs and reports.
• Actively seek to learn World Bank Group procedures, and contribute to their improvement, by participating in training offered, by developing a personal training program, keeping abreast of research and development knowledge in the environment and natural resources sector, and relevant safeguard management process.
• Coordinate and carry out other tasks as requested by the relevant Manager and ESF Focal Point such as for example, contribute to the organization of training or knowledge sharing events, study tours, Regional Safeguard Advisor (RSA) team visits, and help the country office staff with various tasks specific to the management of the office.

Environment, Climate and Natural Resources Management:

• As a key member of the World Bank team, support the development and implementation of projects addressing air, soil and water pollution, renewable natural resources management (focusing on forest ecosystems, coastal ecosystems and biodiversity) and climate change, and technical assistance or analytical tasks related to these topics.
• Participate in policy dialogue, responding to government clients’ priority needs for lending, analytical support, and advisory services on the above topics.
• Undertake research on technical and policy-relevant issues, summarizing findings and recommendations in well-written reports, policy briefs and presentations.

Selection Criteria:

• Advanced degree (PhD or Masters, bachelor’) in environmental engineering, environmental science, in environment or natural resource management, or related fields; Technical training and practical experience in environmental risk management is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of full-time relevant professional experience in the environment engineering or environmental/natural resources management sector.
• Knowledge and experience in environmental assessment.
• Field experience in both assessing project site vulnerabilities/risks, as well as supervising / inspecting / monitoring projects with significant environmental dimensions and/or risks during implementation to mitigate and monitor environmental impacts.
• Experience in managing the implementation of projects or tasks, and a track record demonstrating ability to apply analytical results into on-the-ground activities.
• Demonstrated ability to undertake analytical work, review environmental sector policies, and prepare policy-relevant papers, documents and presentation materials.
• Proven teamwork and successful experience working with multi-disciplinary teams.
• A strong sense of teamwork and ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Full competence with professional office software and communications technology.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively in China and Mongolia and possibly to other countries is necessary, including to remote rural areas.
• Fluency in English and Chinese (writing, speaking, listening, and reading).

The following would be an advantage but not required: 

• Knowledge on the WBG’s safeguards policies, ESF and/or IFC’s Performance Standards/MIGA Environmental and Social policies or similar standards would be an advantage.
• Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: environmental sector policy, or integrated development planning in various sectors (e.g., water supply and sanitation; solid waste management, soil, transport, energy, natural disaster management, rural development, health and education); capacity assessment and institutional strengthening, public consultation, health and safety plans.
• Sound knowledge of policy, technical, institutional, and political economy issues in the environment and natural resources sub-sectors in China would be an advantage.
• Experience in the preparation of the environmental assessment and management documents of the lending projects of the WBG or other international organizations.
• Experience working in China and/or Mongolia, understanding of the institutional and political context, and exposure to the national environmental policy challenges.
• Familiarity with World Bank procedures and business practices including occupational health and safety management would be a strong advantage.
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders, NGOs, international organizations, development partners and / or with the governments.]