Description

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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises extremely diverse countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. The Region is at the forefront of innovation in development such as climate change, digital technology, and other global public goods.
The ECA region faces multiple challenges today from climate change, demographics, slowdown in jobs growth and productivity, inequality, and war and natural disasters.  These major challenges serve to re-emphasize the critical importance of ECA’s strategic focus on: (i) boosting human capital – addressing inclusion, resilience, quality of delivery and next generation human capital challenges, (ii) enabling markets and boosting growth– supporting the private sector to compete in a knowledge-intensive global economy, (iii) green transition – innovative knowledge and financing engagements to decarbonize, build resilience and support a just transition and (iv) building & strengthening institutions – supporting the quality of spending, improving debt management, and enhancing service delivery. https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eca

Prosperity in ECA

The Prosperity Practice Group is one of the World Bank Group’s five verticals. Prosperity supports clients in advancing macroeconomic, governance, and structural reforms, attract private investments, and strengthen governance to promote inclusive and sustainable growth on a livable planet.
The diversity of countries covered in the Region offers exciting opportunities for staff. In FY24, Prosperity delivered a total of $5.2B in IBRD/IDA financing and an additional $1.5B in co-led operations. Apart from lending, Prosperity also generates knowledge through various advisory and analytical work, some of which is financed as Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) and Trust Funds. In FY24 alone, Prosperity delivered 89 ASA activities.
Türkiye, one of the largest countries in ECA, is the 19th largest economy in the world, and in recent years has become a 2nd country in terms of IBRD exposure. Türkiye, an upper-middle-income country with a strong record of growth, has faced external and domestic shocks in recent years, including a devastating earthquake in February 2023. The country has enjoyed high growth rates from the early 2000s to mid-2010s, which propelled the country to the higher reaches of upper-middle-income status with a large decline in poverty and remarkable improvements in health and education outcomes.
The Türkiye Country Management Unit (CMU) is a single-country unit encompassing a major portfolio of $13 bn, ranking second globally among the IBRD countries. Prosperity PG in Türkiye has six IPF operations with a total commitment amount of $2.5 bn and a Guarantee operation with a total commitment of $655 mn. In addition, the PG currently has five analytical and advisory tasks.
The Program Leader and Lead Economist will work on the Turkiye program with the CMU, which is based in Ankara, where the Country Director is located. The Turkiye program is very dynamic and rapidly growing. It provides an exceptional opportunity for the PL to contribute to the strategic directions for Prosperity PG, enhance development impact, and be at the frontier of our program engagement.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Program Leader will report to the EFI Regional Director and will be expected to have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Provide thought leadership on core economic policy issues and strategic engagement, working closely with the CD and EFI team.
• Lead the economic policy dialogue with the government counterparts, and support CD in developing new business for the Bank.
• Lead coordination on macroeconomic policy dialogue with the IMF.
• Serve as the focal point on economic issues with clients and other external stakeholders, in consultation with CD.
• Lead and/or advise EFI teams on lending and nonlending tasks relating to economic policy and institutional reforms.
• Work closely with other GPs on the preparation of key strategic pieces and/or engagement.
• Support the analytical work program of the CMU, including the preparation of CPFs, CPSDs, CCDRs, and other key strategic pieces.
• Mentor and coach EFI colleagues working on the delivery of the practice’s work program.
• Pro- actively contribute to EAEDR and CMU management, representing EFI within the country management team, contributing to the EFI regional management team.
• Coordinate EFI inputs into strategy, WPA, and reporting processes.
• Provide strategic, process, and quality inputs into the overall EFI program where appropriate.

Selection Criteria

•     Ph.D. or Master’s in economics with at least twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience.
•     Demonstrated track record of technical and operational leadership in other countries.
•     Strong macroeconomics skills.
•     Demonstrated track record in achieving impact through analytical work and technical assistance for demanding and sophisticated clients.
•     Ability to develop integrative development solutions and advise on Bank strategic interventions.
•     Demonstrated ability to integrate EFI inputs as well as other PG/GP inputs into a inclusive development framework.
•     In-depth knowledge of WBG financing operations, instruments, as well as analytical and advisory services.
•     Demonstrated client orientation; ability to tap emerging opportunities, engage diplomatically while maintaining candor and courage of conviction, and deliv beyond client expectations.
•     Proven experience in leading high impact development policy and/or investment operations.
•     Demonstrated leadership in teamwork, in working across practices and disciplinary boundaries.
•     High, positive energy, self-driven professional
•     Strong communication skills, including the ability to present complex analyses to non-specialist audiences.
•     Agility in working flexibly on a range of assignments and adjusting to a variety of complex and rapidly evolving tasks under tight deadlines.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.