Senior Environmental Specialist – GG  

Background:

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 Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) Global Practice has five key business lines consisting of Lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Watersheds and Sustainable Landscapes (‘Green Business line’); (2) Marine, Coastal, Aquatic Resources and Ocean Health (‘Blue Economy Business line’); (3) Pollution Management and Environmental Health (‘Pollution Management Business line’); (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions Business line, and (5) Safeguards/ Environmental Risk Management Business line:  delivery of effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development. This includes provision of high-quality and timely safeguards services across the Bank, including current safeguards policies and the effective implementation of the new Environment and Social Framework (ESF) that was rolled out on October 1, 2018.

The ENB Global Practice in Sub Saharan Africa consists of four units: Two in West and Central Africa Region, and two in East and Southern Africa Region. SAWE4 covers parts of West and Central. The unit manages operations in a variety of areas such as natural resources management, blue economy, coastal zone management, forestry, pollution, climate change, landscape and terrestrial and marine natural resources. In addition, the unit, like other ENR GP units provides environmental safeguards and ESF services across all sectors and projects.
 

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

The Senior Environmental Specialist will be based in Monrovia, Liberia and will principally be supporting a broad and evolving portfolio of lending and policy dialogue on the Green and Blue business line and lead operations in Biodiversity, Forestry, Blue Economy Climate Change, Rural Development, and Sustainable Landscapes as well as coordinate ESF safeguards cross support with a main focus on the Liberia program but also the other two countries in this Country Management Unit, that is Ghana and Sierra Leone. The Selected candidate will work under supervision of the Practice Manager for SAWE4 based in the WB ‘s Washington Office.  He/she will have the following main duties and responsibilities:

ENB Program Coordination:

•  Support practice manager in the WPA preparation and discussion with CMU
•  Prepare briefs and talking points on key ENB issues and report, as needed to CMU, on progress of ENB activities.
•  Represent ENB at workshops and events as required.
•  Lead/coordinate ENB feedback and inputs to products/outputs being developed.
•  Participate in CMU Leadership Team meetings and coordinate closely with the SD Program Leader.

Operations and Analytical Work:

•  Facilitate, engage in, and shape policy dialogues, identifying clients’ priority needs for lending, analytical support, and advisory services in relation to forestry/sustainable landscape management and blue economy and fisheries. This will also be in alignment with the new directions outlined under the Evolution Roadmap including the Global Challenge Programs. 
•  Supervise the implementation, in collaboration with Task Teams, of investment projects in Liberia’s Environment and NRM portfolio including forestry, landscapes management, fisheries, climate change, and NRM.
•  Provide strategic advice to team leaders of projects that include ENB-related activities, with emphasis on issues related to blue economy, fisheries, rural livelihood creation, promotion of rural NRM opportunities, land degradation and restoration, forest management, and community strengthening in natural resource management to maximize the value of blue economy, sustainable landscapes, biodiversity, and natural resources.
•  Review and provide advice for operational and analytical work on forestry, blue economy, fisheries, landscapes, rural development, NRM and the links to poverty reduction and development in Liberia.
•  Contribute to ENB and corporate tasks related to blue economy, fisheries, forests, Climate Change, Biodiversity and Nature-based tourism.
•  Lead and participate in project implementation support missions, elaborate mission aide-memoires, ISRs and ensure monitoring of timely execution of mission’ action plans.
•  Contribute to NRM portfolio related business and pipeline development (e.g., policy lending, program for results, prevention of conflict and resilience investment program, regional integration programs, etc.), as well as donor dialogue, private sector engagement and identification of additional funding opportunities. 
•  Promote, through ongoing and future portfolio, community-based approaches, and planning processes.
•  Proactively participate in other key GP dialogues (agriculture, urban, water etc.,) and represent ENB in such dialogues as the focal point for the ENB program in Liberia, while also supporting the program in Ghana and Sierra Leone as required. 
•  Share technical knowledge with clients and partners on different environment and NRM topics (blue economy, forestry, agroforestry, biodiversity, etc.,).
•  Build relationships and facilitate effective communication with other development partners, NGOs, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
•  In coordination with the ENB coordinator, support the CMU and the GP in ENB country dialogue and corporate commitments. This includes participating in developing and implementing sector strategy and assist in country-specific policy work (CEA, SCD, CPF, etc.,)
•  In coordination with the ENB coordinator, represent the Bank in discussions with governments, donors and other stakeholders on Blue Economy, Landscapes, Rural Development, Climate Change and NRM.

Environmental Risk Management:

•  Ensure the effective integration of environmental due diligence as defined by the World Bank Group (WBG), Environmental and Social Management Framework, safeguards policies as well as international good practice documents into the design, appraisal and implementation of WBG-supported projects (environmental lending portfolio and analytical work).  
•  Provide expert advice to client and counterpart organizations, project teams and WBG management about the preparation of environmental impact assessments, including regional, strategic and cumulative assessments; environmental management frameworks and plans, including plan for monitoring, reporting and evaluation; public consultation plans; and specific plans related to natural habitats conservation, natural resource management, pest management, forest management, dam safety and international waterways management; such advice will be based on a thorough analysis of baseline conditions, project scope and impacts, requirements from national legal and institutional frameworks and, and compliance with the WBG’s operational policies.  
•  Provide expert guidance to clients in the preparation of relevant project cycle documentation including terms of reference (ToR) for ESF instruments, such as environmental and social assessments (incl. strategic, regional and cumulative); environmental and social management frameworks and plans, Pest Management Plan, and supervising their implementation. Contract specifications related to ESF, particularly for large dams and transport related projects.  Provide technical training for the domestic EA practitioners on the ESF requirements.
•  Work closely with the Regional Safeguards Coordinators in the Africa region who are responsible for assigning safeguards tasks and ensuring the quality of the safeguards work and environmental risk management in the Region.

Selection Criteria

•  A Master’s degree or above in environment and/or natural resource management, fisheries, marine and coastal management, forestry, agronomy, aquaculture, applied environmental economics, environmental policy or geography, or similar relevant disciplines; with a strong preference for candidates with good technical training and solid experience in environmental risk management related to large scale civil engineering. 
•  Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in the environment and natural resources management sector, including proven experience in integrated landscapes, environment, fisheries, coastal management, forestry, community-based development, biodiversity and rural development;
•  Deep technical expertise in at least three of the following subjects: 1) Forestry, protected area management, biodiversity, 2) coastal zone management; 3) landscape restoration; 4) desertification and land degradation;
•  Demonstrated track record in project management / operational skills and familiarity with Bank procedures is required.  
•  Demonstrated ability to effectively coordinate activities involving multiple disciplines and organizational units, as well as to maintain high service standards under pressure, meet deadlines, and accommodate simultaneous demands from various sources. 
•  Demonstrated track record managing a portfolio of large-scale investment projects, is required. 
•  Demonstrated ability to lead high-quality analytical tasks that include environmentally-related data and information, linking those analyses to country development priorities and economic impacts.
•  Proven team leadership and project and portfolio management capacity. (TTL accredited is highly desirable – being close to TTL accreditation can be accepted).
•  A demonstrated track-record in managing complex operations, engagement with the private sector and multisectoral work and fund-raising for and management of trust funds is important.
•  A minimum of 5 years of track record in strategic engagement experience with senior level policy makers (director general level at government ministry or higher) is required. 
•  Exceptional ability to identify long-range goals and objectives, develop strategic approaches, and conceptualize a multi-year plan to operationalize these strategies.
•  Ability to build and sustain key stakeholder relationships with government and other key stakeholders; and to integrate divergent viewpoints of multiple external and internal stakeholders into a coherent project/program/strategy.
•  Ability to guide clients and/or development partners in identifying key policy issues and optional solutions with a demonstrated ability to bring together different perspectives. 
•  A proven track record working with a wide range of stakeholders, NGOs, international organizations, development partners and/or with the government.
•  Excellent workflow management and task organization skills; able to coordinate all aspects of the workflow of assigned responsibilities.
•  Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to draft concise reports and correspondence, and ability to defend orally and in writing difficult issues and positions to a variety of stakeholders. 
•  Good team player who can work as a member of a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team, motivate and lead group efforts and network effectively across boundaries.
•  Well-developed interpersonal, communication, and writing skills, including the ability to write concisely and translate technical knowledge and ideas into fluent and understandable English. 
•  High motivation, flexibility, reliability and a proactive approach to working with all staff in a team-driven environment, and initiative and ability to work on his/her own. 
•  Experience in engaging with government and private sector counterparts and facilitating deliberations among various stakeholders. 
•  Experience in working with clients to achieve compliance and leads discussions on environmental matters.
•  Willingness to travel extensively nationally, regionally and internationally is required, also to remote areas and to countries/areas with FCV. 
•  Experience in working in FCV countries is a plus. 
•  Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.
•  Ability to work well independently, with proven ability to mentor more junior staff.

WBG Core Competencies

•  Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
•  Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
•  Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
•  Environmental Policy, Strategy, and Institutions – Familiarity with environmental policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
•  Forestry – Familiarity experience with community, commercial and conservation forestry 
•  Environmental Sciences – Depth in at least one area: water; ecosystems; forests; conservation; agriculture concerns, etc.
•  Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions.
•  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.
•  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.

For more information about WBG Core Competencies, please visit: https://bit.ly/2kbIA7O.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this appointment,  s/he will retain the duration of his/her current Term appointment.

Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe.
 

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.

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