Senior Operations Officer

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. 

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region

• We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. We are committed to making the Africa regional teams into leading innovation hubs. Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in education, health, and skills, which have Africa only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been made over the past decades.
• In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 387 projects totaling more than $44.1 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water, and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.

COUNTRY CONTEXT

• Nigeria is critical to the World Bank Group’s (WBG) twin goals of eradicating global extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. A multi-ethnic and diverse federation of 36 autonomous states, Nigeria is already Africa’s largest country, with over 200 million people, and Africa’s largest economy. With its abundance of resources, a young and entrepreneurial population, and a dynamic private sector, Nigeria has the potential to be a giant on the global stage.
• At the same time, with over 40 percent of its population living in poverty, Nigeria has the second largest population of poor in the world and real per-capita incomes are about the same level today as they were four decades ago. The economy and public finances continue to be highly vulnerable to oil shocks, and not enough jobs are being created for the 3.5 million young Nigerians coming of working age every year. To provide economic opportunities for its growing population, Nigeria needs to unlock private investment and job creation, and further the structural transformation and diversification of its economy.

PROGRAM AND UNIT CONTEXT

• Nigeria, a blend country eligible for both IBRD and IDA financing, has the largest country allocation under IDA20 and the third-largest IDA-IBRD portfolio with approximately $16.53 billion dollars distributed across 32 projects, of which about 45% is federally executed and 55% is executed at the state-level. A new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) was approved in December 2020 to guide the World Bank Group’s support to Nigeria from FY21-FY25, anchored in several core engagements that combine large-scale financing with upstream policy, advisory and institutional strengthening ASA-based initiatives.
• The World Bank Office in Abuja is one of the larger country offices, with 148 staff. The large, decentralized nature of the program, and growing insecurity, makes for a challenging operating context. A Country Management Team composed of the Country Director, the Operations Manager, two Senior Operations Officers, and several Engagement Leaders meets on a weekly basis to actively monitor implementation and provide strategic and operational guidance to the task teams.
• The World Bank is looking to appoint a Senior Operations Officer who will be innovative, and capable of navigating the shortest path through the Bank’s internal processes. Delivery of quality work requires high caliber staff, striking the right balance between technical excellence, country knowledge, and client focus. This position is critical to the overall performance of the Bank at the Nigeria duty location.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

The Senior Operations Officer will work under the supervision of the Country Director (CD). As a key member of the CMU (Country Management Unit) team, the Senior Operations Officer will work closely with Operations Manager (OM), Program Leaders (PLs), and other members of the CMU management and country teams on all aspects of the work program to ensure strategic focus, integration and consistency across and within the portfolio. More specifically (s)he will:

• Contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the Nigeria CMU in the areas of lending preparation and quality, pipeline monitoring, portfolio implementation support and monitoring, ASA delivery, and relationship management with external and internal stakeholders.
• Work with the Operations Manager (OM) and support the Country Director (CD) in Pipeline Delivery and Management as Quality Assurance through review of processing packages, submitted for the approval/clearance of CD/OM/CMU, and provide CD/OM with relevant strategic/tactical advice, liaising with OPCS, Legal, WFA, AFR DE teams and other relevant entities, as necessary.
• Support to the CD on the CPF/PLR/CLR preparation/delivery/completion. Make substantive contributions to country and sector strategies, lending, and non-lending work programs; play a key role in formulating and implementing the Country Partnership Frameworks and Regional Assistance Strategies; and assess sector and thematic issues in relationship with the broader country developments and Country Partnership Frameworks.
• Contribute to timely follow-up to the Country Director (CD) dialogues and engagements with key strategic stakeholders, including those UN agencies, INGOs, development partners, AFWRVP Front Office, PGs/GPs, IFC, MIGA, and other WBG entities.
• Prepare briefing notes, assist in determining appropriate Bank responses, and draft and review operational correspondence including letters, emails, PPTs, etc., for CD’s signature, transmission, or presentation.
• Take the lead or participate as a key team member in important strategic product activities and contribute to or lead the preparation of management briefs and other major or complex internal reports.
• Review of Board Packages, Management Letters and Aide Memoires as well as sensitive non project related documents.
• Work with the Operations Manager in Portfolio Management and Quality Assurance by reviewing ISRs and restructuring packages. The Senior Operations Officer will be assigned certain responsibilities of next level to carry out the functions as and when required.
• Play a key role in ensuring timely coordination with counterpart institutions, including the International Economic Relations Department (IERD) of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Debt Management Office (DMO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Justice, line Ministries, and Development Partners on operational matters.
• Work with TTLs to support them on lending and ASA preparation and dissemination as needed; communicate CMU’s guidance and share teams’ concerns and requests for support with the CD and in coordination with the OM.
• Assist in country program management, including business planning and work program preparation, WPA budget allocation, monitoring of work program and budget implementation, quarterly reviews and progress reporting.
• Serve as a liaison, coordination and integration point for the extended country teams; provide guidance and advice on country developments, operational priorities and strategies as needed; help foster teamwork and cross-sectoral cooperation on program preparation and implementation and contribute to country team meetings and activities.
• Contributes to the mentoring of Nigeria country Office-based colleagues in coordination with OM and HR business partners.
• Monitor and interpret political, social and economic developments; develop and maintain understanding of country socioeconomic and political conditions.

Selection Criteria

• Masters in a relevant field (Economics, Business Studies, Political Science, Finance, International Relations, or a similar field relevant to the Bank’s mission.)Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience with the World Bank or comparable institution.
• Thorough knowledge of Bank operational policies and business practices.
• Proven ability to think strategically and apply this to the design and implementation of country assistance programs.
• Extensive knowledge of WB instruments, policies, and procedures and ability to proactively apply them.
• Strong level of attention to detail and ability to manipulate and interpret portfolio data to identify areas for focus of further monitoring.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary country team, other groups throughout the Bank, and development partners.
• Demonstrated initiative, leadership skills, and drive for results, including the ability to undertake diverse tasks within a rapidly changing and demanding environment on short deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving skills and solutions-oriented attitude.
• Political sensitivity, mature judgment, and ability to focus on the big picture without losing sight of details.
• Highly developed spoken and written communication skills, including the ability to draft concise briefs, reports, and correspondence.
• English language proficiency (speak, read and write) is essential.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=30123&site=1