Senior Social Development 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.

Middle East and North Africa Region

• The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region serves twenty countries, of which twelve are active/potentially active IBRD/IDA borrowers (Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Tunisia and Yemen) and eight are users of the Region’s non-lending services, mostly on a reimbursable basis (Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The mission of MENA is to foster sustainable growth with a focus on job creation and poverty reduction, economic and social inclusion, and good governance. The World Bank assistance to MENA is organized around a high-level strategic framework that seeks to Renew the social contract; Strengthen Resilience to shocks; Expand Regional cooperation; and Support Reconstruction in conflict-affected countries.
• MENA attaches importance to creating a supportive work environment based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, and client service, underlined by professional excellence. The regional leadership places high value on diversity. MENA is organized in five Country Departments (CMUs), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, the Development Effectiveness Unit (MNADE), and External Affairs Unit (MNAEC).
• The Planet Practice Group (PG), working across all PGs and CMUs, anchors the region’s work on climate change, including the preparation of the Climate Change and Development Report core diagnostics.  Planet PG consists of 4 Global Practices – Agriculture and Food; Environment, Natural Resources and the Blue Economy; Social Inclusion and Sustainability; and Water – together with Climate Change as a Global Theme. In addition, Planet PG is the Bank-wide steward for the Environment and Social Framework (ESF).

Social Sustainability and Inclusion Global Practice

• The Social Sustainability and Inclusion Global Practice helps countries tackle deep-rooted social problems stemming from fragility, climate change, exclusion, and the digital age with people-centered solutions that build on local values and institutions. We engage with citizens, communities, and governments to deepen resilience, build inclusion, and empower vulnerable and marginalized groups to have influence and voice. We prioritize participatory, multi-sectoral approaches that build on norms and informal institutions to address social challenges.  We work across the Bank’s portfolio to implement the Environment and Social Framework (ESF) standards. The ESF offers an overarching platform for fostering inclusive approaches to ensure vulnerable groups benefit from Bank investments and mitigate against related risks.

This is done through four pillars of work:

• Promoting inclusive societies: We help expand access to markets, services, and spaces for vulnerable and marginalized groups in ways that promote their dignity. Promoting resilient communities: We help communities cope with climate change, conflict, pandemics, and migration by expanding access to resources and responsive governments.Empowering people: We help expand access to the policy arena to strengthen voice and social accountability and build consensus for positive change.Managing social risk: We help enhance the inclusiveness, efficiency, equity, and transparency of public and private investments.

Position

• The Social Sustainability and Inclusion Practice has a robust work program in Morocco and the Maghreb region, supporting a wide range of engagements across sectors, including gender equality, women and youth empowerment, social inclusion; citizen engagement and social accountability; social resilience and cohesion; and social risk management. The SSI-MENA (SMNSO) unit is looking to recruit a Senior Social Development Specialist to lead our policy, operational, analytical and social risk management work in Morocco and the broader Maghreb region.
• The Senior Social Development Specialist will be based in Rabat and will report directly to SMNSO Practice Manager. He/she will be expected to work closely with the CMU and task teams in the country. The selected candidate will also be expected to work collaboratively and develop good relations with other country, regional and Global Practice teams, Global Solution Groups, and Global Theme teams specializing in Gender and Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV).

Duties and Accountabilities

The Senior Social Development/Sustainability and Inclusion Specialist will be part of the responsible for managing the planning of strategic engagement in the Maghreb Country Management Unit (CMU – Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria) as well as the broader MENA region, with particular focus on social inclusion, women and youth empowerment, jobs, FCV/displacement, migration and social risk management. S/he will—

Social Inclusion and Sustainability – Operations, Analytics and Policy

Provide strategic leadership on social inclusion and sustainability agenda working closely with CMU leadership, Program Leaders and Task Teams across the four countries.Expand the SSI GP engagement in each country and develop sound programs and policy options, including in the areas of gender equality, women empowerment, and prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV); youth inclusion and access to jobs; citizen engagement and social accountability; migration, displacement/FCV and social cohesion; climate resilience through integrated local development; client capacity building; and implementation of regional and corporate priorities.Develop and lead analytical work that informs the social development aspects of key policy and operational decisions in areas such as gender equality, social inclusion, citizen engagement, poverty reduction, social resilience, and local service delivery and economic development.

Lead/co-lead multi-sector teams in the preparation and implementation of analytical, advisory, policy and lending projects; Proactively ensure collaboration and coordination with other Bank projects responding to country/regional priorities to deliver a more coherent and coordinated support. Lead/co-lead coordination internally with WB task teams and Country Management Unit (CMU), as well as externally with government counterparts, community stakeholders and other development actors on the ground to actively engage in efforts that promote evidence-based approaches and policy priorities that foster inclusive development. Work with internal and external partners to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the economic and social impact of climate change, migration, disasters and FCV/displacement in each country as well as their impact in neighboring countries/regions.

• Contribute to the elaboration of strategies, project concept and policy analysis relevant to the Social Sustainability and Inclusion Practice; Participate in cross-practice teams responsible for the preparation of policy notes, Country Partnership Frameworks, climate change and development diagnostics, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social development topics.Actively contribute to the creation of regional/global knowledge on social sustainability and inclusion issues.
• Contribute to the identification of business opportunities for the Social Sustainability and Inclusion team in consultation with clients and country unit.Guide and mentor junior staff; Supervise the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency and conformity to Bank operational policies.
• Contribute to the Unit’s briefs, blogs, strategy documents, and papers on critical social development issues for both internal and external audiences.Support and actively participate in the Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in social development by participating in thematic groups, exchanging best practices, and drafting technical notes.

Social Risk Management

• Work under the coordination of the regional focal point for ESF and country/CMU assignment specialist to provide operational support to projects on social risk management. 
• Lead/support a dialogue on the implementation of the ESF with policy makers and government officials, international development partners, civil society, and other stakeholders.Advise government counterpart agencies and undertake policy dialogue with clients on policy options for social sustainability and social risk management, particularly involuntary resettlement, labor and working conditions, sexual exploitation and abuse/sexual harassment, Indigenous Peoples, stakeholder engagement plans and institutional development strategies.
• Advise and participate in project teams to help develop operational designs and mechanisms to assess social opportunities, impacts, constraints, and risks related to Bank supported operations; develop and evaluate proposed technical solutions and assist in the preparation of project documentation.
• Lead/support country system strengthening support and client capacity building on social risk management and ESF implementation in Morocco and Tunisia.
• The specialist may be expected to take other assignments as and when required by the Practice Manager.

Selection Criteria

• This position is suited to constructive, highly motivated team players with an eye for detail, an understanding of the bigger picture context of operations, and creative problem-solving abilities. The successful candidate should have strong operational and analytical skills, have practical experience handling complex/sensitive social development issues through participatory processes of stakeholder engagement, and be able to integrate social development considerations in an operational context.
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in social sciences (gender studies, anthropology, sociology/social development, political science, law, public policy, international affairs, conflict/violence prevention, etc.).
• A minimum of eight (8) years of directly relevant professional experience in social development and inclusion. Demonstrated leadership experience and operational skills and experience in the areas of women empowerment, gender/GBV, social inclusion, citizen engagement, jobs and entrepreneurship, local economic development, migration, displacement, fragility, conflict, and violence in low- and middle-income countries.Proven leadership and project management experience with World Bank IDA and/or IBRD (or other comparable international organizations) lending operations, policies, and procedures; experience with leading design and implementation of social development programs. Knowledge and experience in addressing issues covered by the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and social safeguards policies or similar policies in other international finance institutions in complex and challenging settings, and across practices.
• This includes experience with social assessments and analyzing social risks and impacts on different population groups; involuntary resettlement in different socio-economic contexts and tenure systems; coordination of transparent consultative and stakeholder engagement processes; grievance redress mechanisms, integration of relevant planning instruments in overall project planning and implementation; labor and working conditions (in particular child labor);  community health and safety; cultural heritage; Environment and Social Governance (ESG) in private sector; client capacity building and support to strengthen national E/S systems. Experience in managing Trust Funds/Grants and in coordinating with donor organizations; knowledge of World Bank trust fund procedures and processes.
• Experience working on complex multi-sectoral development challenges and working in a federal/decentralized system.Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize, deal with frequent and unexpected changes and work within tight timeframes.Demonstrated ability to lead and translate analytical work into policy advice and actionable, practical recommendations; Experience in collecting, analyzing, and effectively using data related to social inclusion, youth/women empowerment, gender equality, GBV prevention and response.Experience in contributing to high-level strategic decisions and technical support to government counterparts, policymakers, beneficiaries, community-based organizations, and development partners on effective approaches to close gender gaps. Proven capacity to work with a wide range of stakeholders, international organizations, development agencies, government counterparts, beneficiaries of Bank projects, and civil society organizations; ability to effectively negotiate and build consensus to achieve constructive outputs.Outstanding interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and team skills, and ability to think innovatively and strategically to find balanced solutions to complex development problems, with a strong client focus.
• Proven track record in communicating complex issues in a clear and concise manner to different stakeholders.Acting with integrity at all times to build trust and to create an enabling work environment, whether as team leader or team member. Very high level of energy, initiative and self-motivation; willingness to travel and work under challenging circumstances.Demonstrated ability to work across practices, work in cross-thematic teams, foster teamwork, and mentor junior staff. Excellent oral and writing skills in English and French is essential; ability to present and facilitate sessions; Arabic language skill is a plus.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=28587&site=1