Job description
Background / General Description
GLOBAL PRACTICES & CROSS-CUTTING SOLUTIONS AREAS
The 14 GPs are: Agriculture; Education; Energy and Extractives; Environment and Natural Resources; Finance and Markets; Governance; Health, Nutrition and Population; Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management; Poverty; Social Protection and Labor; Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience; Trade and Competitiveness; Transport and ICT; and Water. The 5 CCSAs are: Climate Change; Fragility, Conflict and Violence; Gender; Jobs; and Public-Private Partnerships. The new operating model is part of a broader internal reform aimed at delivering the best of the World Bank Group to our clients, so that together we can achieve the twin goals of: (1) ending extreme poverty by 2030; and (2) promote shared prosperity for the bottom 40% of the population in every developing country.
THE “SOCIAL, URBAN, RURAL AND RESILIENCE” (SURR) GLOBAL PRACTICE
The SURR GP covers a wide gamut: (i) developing green, inclusive and resilient cities; (ii) addressing the social inclusion of the poor, vulnerable and excluded groups through accountable institutions, and ensuring compliance with social safeguards; (iii) enhancing urban and rural development through supporting and managing the urban-rural transition, assisting local development through developing land tenure, management and information systems; and (iv) assisting in disaster risk management through issues of risk assessment, risk reduction (including flood management, urban drainage, coastal management, and retrofitting of infrastructure), disaster preparedness (including hydromet services, early warning systems, and civil defense), risk financing (including CAT-DDO), and resilient reconstruction (including post-disaster damage and loss assessment).
The World Bank has in operation a set of social environmental safeguard policies over the past two decades to address social environmental issue arising from its supported development projects. These policies embody core values of the institution and form the cornerstone of the World Bank’s efforts to protect people, environment and support sustainable development. In August 2016, the World Bank board approved a new Environmental And Social Framework (ESF) that preserves the values and protections of the safeguard policies, enhances the coverage of social issues and improves governance, efficiency and accountability in addressing environmental and social issues. The ESF is expected to be effective in 2018.
A key responsibility of the GP is to provide professional expertise and operational support to other GPs to implement the WBG operational policies (the WB’s safeguard policies and the IFC’s Performance Standards) to deliver sustainable development results that ensure that any adverse impacts of WBG interventions are limited and mitigated.
The SURR GP is recruiting a social development specialist to provide support in meeting the Bank’s expanding and complex social safeguards agenda and promote the social sustainability of its investments. The specialist will report directly to the GPSURR Social Practice Manager of the region , and will be expected to work closely with country units and Task Teams across the region. The selected candidate will also be expected to work collaboratively and develop good relations with the corporate safeguards team, and the Bank-wide Social Sustainability and Safeguards Global Solutions Group (GSG).
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.
Duties And Accountabilities
The Social Development Specialists will have the following responsibilities:
Work under the coordination of the regional focal point for safeguards on the social safeguards portfolio, providing oversight and quality assurance. This will include direct operational support to operations.
Serve as a social development specialist, advising task teams and clients on the Bank’s policies relating to assessment and mitigation of social risks and impacts during preparation and supervision of lending operations.
Undertake policy dialogue with clients on social sustainability and safeguards issues and advise counterparts on technical options for social development, particularly involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, labor, community health, stakeholder engagement, mitigation plan and institutional development.
Participate in cross-practice teams responsible for the preparation of policy notes, Systematic Country Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social development topics; advise on the social sustainability of the portfolio, including gender, beneficiary feedback and safeguards issues, etc.
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.
Support Senior and Lead Specialists in handling complex technical, institutional and program implementation issues regarding social development and social .
For high risk projects for which OPSOR is providing direct oversight, liaise closely with Regional Safeguards Advisors and Lead/Senior Social Development Specialists to ensure timely distribution, completion and follow up on social review processes. This will include ensuring that technical comments related to social aspects have been fully addressed and integrated into project documentation, and ensuring compliance with applicable procedures and disclosure requirements.
Participate in portfolio reviews on selected social development topics.
Build capacity with clients on issues related to safeguards and broader social issues, including clients’ monitoring and evaluation of social development activities and outcomes.
Improve feedback mechanisms through participating in and contributing in high quality training and other learning events related to social assessments, social safeguards and broader social development issues.
Contribute to ongoing and emerging corporate initiatives related to social safeguards and standards, through participation in the Global Solutions Group on Social Sustainability and
Safeguards. This will include contributing to the ongoing safeguards policy reform at the Bank.
Liaise with other social development specialists and other groups within GSURR and other Global Practices and across the World Bank Group, to develop and promote the use of consistent approaches to social assessment and risk management.
Participate in the broader social development work of the team.
Work independently under general direction of the Practice Manager, seeking guidance on complex projects/issues from Senior and Lead specialists.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate should have good analytical skills, have practical experience with participatory processes of stakeholder engagement, and be able to integrate social development considerations in an operational context. This requires technical competency on social issues and safeguards, with demonstrated ability to contribute to project management and engagement with senior technical specialists. Experience working in complex and challenging settings is desirable.
Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant social science discipline (anthropology, sociology, political economy, social development, etc.) or other related discipline, with a minimum of five years of professional experience in sustainability, social safeguards and/or social development (e.g. voice and participation, gender, community-driven development, citizen engagement) in the context of international development or investment projects.
Knowledge and experience in addressing issues covered by social safeguards policies (social assessments, involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, labor, community health and stakeholder engagement) in complex and challenging settings, and across practices. Experience in addressing safeguards issues in project design and implementation, reviewing potential social impacts of development projects, balancing corporate interests with regional/country/sector needs, and promoting social sustainability aspects of operations.
Experience in participatory processes, civic engagement, gender and community development approaches.
Ability to develop novel approaches to mitigate social risks or overcome difficult challenges across a range of investment lending operations.
Team oriented professionals with proven ability in managing complex tasks as part of multi-disciplinary teams.
Experience in dealing directly with clients on complex tasks, and capacity to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.
Ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment, manage multiple tasks, identify and respond to needs as they arise, and remain flexible and self-motivated in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment. Ability to work across practices, work in cross-thematic teams.
Very high level of energy, initiative and self-motivation; willingness to travel and work under challenging circumstances.
Excellent oral and writing skills. Ability to write well in English is essential.
Competencies
Social Development Implications on Policy, Institutions, and Operations – Familiarity with the implications of social development on policy, institutions, and operations.
Analytical Tools for Social Sustainability – experience conducting social development analyses, producing meaningful results, and applying the tools in the course of an operation.
Participation and Consultation – experience conducting social development consultative and participatory approaches, and applying the approaches in the course of an operation.
Social Safeguards – Familiar with and can apply (under supervision) the social safeguard policies to a situation and identify issues and risks.
Kenyan Context: Knowledge and experience of social risk management systems, policies and practices in Kenya.
Knowledge of Kiswahili highly desirable.
Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
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.
Deliver Results for Clients – Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborate across boundaries, give own perspective and willingly receive diverse perspectives.
Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Apply knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
Make Smart Decisions – Interpret a wide range of information and push to move forward.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
