WBG Director, Strategy and Operations

WBG Director, Strategy and Operations

Description

The World Bank Group (WBG) is a global partnership of five institutions - the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) - with a mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. As one of the largest sources of financing and knowledge for developing countries, we partner with public and private stakeholders to address critical development challenges. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we deploy data, research, and technology to deliver tangible, transformative results. For more information, visit www.worldbankgroup.org.

The WBG Infrastructure Vice Presidency Unit (Infrastructure VPU) provides public and private solutions to operational teams and clients across the WBG to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs by: (i) supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, (ii) policy environment, and (iii) enabling and mobilizing private sector capital. With 60 years of experience, the WBG is poised to support the sector becoming an engine of growth and jobs through improving policies and governance, foundational infrastructure and private sector investments. The WBG lending in the sector is expected to grow substantially. The Infrastructure VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams.

The WBG Director, Strategy and Operations (DSO) for Infrastructure reports to the WBG Vice President, Infrastructure who is accountable across IBRD/IDA, IFC, and MIGA, and coordinates closely with DEC.

Duties and accountabilities
The DSO is responsible for providing strategic vision, coherence, and direction for the Infrastructure VPU, delivering the work program agreement and helping achieve a strong portfolio performance in both the operational and knowledge activities of the Infrastructure VPU. The DSO works in close collaboration with WBG Vertical Directors, WBG Regional Directors , and Matrix VPs DSOs to develop and implement integrated solutions for clients, ensuring a high level of collaboration both within the Infrastructure VPU and across the WBG. The DSO fosters close coordination with IFC and MIGA, as well as DEC, to deepen opportunities for WBG collaboration.
The DSO is accountable for quality, risk, results, institutional initiatives, and compliance with WBG policies and procedures. The DSO is expected to provide thought leadership and an enabling environment for staff to deliver the Infrastructure VPU’s mission with professionalism.

Responsibilities
The DSO is accountable for performing the responsibilities, modeling the behaviors, and maintaining the technical competencies (listed below). Accountability means being answerable for managing quality, risks, results, institutional initiatives and compliance with Bank policies and procedures.
S/he is responsible for performing activities in the following areas:

Business Management:
• Assuring the smooth functioning of the Infrastructure VPU, encompassing the delivery of global knowledge insights and programs enabling replications and scale for high impact while promoting direct engagement between the WBG Vice President and directors/managers rather than adding layers.
• Managing risks in the portfolio through effective monitoring and mitigation, in close collaboration with the Infrastructure Operations Support team and the WBG Directors.
• Leading key global engagements and business meetings as delegated by the WBG Vice President and ensure implementation of decisions taken.
• Acting as necessary for the WBG Vice President and representing the WBG Vice President inside and outside the Bank.
• Coordinating with major development partners on strategy and policy matters as required.
• Leading and participating in corporate and regional working groups and task forces as delegated by the WBG Vice President, and in close collaboration with OPCS, as well as with the Offices of the WBG Managing Directors and the WBG President.
• Leading IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory, which provides IFC clients and partners with expert sustainability advice that enables infrastructure investments with strong development impact, as well as IFC’s Innovation & Strategic Initiatives program.
• Directly managing cross-cutting functions within the Infrastructure VPU, including managing the WBG Infrastructure internal alignment among regional teams from IBRD / IFC / MIGA and managing the Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory team (former IFC).

Vice Presidency Strategy:
• Supporting the WBG Vice President in delivering regular Vice-President Updates to the Board.
• Ensuring the alignment of key strategic and cross-cutting issues and corporate priorities with the Infrastructure VPU’s overall work program, working closely with the responsible global, regional, and country directors.
• Coordinating the efforts to link outputs more strategically to Infrastructure VPU’s desired outcomes for better results. Providing strategic comments from a VPU-wide perspective on SCDs, CPFs, CCDRS, PLRs and other high profile or high visibility operations and corporate documents and initiatives, at OC and OVP levels.
• Providing input to corporate strategy on emerging related to the infrastructure sectors.

Operational Strategy:
• Monitoring the overall work program and aggregate deliverables.
• Identifying cross-cutting issues and trends for the attention of the WBG Vice President and Leadership Team (LT) and ensuring that the LT takes the necessary actions to resolve them.

People/ Talent Management:
• Supporting the WBG Vice President in overseeing the strategic staffing and mobility exercises and ensuring their consistency and coherence.
• Supporting people and talent management as part of the Infrastructure VPU LT, including cross-practice consistency and coordination.
• Managing the front office operations.

Resource Management:
• Oversight of resource management, security and IT, and HR strategies for the WBG Infrastructure VPU.
• Serving as a focal point for articulating and coordinating Global Engagement budget requests.
• Providing Strategic oversight and prioritization of the VPU Trust Fund mobilization efforts.

Knowledge Management:
• Cultivate an environment of openness that encourages innovation and rewards knowledge sharing and dissemination to drive impact.
• Provide oversight of internal and external communications strategies and knowledge management for the WBG Infrastructure VPU.

Selection Criteria

• Masters (or PhD) degree in a field relevant to Infrastructure and a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
• Broad knowledge and experience in WBG Infrastructure solutions, and operational experience in client countries.
• Demonstrated ability to work across practice and disciplinary boundaries, and with multiple stakeholders – both public and private – to build collaborative alliances for results.
• Demonstrated leadership in shaping and leading new agendas, bringing thought leadership and analysis together with delivery capacity for maximum client impact.
• Proven track record of managing complex and large work programs, budgets, portfolio monitoring and supervision, with demonstrable results.
•Proven ability to effectively work with colleagues and integrate the work of multiple departments covering diverse activities.
•Proven capability to lead and implement organizational change and reform initiatives, focused on improving efficiency, accountability, and clarity in roles, processes, and institutional culture.

WBG Managerial Competencies

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

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.

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