Summary
Date Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Senior Private Sector Specialist at World Bank: (Deadline 14 September 2021)

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. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.
The Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation (FCI) Global Practice combines expertise in the financial sector with expertise in private sector development to foster private-sector led growth and help create markets in client countries. FCI’s core lines of business are: (a) Financial Stability & Integrity; (b) Financial Inclusion, Infrastructure & Access; (c) Firm Capabilities & Innovation; (d) Long-Term Finance; (e) Climate & Risk Management; (f) Markets and Technology; and (g) Investment and Competition. For more information, please visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/fci
Eastern and Southern Africa: Home to about half a billion of Africa’s people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. Children under 18 make up almost half of the total population. The subregion boasts of some of the world’s richest human and natural resources and, apart from South Africa, the countries are predominantly raw material exporters.
The subregion harbors some of Africa’s protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continues to keep people from reaching their full potential. This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.

The World Bank’s Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,207 staff, mostly based in 26 country offices, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the following priorities:
• Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies: We are working with countries across Africa to stimulate job creation and economic transformation by leveraging all sources of finance, expertise, and solutions to promote investment.
• Building up the Digital Economy: We are supporting Africa’s vision to ensure that every African individual, business, and government is connected by 2030 – a vision that, if realized, can boost growth by up to 2 percentage points per year, and reduce poverty by 1 percentage point per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.
• Institutions more Efficient and Accountable: Our support is helping governments strengthen public policy processes, manage resources effectively, and reinforce fair and reliable delivery of public services.
• Investing in People: We are at the forefront of helping African countries accelerate human capital gains and empower women by improving their access to education and skills acquisition, sexual and reproductive health services, and employment opportunities. With the influx COVID-19, we are mobilizing financial support and timely analysis and advice to countries across the subregion deal with the pandemic.
• Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption: In the face of increasing climate-related risks, we are working with African countries to advance efforts to adopt renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and green infrastructure. A number of East African countries are currently facing a debilitating Desert Locust infestation, threatening the already precarious food security situation. The Bank has put together a program to help affected countries deal with the scourge.
• Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence: Given the cross-border nature of conflicts in Africa, we are employing an approach that simultaneously focuses on the drivers of fragility while also supporting well-targeted regional initiatives to create opportunities for peace and shared prosperity.
• Building Partnerships and Working across the African Continent: We are scaling up our work on regional integration, taking a holistic view of the continent that covers both North and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Bank is a dedicated partner for Eastern and Southern African countries, helping them deliver strong development outcomes for their people. A brighter future for Africa is a better future for the world.
This position is based in Kigali and entails a focus on the work program in Rwanda and Kenya, but other country programs may evolve and be needed. In Rwanda, FCI has a portfolio of around US$300 million and there is strong potential to build on the recent Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) diagnostic and competitiveness related issues in the country, but also to support the Government of Rwanda in its efforts to move towards a more private sector led economic growth model. The Government has a clear commitment towards private sector development and seeks to increase private sector participation in the economy. This position offers an opportunity to be an integral part of the Bank’s growing engagement in Rwanda and represent FCI in an important role in this engagement.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Amongst other things, the candidate will be expected to:
• Contribute to or lead the FCI policy dialogue on issues relating to investment, trade, private sector and financial sector development, particularly focusing on creating opportunities for investments supporting economic transformation and employment, while actively participating and contributing to multi-sectoral teams involved in policy-based discussions/operations.
• Contribute to or lead specific operational activities at all stages of the project cycle for ASA and lending operations and supporting the implementation of ongoing FCI projects/activities.
• Work closely with the Program Leaders/Country Economists and CMUs to ensure the integration of relevant private sector and financial issues in country strategies, SCDs/CPFs and work programs as well as country policy dialogue and engagement.
• Develop effective coordination mechanisms for policy dialogue and ASA dissemination with the Global Practices, IFC and donors.
• Support the FCI team in the preparation of briefing material on country program/sector and project issues and follows up on portfolio issues. Produce technical notes, briefings, presentations, etc. as requested by Management.
• Business Development: cultivate strategic relationships with country clients and the CMU and deepen client engagement on private sector development and competitiveness in line with country priorities.
• Knowledge Management, and Teamwork: promote synergies across product teams, providing support through trouble shooting, anticipating problems and solving them.

Selection Criteria
This job requires a seasoned Private Sector Development (PSD) professional with strong client relationship management, nical and operational (lending and ASA) skills. He/she will have demonstrated an ability to manage and mentor teams effectively and deliver results on the ground. The following qualifications will be considered:
• Masters level or equivalent qualification with minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience in the areas of finance, business, management, economics or related discipline.
• The ideal candidate should have solid knowledge and experience in the one or more topic areas: business environment and investment climate, investment policy and promotion, competitive industries and sectors, SME upgrading, PPPs, entrepreneurship, competition policy and issues, as well as good understanding of financial sector issues.
• A combination of experience inside and outside (including in the private sector or the government) the World Bank Group (including familiarity with Bank Group products, policies and procedures), and within the Bank having experience of designing and leading lending projects and ASA activities, as well as Trust Funded activities, in private sector development would be ideal.
• Proven capacity to engage in and influence policy discussions at the country level on private sector development, investment and competitiveness issues and strong internal and external client engagement skills and ability to collaborate and work across boundaries.
• Outstanding judgment on operational, country, and practice issues. Strong results focus, with a track record of leading teams to deliver high impact projects and activities.
• Should be a mature professional with a demonstrated ability to mentor and incentivize teams, inspire confidence in senior country officials, and work in a culturally diverse environment.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English. Proficiency in French would be an added advantage.
The candidate should meet WBG Core Competencies. For information about WBG Core Competencies, please visit: https://bit.ly/2kbIA7O World BankGroupCoreCompetencies   
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.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 96

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

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