Vacant Jobs at World Bank Group

Roles & Responsibility 

• The Program Assistant duties and accountabilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Operational and administrative support:

The selected candidate will be assigned to support a set of sectors, as well as for tasks associated to the Unit’s overall work program for which ad-hoc support may be needed from time to time. The Program Assistant will be expected to:

• Work on interpreting existing procedures and processes, independently determine which should be used, and apply these appropriately.
• Extensively coordinate with other World Bank Group (WBG) units, and frequently liaison with team members regardless of location, and with external counterparts.
• Provide primary assistance in the implementation of the unit's work program, including some specialized support in a specific area(s), e.g. task management, procurement, database management, knowledge management, information technology, etc.
• Work regularly and substantially in more than one language, to include translating/drafting a variety of standard documents, applying effective proofreading and grammar skills in English.
• Identify and resolve diverse issues/problems as they arise, while following and independently applying existing procedures and processes.
• Suggest ways to enhance work organization and effectiveness.
• Exercise quality enhancement function for project and other documents by ensuring adherence to departmental, Vice-President Unit (VPU) and institutional guidelines.
• Participate in developing project/product timelines, using appropriate software.
• Attend meetings, draft minutes, and ensure timely clearance and distribution.
• Serve as an information resource on status of project/products (e.g. procurement, disbursement, audit, trust fund/co-financing, and legal issues) and draft a variety of standard project-related correspondences.
• Monitor task budget/trust funds for specific projects on behalf of the team.
• Undertake ad hoc inquiries in standard and non-standard databases, retrieves, manipulates and presents data.
• Participate in mission field work as required.
• Coordinate schedules taking priorities into account, monitor changes, and communicate the information to appropriate staff, inside and outside the immediate work unit, including officials outside the WBG.
• Assist in preparation and logistical planning for various events, e.g. conferences, workshops, negotiations, etc.
• Maintain current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distribute documents for the team.
• Maintain up-to-date work unit project and other files (both paper and electronic).
• Responsible for submitting travel requests, following up on approvals, and arranging bookings through designated office travel agent.
• Mentor less experienced staff.
• Undertake ad-hoc assignments and provide support to other staff in the unit as required.

Selection Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree with 4 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Prior experience in administration assistance in multi-national or international organization is preferred.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, including ability independently draft a variety of formal and informal correspondence; to proofread/edit materials.
• Effective time management and organizational skills
• Ability to retrieve reference materials from various sources (e.g. databases or other filing systems, Internet, etc.)
• Demonstrated initiative and resourcefulness.
• Proven ability to build relationship and interact positively with senior counterparts in the public and private sectors.
• Committed team player with good inter-personal skills and ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to produce high-quality work under pressure.

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Duties and Accountabilities

• A seasoned and dynamic development professional is required to join the South Africa Country Management Unit as a Senior Operations Officer. The Senior Operations Officer is a key member of the CMU’s operations team led by the Operations Manager.
• The Senior Operations Officer will support the Operations Manager in the planning, delivery, implementation, and monitoring of the unit's work program. More specifically, the Senior Operations Officer will undertake the following principle tasks: 
• Operations Quality Management. Help ensure strategic and high-quality lending and non-lending products by playing a central role in the CMU’s operational clearance function. Review operational documents in the project cycle and analytical products. Ensure operational compliance and promote best practices and distill and disseminate operational lessons learned. Bring ideas and contribute to continuous CMU efforts to improve CMU processes and procedures. Support the preparation of the unit’s operational quality tables and reports. Participate in selected missions to remain abreast of sector and country developments.  
• Portfolio Implementation Support. Play an active role in managing the operational quality of the ongoing South African CMU lending and non-lending program. This requires taking a proactive role in reviewing and monitoring country portfolio performance in close collaboration with the CMU country resident representatives and operations offices; technical project teams; fiduciary, safeguards, and legal staff; and government counterparts. Identify and assess implementation problems and bring them to the attention of the Operations Manager. Assist project teams in addressing complex operational challenges that emerge during implementation, liaising with World Bank operational departments as needed. Also, oversee and participate in periodic country portfolio performance reviews and monitor follow-up.
• Relationship Management. Play a key role in ensuring timely coordination with counterpart institutions, including the National Treasury (NT), line Ministries, development partners, and other stakeholders on operational matters.  Support program delivery and implementation, portfolio development, and the preparation of strategy products, including being the coordination and integration point for the extended country team and providing guidance and advice on country developments, operational priorities, and strategies, as needed. Maintain strong relationship with government counterparts, development partners, civil society organizations, RVP Front Office, Verticals, IFC, MIGA, and other WBG entities. Help foster teamwork and cross-sectoral cooperation on program preparation and implementation. 
• CMU Support. Assist business planning and work program preparation, budget allocation, monitoring of work program and budget implementation, quarterly reviews, and progress reporting in collaboration with the Operations Manager. Support the CMU by preparing and reviewing letters, notes, briefs and other documents for internal or external clients. Contribute to Work Program Management by i) supporting the preparation of the Work Program Agreements (WPAs) and budget allocation; ii) monitoring and analyzing work progress, budget execution, and staff deployments by GP, using data from current and previous fiscal years; iii) supporting GP task teams in problem-solving; iv) detecting challenges and opportunities; and v) advising CD and OM accordingly.
• Country Strategy Documents. Support the preparation of Country Engagement products (Country Partnership Frameworks, Performance and Learning Reviews, etc.), including supporting the consultative process with external partners; conceptualizing the storyline, pillars, and objectives; organizing inputs from Bank teams; drafting sections of these documents; and preparing the results framework.
• Contribute to the mentoring of junior Pretoria office-based colleagues in coordination with OM and HR business partners. 

Reporting:

• The Senior Operations Officer will report to the Operations Manager.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree (minimum Master’s degree) in a relevant field such as economics, finance, business, and international relations, or other related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience with development agencies, government, non-governmental organizations, or comparable institutions.
• Knowledge of the development context of South Africa and the other CMU countries will be a plus.
• Hands-on experience in portfolio management. Operational/sector experience at the World Bank or another International Financial Institution (IFI) highly desirable.
• Client relations and donor coordination experience highly desirable. Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent knowledge of operational, procurement, and financial management policies and procedures of the World Bank or other IFI highly desirable.
• Demonstrated competence in key areas of sustainable development topics with sound understanding of development and developing country issues; with proven capacity to assess policies and interrelationships for sector, macro-economic, and country strategies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft concise reports and correspondence.
• Ability to think strategically and be innovative in both substance and process in the design and implementation of country strategy and work program.
• Demonstrated outstanding inter-personal skills with proven ability to work cooperatively in multi-cultural environment with a multi-disciplinary team