Operations Officer World Bank

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

The Country Management Unit (CMU) for Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe (AECE1) provides a range of financial, knowledge, and convening services to help address the countries’ most complex development issues. The CMU covers staff in the four country offices (CO) supported by an Anchor team based at Headquarters in Washington DC consisting of a Sr. Operations Officer (SOO) and a Country Program Assistant. The Country Director (CD) is based in Dar es Salaam, together with an Operations Manager, an Operations/Senior Operations Officer, and three Program Leaders (PL)/Sector Leaders (SL), coordinating and overseeing the AFCE1 CMU. The Country Managers (CM) for Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, manage the day-to-day operations of the program for the respective countries, with the assistance of a Sr. Operation Officer, an Operations Officer and an Operations Analyst respectively.

As of December 2022, the World Bank Portfolio in Zambia had a net commitment of about $2.4B (credits and grants), of which 15 national IDA projects ($2.01B) and 4 regional IDA operations ($222M). The Zambia Country Office delivers analytics, studies and advisory (ASA) and lending services.

The CMU is looking for a highly skilled individual to operate as a Lusaka-based Operations Officer (OO, level GF) and help in the implementation of our Zambia program. The Operations Officer will report to the Country Manager (based in Lusaka) and work closely with Operations Manager (based in Dar es Salaam) and the Senior Operations Officer (based in Washington DC), and with 3 Program Leaders (PL)/Sector Leaders (SLs), all of whom support the entire CMU program.

The Operations Officer (OO) position is based in the Zambia Country Office with primary responsibility for supporting the Country Manager (CM) with respect to the performance of the existing Zambia portfolio and ensuring its strategic alignment with the Country Partnership Framework (CPF). The OO supports the CM and the Program Leaders to conduct country-specific monitoring and reporting on the existing lending and ASA portfolio, and to identify and resolve country-specific implementation issues. The OO maintains up-to-date information on portfolio performance (IDA, ASA and trust funds) for Zambia.

•  Coordinate and lead the preparation of a Monthly Portfolio Report. The report monitors lending, non-lending activities, TF, and other key portfolio performance indicators.

•  Monitor and facilitate timely delivery on various milestones during the project cycle, including with respect to project closing and reporting.

•  Support implementation by organizing its regular meetings with Global Practices (GPs), project task team leaders (TTLs) and Program Leaders to discuss and find solutions to the ongoing concerns and to anticipate potential future problems/bottlenecks. Follow-up with government on recommendations in close consultation with the CM and Program Leaders.

•  Follow up on the Portfolio Action Plan as formulated in the Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR), with special focus on portfolio-wide actions in the areas of Financial Management, procurement, safeguards, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).

•  Review, and draft comments on Implementation Status Reports (ISRs) for the CM.

•  Provide inputs to or prepare diverse operational products/outputs (e.g. country briefings, background reports, case studies, portfolio performance reviews, etc.).  Provide continuous case-by-case support to project task teams. Interact directly with the Program Leaders on daily work program issues and provide operational support for problem or risky operations. To the extent possible, participate in operational missions and meetings and assist teams in resolution of difficult issues.

•  Carry out research and analytics on operations- and CMU work program-related issues.

•  Liaise with the main government counterpart (Ministry of Finance and National Planning) on operational matters.

•  The OO works closely and mentors junior/ACS staff on issues of portfolio management and monitoring.

•  The OO will provide support to the CMU management team.

•  Review, comment on, and clear all out-going correspondence; manage in-coming correspondence.

•  Support the CM in the implementation of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) and aid in preparing the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) and CPF Completion Report, particularly regarding portfolio implementation.

•  MA/MS with minimum 5 years relevant experience; a post graduate qualification with a supplementary Business Administration will be an added advantage.

•  Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.

•  Effective verbal and written communications skills, with ability to prepare presentations.

•  Good ability to research, collect, analyze data.

•  Ability to function effectively in multi-disciplinary teams within a matrix environment.

•  Good understanding of Bank policies, procedures and system; or demonstrated ability to learn these quickly.

•  Do you have minimum 5 years relevant experience

•  Recognized by peers and/or managers for ability to identify and pro-actively solve operational issues and problems.

•  Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the CMU’s annual reporting, budgeting, and business planning.

•  Ability to coordinate mechanisms to ensure efficient and effective procedures for routine workflow in the County office.

•  Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.

•  Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.

•  Shares best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.

Assesses risks, benefits, impact and strategic intent in decision-making. Gathers varied and accurate input, assesses risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term. Defines objectives, resources and proper time scope for the complexity of the challenge. Anticipates the short- and long-term implications of decisions and actions on multiple programs and objectives within the Bank and seeks input from others.

Transfers knowledge and communicates effectively across boundaries. Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners. Leads in designing thematic activities and knowledge-sharing forums and encourages others to participate. Articulates ideas, verbally and in writing, using appropriate language that is understandable and easily appreciated by a target audience that spans several client groups or departments. Provides a forum to mentor, guide and influence colleagues and/or client groups to share knowledge across boundaries. Applies expertise and experience to proactively innovate and challenge the status quo. Demonstrates the ability to influence and persuade others to accept ideas and suggestions Department-wide.

Seeks to improve team collaboration and inclusion. Reaches out to contribute to the work of others in the department. Addresses challenges to effective teamwork contributing to the team staying organized and focused on work, even under stress. Shows leadership in ensuring the team actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches. Directs and identifies the collaboration needed across boundaries, internally and externally in order to have lasting impact. Keeps teams fully informed to ensure integration and work consistency. Facilitates an open exchange of ideas among team members and across teams to select beneficial solutions among alternatives.

Creates conditions to achieve challenging results. Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and communicates the importance to business outcomes. Finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables. Actively employs risk analysis and mitigates risk, making high-quality decisions on resource allocation and setting priorities for highest impact. Collaborates with others to make needed adjustments to work methods or systems to improve performance.

Identifies WBG solutions to meet client’s needs and goals. Considers the changing environment and sometimes competing client demands in the forefront of all work activities. Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and proposes sustainable solutions based on good diagnosis; applies best knowledge and evidence-based advice. Seeks resources and skills to meet challenging and unexpected client needs. Formulates effective development solutions that are sensitive to cultural values and beliefs of varied client groups and is able to resolve differences, negotiate and bring client to closure in a culturally sensitive manner. Delivers new insight and recommends actions or viable solutions for multiple client groups and future needs related to goals and Department-wide results.