Job Description/Requirements
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile?Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to helpour clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Groupis one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developingcountries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to endingextreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainabledevelopment. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, wework with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreakingprojects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to themost urgent global challenges. For more information, visit
Water Global Practice and the Sustainable DevelopmentPractice Group
The water challenges of the world are tremendous. For humandevelopment, livable cities, food security, and energy security the need forbetter water resources management is growing. Even today, 2.5 billion peoplelack access to improved sanitation, of which 1 billion people practice opendefecation. Poor sanitation, including inadequate wastewater collection andtreatment, impacts health, education, the environment, and industries such astourism. At least 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Thelack of access to safe water and sanitation results in significant economiclosses in many countries. This is further exacerbated by climate change, waterpollution, water scarcity, and the global covid-19 pandemic in a fast-changingworld.
The Water Global Practice (WTR GP) is poised to deliver on aWater Secure World through an approach that focuses on Sustaining WaterResources, Delivering Services and Building Resilience. The WTR GP also seeksto ensure that water issues are effectively addressed across all relatedsub-sectors, such as agriculture, climate change and disaster risk management,and energy (hydropower). An integrated approach is adopted In each sub-sector,with the support of its respective Global Solutions Group, which considersinvestment alongside issues such as governance, institutions, and policies.Water in Agriculture (WIA) projects focus on all aspects of agricultural watermanagement, from governance in service delivery, to modernization ofirrigation, farmer led irrigation, water accounting and resilience through improvedagricultural water practices. The Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) projectsinclude rural and urban water and sanitation services, hygiene behavior,improving the efficiency of utilities, and provision of services to the poor.The Water Resources Management (WRM) projects include integrated water resourcemanagement, including groundwater management, dam safety, and flood management.Increasingly, while staff may specialize in one sub-sector, they are encouragedand supported to address the full water agenda in terms of analytical, policyand operational work â and the position of Lead Water Sector Specialist is anintegral element of bringing together all elements to manage water security andâwater writ largeâ.
The Water GP is housed within the Sustainable DevelopmentPractice Group, which brings together the cross-cutting sectors of Water withAgriculture, Environment, Social Inclusion, and Urban and Disaster RiskManagement. The GP, through its fully integrated GWSP Trust Fund, placeshighest priority on global knowledge into local implementation, as well as indeploying staff to countries and regions while still working globally.
Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region
Western and Central Africa is a region with diversecultures, beliefs, languages, and lifestyles â marked by contrasts of stabilityand conflict, affluence and poverty. Home to about half a billion people, itencompasses 22 countries stretching from the westernmost point of Africa acrossthe equator and partly along the Atlantic Ocean to the Republic of Congo in theSouth. Yet these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps ineducation, health, and skills, which have Africa not reaching its estimatedpotential. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptiveforces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress thathas been made over the past decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought back tothe forefront the risks posed by weak health and water supply and sanitationsystems, and poor surveillance.
The World Bank Western and Central Africa Region, comprisedof approximately 1,139 staff mostly based in the country offices, is committedto help countries to realize their considerable development potential andbecome more competitive in the global economy by focusing on the followingpriorities (i) Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies, (ii) Building up theDigital Economy, (iii) Institutions more Efficient and Accountable (iv)Investing in People, (v) Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption,(vi) Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict and Violence (vii) BuildingPartnerships and Working across the African Continent. The water team withinthe West and Central Africa Region is led by the Water Practice Manager who reportsto the AFR-West SD Regional Director, who leads the strategy of RISE:resilience, integration, sustainability and efficiency.
AFW Water Team (SAWW4)
Withinthe West and Central Africa Region, the hiring unit, or the AFW Water team(SAWW4), is responsible for ensuring the translation of the World Bankâs AfricaRegional Strategy and the Water Global Practiceâs Water Security Strategy intopractical results relevant to 3 countries, from Liberia to the Republic ofCongo. Specifically, the unit supports the definition and achievement of theseresults through analytical, policy, and investment activities. The unit has astaffing complement of around 16 water professionals, with an active portfolioof over $1.7 Billion, through 4 large investment projects, 1 Programs forResults, Advisory Services and Analytics, and contribution to DevelopmentPolicy Financing.
The hiring unit has an active portfolio of investments andlending projects in the Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon CMUs under implementation,focusing on water security, including water supply, sanitation, irrigation, andwater resources management. In all cases, these require intensive engagementwith government counterparts, and other stakeholders to ensure local ownership,capacity and sustained focus on implementation for results.
The successful candidate will be recruited for a GG-levelIRS position to be based in Abuja for a four-year term and report to the SAWW4Water Practice Manager.
The focus of the work program will be on the Nigeria waterresources and irrigation portfolio. An exciting and dynamic portfolio coveringa wide range of Federal and State-level stakeholders and investments. InNigeria, the Water GP works closely with other SD and INF units in integratedprograms designed to address multi-faceted challenges.
OBJECTIVE AND CONDITIONS OF RECRUITMENT
The SAWW4 unit seeks to recruit a Senior Water SectorSpecialist to: (1) lead the team providing implementation support to theTransforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMIN) Project (P123112) andthe preparation of the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN)Project (P179684); (2) provide technical and operational guidance on otheractivities in the SAWW4; and (3) play a lead role on cross-SD issues as an SDstaff in the Nigeria CMU.
SPECIFIC TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Water Specialist will be responsible for thefollowing specific tasks including but not limited to:
1. Provideleadership and direction to the Task Team providing implementation support toselected projects including the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria(TRIMIN) Project in its closing phase and the preparation of the SustainablePower and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN)
2. LeadBank-related adaptative implementation functions such as projectrestructurings, budget planning, preparation of TORs, provision of noobjections, management briefs, etc.
3. Providetechnical direction to the Water GPâs portfolio in Nigeria, with focus on waterresources management, storage and irrigation
4. Lead,co-lead, and participate in Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs) activitiesin the country and/or at regional level, for the Water Global Practice and orother GPs as agreed with the Practice Manager
5. Leadclient dialogue on water resources management and irrigation and relatedprojects in Nigeria
6. Workacross SD teams and coordinate the work of a multidisciplinary Bank team asappropriate. Support coordination of Bank-funded and donor-funded technicalassistance activities.
7. Maintainliaison and dialogue with government agencies and development partners,research institutions, non-government organizations, the private sector, andother sector-related institutions.
8. Superviseconsultants (individual and firms), ensuring consistency and conformity to Bankstandards; and evaluating studies and sector-related project documentation.
9. Providetechnical support to the task teams, as needed, liaising closely andcoordinating the water-related activities with other Global Practices and theCountry Management Unit (CMU).
10. Monitor andprovide advisory support for the adherence to World Bank’s operational policiesand quality requirements in technical and fiduciary due diligence.
11. Otheractivities as agreed with the Practice Manager.
Selection Criteria
- At least an MS in civil/environmental engineering or MA degree in economics, with specialization in water resources management, watersupply/hydraulics, irrigation or similar field
- At least10 years of work experience in the field of water resources management, irrigation, storage and dams
- Deep understanding and demonstrated expertise of World Bank operations and processes
- At least10 years of experience in project management in the water sector, with provenability to manage complex multi-sector World Bank operations, including those with complex safeguards and resettlement
- Experience leading large teams and managing client dialogue in complex projects
- Prior experience of the West Africa region would be an advantage
- FCV experience would be preferred
- Ability to speak, read and write in English. Fluency in French is an advantage.
Note: If the selected candidate is a current World BankGroup Staff Member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this appointment, s/he will retain the duration of his/her current Term appointment.