Counsel

Counsel Job #: req33943 Organization: World Bank Sector: Legal Grade: GF Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Brasilia,Brazil Required Language(s): English, Portuguese Preferred Language(s): Spanish Closing Date: 8/19/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? 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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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 World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data. Legal Vice Presidency. In the context of the World Bank's broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel (SVP-GC), is responsible for providing legal advice and support to internal and external Bank clients on operational, advisory, financial, administration, and institutional matters.
LEGLE is the unit within LEG that works on Bank operations in the Latin American and Caribbean Region and the Europe and Central Asia Region. LEGLE invites qualified candidates to apply for a Counsel position based in Brasilia, Brazil. 
Selected candidates will work under the general supervision of the Chief Counsel. The Counsel will be a lawyer who can operate independently to handle legal and policy issues related to the Bank’s work while working collaboratively with other lawyers within LEGLE and LEG as a whole.
Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
The Counsel positions require demonstrated ability of rigorous analytical skills, to work harmoniously in a team, and to exercise good judgment. The level and quality of these skills will be a determining factor in the selection for the position, and references will be given consideration in this determination. 
The Counsel will be expected to handle the following areas of responsibility:
•   Draft, review, negotiate and finalize legal agreements under the Counsel’s portfolio. •   Provide risk-based advice to clients on legal and policy issues in operations.•   Research and advise on matters of Brazilian law as they affect the Bank’s operations.•   Facilitate dialogue with Brazilian authorities working on legal aspects as well as other relevant lawyers in Brazil on legal matters that affect Bank operations and suggest and implement ways to improve processes and interactions on legal aspects.•   Analyze new laws and court rulings in Brazil and summarize key aspects for the Country Management Unit. •   Identify, assess, and provide advice to management and staff under the Bank’s legal risk management framework, including rating and reporting of legal risks. •   Participate in or lead on initiatives or teams, through coordination of portfolios or programs, management of client relationships, participating in dialogue on corporate priorities and other areas relevant to the assigned functional scope. •   Provide legal advice to ongoing projects and programs, including reviewing project and program documents, for adherence to World Bank Group policies, procedures, and business objectives.•   Conduct comparative legal analyses on a range of issues in operations, identify legal and policy issues, research relevant precedents, and propose appropriate solutions to colleagues and clients.•   Engage in policy discussions and negotiations with officials internally and externally, developing relationships with members of the legal profession and lawyers working in development partner agencies.•   Protect the World Bank's interests and promote its goals and values.•   Write and review policy papers, undertake legal research on topics in an area of concentration and contribute to dissemination of policy and best practices in a given field.•   Prepare legal briefs on diverse topics, as required.•   Work to advance the LEG VPU’s knowledge management agenda and use of technology; and•   Perform ad hoc assignments as requested by the Chief Counsel or designated Lead Counsel.

Selection Criteria

•   An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction is required.
Competencies:
General Competencies Required:
•   Excellent legal research, writing, drafting, analytical and communications skills.•   Excellent interpersonal skills.•   Experience in international, commercial or contract law, in transactional legal work and the preparation and negotiation of legal agreements.•   Excellent legal drafting skills, including preparation of agreements and legal memos.•   Familiarity in the use of varied legal research sources (including electronic sources on the internet) and other databases.•   Experience working in the Brazilian legal system.•   Proven ability to operate effectively as a member of one or more teams; must be a self-starter and collaborate well with others; ability to exercise sound judgment in recognizing what issues to bring to the attention of the Chief Counsel and/or another supervising Lead Counsel, and which to handle autonomously.•   Proven ability to identify and help manage legal risk, through sound judgment, determining and escalating risk appropriately, providing risk-based advice, and guiding more junior staff on the same.•   Proven ability to deal sensitively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.•   Ability to supervise and work with local counsel in a collaborative and collegial way.•   Ability to work under time pressure and to manage multiple tasks within tight deadlines.•   Ability and willingness to move to a field position in a World Bank country office within a few years of joining the World Bank based on business needs.
Other Competencies Required:
•   Legal Drafting, Research and Communication:  Proven ability to draft transactional documentation (e.g., loan agreements or other financial agreements), briefings and a variety of legal instruments and related documents independently. Conducts research as necessary to acquire insight and information. Is aware of the need for precision and focus on quality. Uses a writing style that is clear and precise. •   Independence: Carries out work with due care, preparing accurate documents and reports, ensuring that pertinent facts are fairly presented without seeking to obfuscate (either through too much information or withholding relevant information). Interprets information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism when required. •   Professional Maturity: Understands others and the reasons for their behavior. Takes the time to clarify others' points of view so that progress can be made particularly in situations of stress or conflict. Proven ability to deal sensitively and effectively across organizational boundaries, as a team member, in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues. Accepts and implements decisions made by management.•   Legal Reasoning:  Breaks down problems into their component parts. Articulates the implications of situations in a step-by-step way. Remains objective when reviewing problems or situations to understand the issues. Makes sure to seek or possess all relevant facts. •   Recommends and takes decisive action:  Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy. Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term implications of decisions. Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.•   Delivers Results for Clients: Contributes to delivery of results for clients on complex issues. Sets challenging goals that align with the WBG mission and is always looking to improve. Understands clients’ most pressing challenges and contributes to solutions. Takes personal responsibility for producing high quality work, identifying and informing of risks, and delivering results for clients.•   Collaborates within Teams and Across Boundaries: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests, or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success. Shares information and frames thinking/actions with a corporate perspective in mind.•   Leads and Innovates: Brings new and different insights. Applies critical thinking to current approaches, identifies areas for improvement, and tries new solutions that drive results. Considers own behavior in context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact one has on others. Operates in ambiguity and changing needs and supports others to do the same.•   Creates, Applies and Shares Knowledge: Actively contributes to and readily applies WBG’s body of knowledge for internal and/or external client solutions. Contributes to the department’s and WBG’s body of knowledge by applying lessons learned and expertise. Actively invests in own knowledge and seeks feedback. Builds personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group.•   Makes Smart Decisions: Leverages available data and makes timely decisions. Seeks and analyzes facts, data, and lessons of past experience to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work. Applies cost/benefit analysis to meet work program objectives. Contributes to decision making by providing relevant risk analysis. Shows initiative when necessary and makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility.
•   Values, Leadership Potential•   Demonstrated commitment to the World Bank Core Values for WBG and a proven track record of fostering a strong and healthy culture of diversity, inclusion, teamwork, honesty, trust, openness, integrity, and accountability.•   Demonstrated ability to be sensitive to issues around race, gender, ethnicity, inclusion, and intersectionality.•   Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and foster a positive working environment. •   Demonstrated commitment to the Bank’s mission, and ability to work towards WBG's corporate targets for successful outcomes.•   A strong results-oriented mindset. 

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful 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.