Practice Manager Job #: req33828 Organization: World Bank Sector: Water/Sanitation Grade: GH Term Duration:ย 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Pretoria,South Africa Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): French, Portuguese Closing Date: 8/4/2025 (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.ย For more information, visit www.worldbank.org
About the World Bank Group
ย Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the worldโs largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.ย
The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).ย
With 189 member countries, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership fighting poverty worldwide through sustainable solutions.
ย Country Context
Africa (AFE) Region:
Home to almost 60% of Africaโs population, the Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) region is geographically, culturally, and economically diverse and comprises 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South.ย
AFE boasts some of the worldโs richest natural resources. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produces much of the worldโs mined cobalt, and Angola leads the region in the production of crude oil. For countries in Southern Africa, precious metals and minerals are the biggest exports, including gold and diamonds from South Africa and platinum from Zimbabwe. Many of these minerals will be in critical need to combat climate change and present a growth opportunity in a low-carbon future. Signs of economic transformation are also emerging in ICT, infrastructure and a vibrant private sector that is supported by a young and dynamic population.
Despite the regionโs potential, economic growth remains low in many of the AFE countries. Key challenges include persistent inequality and limited access to productive employment, heavy debt burdens exacerbated by slow growth, low agricultural productivity, weak infrastructure, low human capital and limited resilience to climate change and conflict.ย 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 Bankโs Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,200 staff, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the five dimensions of People, Prosperity, Planet, Infrastructure, and Digital to realize rapid economic transformation that unlocks the regionโs growth potential, addresses unemployment and underemployment, reduces poverty and inequality, manages debt and fiscal pressures, and builds resilience.
The Planet Verticalย
The Planet Practice Vertical helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food; Climate Change, Environment; Environmental and Social Framework; Social Development; and Water.ย
Eastern and Southern Africa Planet Department:
The Africa Eastern and Southern Africa Planet Department (AFEPD) provides a wide range of financial, knowledge and convening services to help address Eastern and Southern Africa countriesโ most complex development issues.ย The Planet agenda in Country Partnership Frameworks typically supports strategic priorities of economic growth, jobs creation, improved service delivery, enhanced inclusion, and building of resilience and sustainability, and cross cutting themes such as climate mitigation and adaptation, womenโs empowerment, and institutional transformation.
The AFE Planet Department is led by the Regional Practice Director and consists of four global practices (GPs); Agriculture and Food, Environment, Social Development, and Water, and leads on the Climate Change agenda. The Department has a robust engagement in the region, including, in the last fiscal year, delivery of $1.6B in new lending, a portfolio of $17 billion in financing in 96 projects, and annual disbursement of over 21% of that financing. ย Our knowledge program is extensive and provided through a mix of Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA), including Reimbursable Advisory Services. We delivered 25 new knowledge products last fiscal year across all the Planet topics.ย ย The AFE Planet Department also innovates in the use of financial instruments and partnerships, leveraging One World Bank Group working in close partnership with IFC and MIGA.
Water Global Practice:
Water touches every aspect of development and links with nearly every Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). It drives economic growth, supports healthy ecosystems, and is essential and fundamental for life itself. Water availability and management impacts whether poor girls are educated, whether cities are healthy places to live, and whether growing industries or poor villages can withstand the impacts of floods or droughts. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/waterย
AFE Water:
The Water Unit, SAEW2, is one of the two Water Units in the AFE Planet Department.ย SAEW2 delivers the Water program in three selected Country Management Units (CMUs): AECC2 (Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi, Sao Tome Principe); AECE3 (Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea); and AECS1 (South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Namibia).ย The program focuses on the following strategic priorities:
(i) Water for People: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene access gaps are increasing in the region. Over the last 20 years, 63 million more people in AFE lack water, and 174 million lack sanitation, alongside significant operational inefficiencies and increasing city water shortages.
(ii) Water for Food: Sub Saharan Africa has the highest malnutrition rate (22%) and the highest population growth rate, agriculture is about 50% of all jobs and yet only 5% of cultivated land is irrigated, despite land and water resources.
(iii) Water for the Planet: The region has high dependence on Transboundary Waters - covering around 64% of the land area (highest of any region in world), declining natural water storage due to degradation of watersheds and water towers lowering capacity to buffer shocks and 60% of installed hydropower over 20 years old, with US$ 2 billion investment needs for dam safety and rehabilitation.
The SAEW2 portfolio of projects and analytical work spans water supply and sanitation, irrigation, transboundary water and water resources management.ย It includes 11 active projects totaling US$2.74 billion in commitments, co-leads 5 projects mapped to other Units within AFE, jointly leads 2 regional projects covering AFE countries, and has a pipeline totaling over $680 million, and a total of 9 active ASAs. The two water units are jointly preparing two regional water MPAs/ initiatives in accelerating WASH and resilient irrigation in the region. The Unit has 24 staff, with 67% (or 16 staff) based in the country offices and 33% (or 8 staff) in Washington DC.ย The staff of the Unit actively contribute to the global products of the Water GP (CIWA, GWSP, etc.).
Duties and Responsibilities:
The SAEW2 Practice Manager will lead the staff and client engagements to deliver results on water for people, food and the planet in the countries of the three CMUs.ย The PM will collaborate across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to help design and deliver development solutions to a diverse range of clients in the AFE Region, while supporting global knowledge flows sharing AFE practice with other countries and assuring lessons from outside the region are reflected in AFE support.
The PM will be an active member of AFE Planet Management Team and the Water Practice Board.ย The PM will work closely with the other AFE Water Manager (SAEW3) for impactful leadership across AFE.ย The SAEW2 Practice Manager will collaborate across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries working with other GPs and the IFC and MIGA.ย The PM will be responsible for the following areas:
ย Solutions and Results to Clients:
โข Leads the team to deliver the Region and Global Practice strategic priorities and, in collaboration with Division Directors/Managers, ensures alignment with the WBG Strategy and Country Partnership Frameworks;
โข Engages and develops high level relationships with external clients to develop business and to identify and address early on any high-risk issues;
โข Draws on thought leadership and implementation know-how to ensure high impact multi-sectoral solutions;
โข Builds and maintains a balanced portfolio of innovative, cost-effective and demand-driven products and services;
โข ย ย Works in partnership with other PMs, the Global Leads and thematic leaders in the Water GP and with other GPs s, IFC and MIGA, as well as public and private stakeholders, in order to find tailored and holistic solutions to complex development challenges;
โข Accountable for delivering high-quality and timely results;
โข Primary responsibility for ensuring the quality of the portfolio and implementation on the ground.
People/Talent Management:
โข Models exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforces these qualities in own team and staff;
โข Drives and inspires technical excellence within the team, Region and the Global Practice by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients;
โข Actively contributes to the Water GP Talent Board, which includes developing and implementing appropriate strategies for global staffing, deployment, talent and performance management for all staff in the Water GP .
Knowledge Management:
โข Ensures that the Water is at the forefront of the development debate and contributes to the global dialogue in the area of expertise of the GP;
โข Ensures timely flow and capture of knowledge and expertise so that clients receive the highest quality support and knowledge they need, when and where they need it;
โข Promotes innovative and cross-cutting research, as well as the dissemination of technical and experiential knowledge and learning;
โข Instills a culture of evidence-based, yet client tailored engagement for highest development impact.
Resource Management:
โข In consultation with relevant stakeholders within the WBG, decides on the best use of internal and external resources for maximum client and developmental impact;
โข Is accountable for delivering the agreed upon work program through cost-effective use of resources (human and budget) within the agreed parameters and in compliance with internal controls and policies and ensures timely delivery and overall quality of the SAEW2 outputs.
Selection Criteria
Masters or PhD degree in engineering, economics, environment or field relevant to work of Water, and typically the successful candidate will have 12 years of experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
Deep technical knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: water infrastructure particularly on water resource management and resilience; institutional reform of water and sanitation utilities for improved service delivery; irrigation and large hydraulic infrastructure; strong analytical work on linkages of water to the economy and growth outcomes.
Recognized expert within WBG on water sector issues, and with track record of delivering services and institutional reform at scale in different aspects of the Water Practice through the delivery of large innovative projects/programs and by applying knowledge to operations. Understanding of the governance and sector reform issues related to water.
Proven ability to influence sector dialogue and policy, built on sound analytical underpinnings and global knowledge, on water resource management and service delivery, as well as in the interface of water with other sectors and issues, such as agriculture, hydropower, environment, climate change, gender, PPPs, etc.
Demonstrated experience in guiding teams to develop and support implementation of operations with high impacts and complexity, including leading collaboration with IFC and MIGA.
Demonstrated in-depth experience working across practice and disciplinary boundaries, and with multiple stakeholders โ public, private and civil society โ in building collaborative alliances for results.ย
Outstanding people management and resource management skills, with proven experience in working in situations of both formal and non-formal reporting authority.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of Urgency โ Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking โ Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability โ 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.
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.