Senior HR Business Partner/Regional HR Cluster Lead Job #: req34894 Organization: IFC Sector: Human Resources Grade: GG Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Singapore Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 11/28/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works 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.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
IFC’s Human Resources (CHR) Department provides strategic partnership to the business to develop and implement workforce strategies and meet organizational goals, including attracting, developing and deploying diverse and skilled talent. To achieve this, CHR is structured into key functional areas that deliver specialized HR expertise and solutions: one Center of Expertise (COE) – Skills & Organizational Effectiveness – and two Client Services teams providing support to HQ and regions.
• Skills and Organizational Effectiveness drives a knowledge-sharing culture, cultivates a skills-based approach to talent management, manages IFC flagship leadership programs, oversees corporate board reports, and leads organizational design and workforce planning.• Client Services provides strategic HR partnership, program implementation, and tailored support to staff and management globally through its HR Business Partnership network.
The Regional HR Client Services team is looking to recruit a Senior HR Business Partner in Singapore to lead the regional HR agenda in strategic partnership with the regional Vice President, Directors and staff in the Asia Pacific Region.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, implementing key HR initiatives, driving the people management and development agenda, and collaborating closely with WBG Centers of Expertise teams to design and spearhead critical HR activities.
The selected candidates will report to the Regional HR Client Services Manager based in Paris, France.
Duties and Accountabilities:
Strategic Partnership:Establish strategic partnerships with the regional VP, Division Directors, Managers, and staff to ensure organizational success across the World Bank Group: • Provide critical insights in the design of advanced HR solutions, proposals, and methodologies at a strategic level to support regional business strategies and directions. • Empower leadership with counsel to solve complex issues in key business areas, such as organizational effectiveness, organizational design, talent management, succession, employee development, executive coaching, change management, and employee engagement. • Advise senior leaders on the application of HR policies and practices with integrated approaches.• Participate in policy development by proactively collaborating with WBG COEs to review and adjust policy as needed.
Planning and Analytics, and Workforce Management:Work closely with the central HR analytics team to effectively map out the staffing landscape and identify staffing trends in the region: • Advise senior leaders on workforce planning, aligning existing and future workforce requirements seamlessly with the overarching institutional goals/objectives. • Have an in-depth understanding of clients' business model; identify emerging HR implications and decisions that might affect relevant stakeholders.
Manage Talent and Performance:Support senior leaders in talent and performance management by providing expert-level advice to motivate staff to peak performance and drive business success, specifically: • Advise senior leaders on talent identification and staff career development, HR policies, and practices in an integrated manner.• Lead the implementation of a skills-based approach to talent development in the region, aligning workforce capabilities with IFC vision 2030 requirements.• Partner with WBG COEs to manage critical HR cases (e.g., performance, health, and exit). • Participate in policy development by proactively collaborating with WBG COEs to review and adjust policy as needed. • Work closely with clients to identify staff learning and development needs; participate in the design and implementation of capacity-building interventions.
Selection Criteria
• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Public Sector Management, or related disciplines) and ten or more years of relevant HR experience. • Broad knowledge base and extensive experience in all major facets of HR management, including emerging trends and practices, and strong skills in Client Services. • Solid understanding of IFC business, institutional HR policies, priorities, and practices. • Hands-on experience in mentoring, coaching, and supervising teams. • Demonstrated ability to provide HR solutions to support business needs and solve complex issues.• Capability to advise senior leaders on complex issues related to strategic staffing, and to navigate challenging situations.• Skills and experience in designing and implementing customized capacity-building engagements.• Ability to lead the successful implementation of change management initiatives at an organizational level. • Demonstrated organization development skills, such as design of organizational development interventions, facilitation of business sessions, team building, resolution of conflicts, and staff learning needs analyses.
COMPETENCIES: • Tasks and Workflow Management - Has excellent workflow and project management and task organization skills; able to take responsibility for all aspects of coordination of the workflow of assigned responsibilities as they relate to the implementation of complex, multi-functional projects in varied geographical and economic conditions.• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Gathers inputs, assesses risk, develops scenarios, considers impact, and articulates benefits of decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term. Demonstrated analytical skills and proficiency with analytical tools.• Client Orientation - Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.• Drive for Results - Identify the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Show leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused and actively seek and consider diverse ideas and approaches.• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Lead in the sharing of 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. Facilitate and lead discussions and ensure productive exchange of ideas.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies