ย
ย Description
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.ย
Eastern and Southern Africaย
Home to about half a billion of Africaโs people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally, and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. Children under 18 make up almost half of the total population. The subregion boasts of some of the worldโs richest human and natural resources and, apart from South Africa, the countries are predominantly raw material exporters.ย
The subregion harbors some of Africaโs protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continues to keep people from reaching their full potential. 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.ย ย
The World Bankโs Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,207 staff, mostly based in 26 country offices, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the following priorities:
โข Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies: We are working with countries across Africa to stimulate job creation and economic transformation by leveraging all sources of finance, expertise, and solutions to promote investment.
โข Building up the Digital Economy: We are supporting Africaโs vision to ensure that every African individual, business, and government is connected by 2030 โ a vision that, if realized, can boost growth by up to 2 percentage points per year, and reduce poverty by 1 percentage point per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.
โข Supporting more Efficient and Accountable Institutions: Our support is helping governments strengthen public policy processes, manage resources effectively, and reinforce fair and reliable delivery of public services.
โข Investing in People: We are at the forefront of helping African countries accelerate human capital gains and empower women by improving their access to education and skills acquisition, sexual and reproductive health services, and employment opportunities.ย
โข Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption:ย In the face of increasing climate-related risks, we are working with African countries to advance efforts to adopt renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and green infrastructure.ย
โข Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence: Given the cross-border nature of conflicts in Africa, we are employing an approach that simultaneously focuses on the drivers of fragility while also supporting well-targeted regional initiatives to create opportunities for peace and shared prosperity.
โข Building Partnerships and Working across the African Continent: We are scaling up our work on regional integration, taking a holistic view of the continent that covers both North and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The World Bank is a dedicated partner for Eastern and Southern African countries, helping them deliver strong development outcomes for their people. A brighter future for Africa is a better future for the world.
The Transport Global Practiceย
The Transport Global Practice (GP) is made up of more than 300 professionals who are dedicated to respond to the needs of developing countries for faster, cheaper, safer and more efficient transport solutions while addressing traffic fatalities, congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and local air pollution. The Africa transport sector grouping consists of four units across two regions each led by a Regional Vice President (East and Southern Africa, and West and Central Africa). The transport units are led by Practice Managers who report to Regional Directors, as well as the Global Infrastructure Practice Group led by a Vice President covering transport, energy, digital development, as well as infrastructure finance, public-private partnerships and guarantees.
The Transport Unit in Eastern Africa is now seeking a locally recruited Transport Specialist based in Lilongwe, Malawi to support the design, preparation, and supervision of lending operations and technical assistance activities and new business development in the sector. The work will require operational and analytical skills across transport modes, along with experience in addressing cross-cutting transport issues such as road safety, gender, climate change, logistics, procurement and institutions/governance.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Transport Specialist reports to the Practice Manager, Transport, Eastern Africa. They are expected to work on the overall Malawi transport portfolio which currently includes projects on land transport, regional connectivity, and climate resilience. The transport engagement is expected to expand to cover other modes of transport including urban mobility. The transport portfolio in Malawi currently consists of two ongoing projects on regional connectivity and one under preparation, and a variety of analytical work across topics such as e-mobility, road safety, and climate-resilient transport. The team needs a country-based specialist to help on-going project implementation and analytical works, support the design of new investment projects, and deepen the knowledge of government transportย regulations, strategies and policies enhancing the engagement with key stakeholders to promote resilient and green transport development in Malawi. The objectives of the assignment will be to:
โข Co-lead and/or support task teams in the preparation and implementation of transport projects in Malawi, covering the core elements (planning, financial and economic analyses) while also incorporating key cross-cutting issues such as gender, climate change, road safety, and private sector participation.
โข Support the design, preparation and implementation of new lending and non-lending activities.ย
โข Engage with clients in designing and advancing sector policy and institutional reforms and capacity building programs, seeking to develop capacity in the implementing entities to plan, develop, and manage transport projects under their jurisdiction, with gender opportunities and climate resilience embedded.
โข Participate in the policy dialogue under the guidance of the Country Director, Country Manager, Regional Director and Practice Manager, with external stakeholders/development partners in the country and region.
โข Provide support and guidance to improve the quality of transport projects in general, through peer reviews, technical advice, quality assurance.
โข Advise government counterparts on technical matters associated with transport projects, including assessment of investment and policy options and measures to strengthen regulatory and institutional arrangements.
โข Supervise the work of consultants and technical specialists to ensure quality and consistency with the World Bank standards.
โข Provide information and analyses for the development of policies, strategies and innovative approaches to further development in the transport sector including issues of resilient transport network development, life-cycle transport asset management, e-mobility and urban mobility development, in the context of sustainable economic development and poverty reduction.
โข Conduct sector work such as the identification and analysis of transport sector development trends, economic analysis for regional and country-specific sector studies and analytical work.
โข Participate in cross-sectoral teams responsible for preparation of policy notes, Country Partnership Frameworks, public expenditures reviews, sectoral studies, and research and policy development activities on topics/sections pertaining to transport, urban development, trade and competitiveness, and agriculture sectors.ย
โข Support the World Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in the transport practice by participating in a selected number of thematic technical groups (Global Solutions Groups or Communities of Practice) and drafting of technical notes, and supporting cutting-edge work in collaboration with other global practices to enhance knowledge creation and dissemination, and expanding the existing knowledge base.
โข Stay abreast of recent developments in the transport sector world-wide, and on cross-cutting issues, in relation to the topics of specialization for this position; identifying knowledge gaps and disseminating relevant knowledge to clients.
โข Represent the World Bank as designated by the Country Director, Country Manager, Regional Director or Practice Manager in public events relevant to the sector.
Selection Criteria
Technical Competencies
The position requires candidates with expertise and practical experience in engineering, infrastructure planning, sector policy, combined with appreciation and awareness of the challenges/difficulties of working in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Specialist knowledge of a particular infrastructure or transport thematic focus (such as urban mobility or climate resilience and disaster risk management) would be an additional asset, while experience in working in developing countries is essential.
Candidates for the position will be selected based on the following considerations:
โข Masterโs degree or higher in civil/transport engineering, economics, planning, public policy, finance or other related disciplines;
โข Minimum 5 years proven experience in the transport sector or in a related infrastructure field (either with a governmentโs transport authority, contractor(s), design or supervision consultant(s), or development institutions), with demonstrated ability to work on: (a) infrastructure design or planning; (b) civil works contract management and execution; (c) procurement of civil works and consultancy contracts; (d) sustainable transport infrastructure asset management; and (e) economic, social, and environmental impact of infrastructure investments;
โข Experience of working with programs financed by development partners;ย
โข Work experience in developing countries, with experience in more than one of the World Bankโs regions and/or in fragile and island states as an asset;ย
โข Experience in analytical work, such as on international and national transport policy, strategy, institutions and regulation as they relate to the transport sector;
โข Knowledge of key developments in related sectors and on cross-cutting issues affecting the performance of the transport sector, such as private sector engagement, environmental and social impacts including gender-based violence, road safety, operational health and safety issues, and climate change;ย
โข High degree of self-motivation, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision;ย
โข Ability to identify and develop potential areas for future World Bank transport sector initiatives based on client consultation and analysis;ย
โข Willingness to travel to and work in challenging country environments;ย
โข Excellent written and communications skills in English; French would be a desirable additional asset.
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.
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