E T Consultant

Contract

This is a World Bank Group grade: EC3 contract. More about World Bank Group grade: EC3 contracts.

E T Consultant

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) 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.

Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff located globally.

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). The WBG is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

Sustainable environment and natural resources management (ENRM) is at the heart of the WBG poverty agenda. Biodiversity and natural resources constitute the social safety net of the poor, representing a food bank and often their only source of livelihood. Sustainable ENRM promotes a green, clean, and resilient world where natural resources—from forests to fisheries, freshwater, oceans, coastal zones and ecosystems—are managed to support livelihoods and strong economies. Sustainable ENRM builds a world better prepared for shocks and global challenges, helping countries limit their exposure to resource scarcity, more-volatile weather patterns, and the long-term consequences of climate change.

Green: Forests, Watersheds & Sustainable Landscapes - managing renewable natural capital across landscapes;

Blue: Marine, Coastal & Aquatic Resources - unlocking the wealth of marine, coastal and fresh water economies;

Brown: Pollution Management & Environmental Health - reducing pollution to improve environmental conditions;

Clean and Resilient Growth: Fostering economies and institutions for low carbon, healthy and sustainable growth; and

Environmental Risk Management and Sustainability: Managing risks and creating opportunity to advance sustainable development in accordance with the Bank’s Operational Policies and, since October 1, 2018, the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF).

Unit Context

The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) Global Practice (GP) has close to 300 operations, representing $7 billion, and a growing pipeline of new investments and ASAs under active development. The ENB GP Global Platform Unit (SENGL) comprises about 30 staff, most of them based in Washington, DC. The team reports to the Practice Manager also based in DC. SENGL is primarily responsible for (i) designing and leading the global programs for the GP whose implementation in country rests with the GP's regional units, including alignment to key business areas and crosscutting solutions; (ii) resource mobilization and donor coordination, including trust fund management, planning and reporting; (iii) conducting key global studies to advance the environmental agenda globally and internally; and (iv) knowledge management of SENGL’s key outputs.

Position

This position will be based in Washington DC and will be part of the Environmental Economics Team within SENGL. The work program for this position will focus on managing an analytical work program (studies) and supporting policy dialogue as well as the preparation and implementation of investment projects, related to the environment, natural resources management and sustainability, particularly with respect to the Global Program on Sustainability (GPS). GPS implements its activities through analytics and advisory services in three pillars: (i) Global Data and Analytics, (ii) Country and Regional Level Support; (ii) Sustainable Finance. https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/global-program-on-sustainability

SENGL seeks to recruit an Extended Term Consultant (Senior Economist), based in Washington DC, to provide technical and program management support to GPS’s activities, especially to strengthen Country and Regional Level Support (Pillar 2). The candidate will join the GPS and ENB teams working in advancing the environment, green transition agendas and sustainability through knowledge, cutting edge research, policy dialogue and support to policy reforms and nature-positive investments.

Duties & Accountabilities

The incumbent will report to the SENGL Practice Manager, s/he will have the following key responsibilities as agreed with his/her Practice Manager and coordinated with the GPS Program Manager based on an annual Result Agreements:

Analytical Work Program

The incumbent is expected to be a thought leader for the World Bank in the area of environmental and natural resource economics. This will include being up to date on the latest developments in the field. The position requires flexibility, adaptability and innovation in applying economic knowledge and using economics tools as needed to assess the impacts of loss of natural capital on sustainability and human wellbeing and to analyze and identify policies for restoration and protection of nature. The incumbent will also have responsibilities in providing quality assurance for analytical and progress reports and draw lessons and insights for GPS work programs.

Technical and Advisory Work

As part of the GPS program, the Economics team in SENGL provides technical support to the ENB teams operating in the Regions (Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific) to integrate environmental sustainability considerations in policy dialogue and World Bank operations.

The incumbent will be expected to provide technical support to country and regional teams working on GPS supported activities on a broad range of natural capital, climate, sustainability and green growth related challenges. The work program will require providing technical support to regional teams in measuring and mainstreaming natural capital approaches into program design and implementation of investments and informing policy frameworks. This will include leading/contributing to advisory work and policy dialogue to help transfer knowledge and analytical findings into policy reforms and development programs, technical review of analytical work carried out through GPS support, and economics advice to GPS related operations financed by the World Bank.

It will also include effective communication to senior leaders in governments and institutions of the results of these studies through written and verbal communication to reinforce the knowledge base for World Bank operations, particularly in strengthening client capacity for integrating natural capital and sustainability approaches in the design and implementation of sectoral investments and relevant policy reforms to foster green, resilient and inclusive growth.

Program Management, Quality Assurance and Fundraising

Working with the GPS Program Manager, the incumbent will be expected to provide a leadership function in delivering trust fund oversight/day-to-day management of GPS, including the preparation of annual workplans (and tracking their implementation), supporting GPS’s monitoring and evaluation in accordance with results frameworks agreed upon with donors, assuring quality for project progress reports, contributing to the development of annual reports, preparing materials and documentation for external program reviews, and reviewing technical and external evaluation reports. In addition, in close coordination with the GPS Program Manager the incumbent is expected to contribute to contribute to fundraising activities for GPS.

Global Outreach and Knowledge Management

The incumbent will be expected to provide input into the World Bank’s global outreach on environment and climate change issues. This will include preparing briefs and presentations for the Bank’s senior management for engagement in international conferences, policy dialogues, negotiations and bilateral cooperation.

The incumbent is also expected to work closely with other team members in supporting relevant communities of practice in the World Bank and maintain effective communication with the broader environmental economics community including NGOs, academia, civil society, the private sector as well as specialized international organizations. Active participation in communities of practice and global level technical innovation and knowledge sharing in the areas listed above will be an important component of this position.

The incumbent is expected to learn World Bank Group procedures, and contribute to their improvement, by participating in training offered, by developing a personal training program, keeping abreast of research and development knowledge in the environment and natural resources sector, and relevant safeguard management process.

In addition, the incumbent will coordinate and carry out other tasks as requested by the GPS Program Manager such as, contribute to the organization of training or knowledge sharing events.

Selection Criteria

• Ph.D. in environment economics, natural resources economics, applied economics, environmental policy, Climate Change Economics, or other related fields.

• Rigorous quantitative training and experience in environmental or resources economics including measurement and valuation of natural capital and ecosystem services, natural capital accounting, and/or modeling of economic and environment interactions.

• Minimum of 8 years of full-time relevant professional experience post-Master’s Degree on research or applied work as an economist on environmental issues (time in a PhD program counts toward this professional experience).

• Proven understanding of the key issues in the current debates on economics of environmental sustainability.

• Demonstrated experience of working in developing countries or/and economies in transition on the issues in development/environment interface and understanding the institutional and political context and exposure to the national environmental policy challenges.

• Familiarity with the natural capital, biodiversity, green transition, climate and environmental contexts of developing countries.

• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills, with successful experience of leading/working with multi-disciplinary teams.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with examples of successful dialogue with World Bank client countries and development partners.

• Excellent communication skills in English (both orally and in writing) are required, knowledge of additional languages a plus.

• A strong sense of teamwork and ability to work independently with limited supervision.

• Willingness to travel to support country and regional work.

The following would be an advantage but not required:

• Familiarity and some work experience with Natural Capital Accounting, particularly in the context of the System of Economic and Environmental Accounts (SEEA).

Required Competencies

The position has the following core competencies and requirements:

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to informing Bank operations, investments, and country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.

• Policy Dialogue Skills - Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.

• Environmental Policies, Strategies and Institutions - Demonstrates solid understanding of environmental/NRM/climate change policies, global frameworks under the CBD and UNFCCC, technologies or strategies, and institutions needed to support development and for the success of project and analytic work.

• Environmental Sciences, Natural Capital and Biodiversity – Solid understanding of environmental sciences, natural capital and biodiversity issues with ability to analyze and apply economic methods.

• Environmental Economics – Advanced technical knowledge in the application of economic concepts relevant to environment, including peer-reviewed publications.

• Teamwork and Collaboration – Contributes to and leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.

• 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.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.