Senior Transport Specialist – Railways

Overview

Serve as the department’s senior expert on railways.

You have:

• A Master or PhD degree in a relevant field and at least 8 years of relevant experience in Railways.
• Ability to influence dialogue and policy in Railways.
• Strong technical knowledge and experience of delivering complex analytical work on Railways is essential.
• Proven operational and development experience, including policy and investment lending.
• Excellent communication and representational skills, including proven experience engaging with senior stakeholders.

Senior Transport Specialist – Railways

Job #: req37959 Organization: World Bank Sector: Transportation Grade: GG Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States or Paris, France or London, United Kingdom Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 8/21/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.

Infrastructure Vertical

The WBG Infrastructure Vertical provides public and private solutions to operational teams and clients across the WBG to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs by: (i) supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, (ii) policy environment, and (iii) enabling and mobilizing private sector capital. With 60 years of experience, the WBG is poised to support the sector becoming an engine of growth and jobs through improving policies and governance, foundational infrastructure and private sector investments. The WBG lending in the sector is expected to grow substantially. The Infrastructure VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure

Transport and Logistics Department

Within the Infrastructure VPU, the WBG Transport and Logistics Department seeks to connect people to jobs, social services and income-generating opportunities, as well as to move goods between local, regional, and international markets, using cleaner, safer, more equitable and more resilient transport solutions, with a particular focus on private capital mobilization.

The Department is composed of 3 units: (1) Policy and Regulations; (2) Solutions and Impact; and (3) Transport Trust Funds.

The Senior Railways Specialist will serve as the department’s senior expert on railways, reporting to the Manager for Transport and Logistics, Policy & Regulation.

This role will provide thought leadership on railway-related matters; lead the preparation of high-quality knowledge products and advisory services; support regional teams across the World Bank Group in advising on and implementing railway policies, regulations, and solutions; and contribute actively to the Railways Knowledge and Solutions Group.

The Specialist will also focus on private sector participation and private capital mobilization in railways and should be proficient in assessing and advising public and private sector partners on business cases and feasibility studies.

This vacancy is being advertised for one position across multiple possible duty stations, including Washington, DC, Paris, and London.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Flagship Research: • Identify key challenges in Railways and initiate solutions and other knowledge initiatives to address these challenges, including new products and financing modalities, with particular attention to private capital mobilization • In partnership with the Global Lead(s) for Railways as well as with regional transport and infrastructure staff, develop a menu of key policy and regulations options that can be used by regional operational/business teams • Formulate strategic directions and associated implementation plan for each upcoming fiscal year and present it to the KTI Management Team for endorsement, as well as mid-year update on implementation of the plan

Operational Quality Assurance and Support: • Through the new WBG ADM guidelines, support the quality assurance process across the full lending and ASA project cycle, from upstream support on fundamental design issues to helping extract lessons during the completion process. • Ensure that the most relevant and up-to-date global knowledge informs the design and implementation of country engagements and helps resolve technical disagreements • Extract lessons from WBG operations, curate and disseminate this knowledge across the WBG

Learning and Mentoring: • Assess gaps in technical skills based on business needs, and work with the KTI Management Team to internally develop these skills through formal or on-the-job training and through developing a solutions-focused learning curriculum • Support technical staff in deepening their expertise • Regularly convene staff affiliated with the Knowledge and Solutions Group for Railways to discuss emerging issues, share experiences across regions, and identify issues for management attention, ensuring balanced participation of field-based staff along with those based in HQ • Convene field-based friendly training and dissemination events to ensure that best practice experiences are widely known and discussed within the World Bank Group • Identify and promote opportunities for South-South and North-South peer exchange among clients facing similar development challenges

Partnership and Outreach: • Build relationships with internal partners to promote effective collaboration across the WBG • Build and nurture existing relationships with external players to forge partnerships, draw on external knowledge and expertise, and support resource mobilization • Represent the World Bank Group in relevant technical meetings, events and partnerships • Participate in the organization of the flagship events (learning week, Transforming Transportation), especially sessions in areas of relevance to the Railways agenda • Act as a public spokesperson for the World Bank Group’s perspective on relevant issues, including conferences, and meetings with partners and civil society • Develop briefings, opinion editorials, blogs, etc. related to emerging opportunities and issues, World Bank Group engagements, and other strategic issues

Fundraising and Resource Mobilization: • As part of the department’s fundraising coordination strategy, contribute to the growth of resources and expansion of donors of existing key transport trust funds • Participate in key donor-led events or those organized in collaboration with major donors to enhance visibility of the department’s work

Selection Criteria

• A Master or PhD degree in a relevant field and at least 8 years of relevant experience in Railways, in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility. • Ability to influence dialogue and policy in Railways, including a track record conducting effective policy dialogue and successful collaboration with country counterparts, communicating and defending difficult issues and positions to senior bank management and high-level government officials. • Strong technical knowledge and experience of delivering complex analytical work on Railways is essential • Proven operational and development experience, including policy and investment lending, with a strong record of delivering complex operations and policy dialogue • Excellent communication and representational skills, including proven experience engaging with senior stakeholders, media, and external constituencies.

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

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 3 hours ago - Updated 3 hours ago - Source: worldbank.org