World Bank Senior Operations Officer Job Vacancy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Background / General description:

Background: The Africa Region, which is comprised
of approximately 1,600 staff members of whom around 60% are based in 38 field
offices, is committed to helping Africa realize its considerable development
potential, with a focus on employment generation. Sub-Saharan Africa has a
population of around 800 million people in 48 countries, and is a vibrant and
changing environment for development work. Until the onset of the global
financial and economic crisis, Africa had been experiencing a period of
sustained and widespread growth. The overall policy environment in Africa
continued to improve during the crises. Some countries even accelerated their
reform programs. What is emerging as a result is a growing region, with
setbacks from time to time, that is increasingly seen as a destination for
investment as much as for aid; and one where leaders are increasingly willing
to address problems of governance that harm development effectiveness. As a
result it is possible that Africa is poised for a growth takeoff. The World
Bank’s Africa Region plans to seize this unprecedented opportunity to better
support our clients in realizing the dream of a continent free of poverty. The
World Bank Africa Strategy, titled ?Africa?s Future and the World Bank?s
Support to It?, is based on two pillars (Competitiveness and Employment, and
Vulnerability and Resilience) and one foundation: Governance and Public Sector
Capacity. Effective implementation of the Africa Strategy requires innovation,
multi-sectoral approaches and keen attention to sub-regional solutions. The
Country Management Unit (CMU) of AFCE1 oversees Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.
The Country Director (CD), who is posted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, works
closely with the Country Managers for Uganda and Burundi (based in Kampala and
Bujumbura respectively), with Sector Leaders based in Dar es Salaam, and with
the Washington-based CMU staff (a Country Program Coordinator and an ACS) who
support the entire program. The Senior Operations Officer will be based in Dar
es Salaam and will report to the CD. AFCE1 has a large and vibrant IDA program,
including lending operations and AAA work. There are 41 active IDA financed
projects in the portfolio in all major sectors with commitments of US$ 4.5
billion. IDA provides on average roughly about US$1 billion in new
credits/grants annually to AFCE1, some of which is in the form of development
policy operations. The trust fund portfolio is also sizeable with about $180
million of active grants. AFCE1 has been implementing innovative solutions to
the development challenges in the three countries, which are all different.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank
Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain
his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year
term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

Based in Dar es Salaam, the SOO will be expected to
support the programs in Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi. The incumbent will have
the following principal duties and accountabilities:

Overall Responsibilities. The SOO will be expected
to provide operational support/guidance and quality assurance on cross-cutting
dimensions to task teams and the CMU management (CD, CMs, CPC and Sector
Leaders) including advice on the implementation of operational policies and
guidelines and the use of instruments. The SOO will also support the CD, CMs,
CPC and the Sector Leaders to help track overall project implementation
performance and facilitate resolution of portfolio problems. The SOO will
maintain up-to-date information on portfolio performance for all AFCE1
countries in close collaboration with the Washington Anchor Unit. The SOO will
be a member of the CMU Management Team.

Specific duties include:

Preparation and Implementation

Review and provide quality enhancement advice
on all operations throughout the project cycle: identification, design,
appraisal, implementation, and evaluation. Provide leadership and advisory
support in all phases of operations. Facilitate resolution of
cross-department and cross-sectoral problems.
Participate in operational missions and
meetings and assist teams in resolution of difficult issues.
Work closely with the fiduciary teams to
address key fiduciary issues that are generic to the portfolio.
Support quality enhancement, risk management
and implementation issues, in collaboration with the CD, CMs, Sector Leaders
and the CPC.
Assist the CMU management in the review of
projects from the concept stage to final approval. Assist in the review of
appraisal documentation prior to Board submissioon. Assist the CD, CMs,
and CPC in the review of ISRs.
Advise the AFCE1 country teams on operational
policies, instruments, and procedures and on complex operational issues.
Portfolio Management
Organize or lead the Country Portfolio
Performance Reviews for all three countries on a regular basis. Flag
implementation problems for attention by clients and Bank management, and
take the lead in resolving systemic portfolio issues in Tanzania and
provide support to Uganda and Burundi. Follow-up with governments on
recommendations in close consultation with the CD, CMs and Sector Leaders.
Interact directly with the Sector Leaders on
daily work program issues, and provide operational support for problem or
risky operations.
Lead the development of key training programs
for the client at a portfolio level on fiduciary, safeguards, and the
governance and anti-corruption work, drawing on fiduciary, safeguards and
governance specialists. Country Strategy Formulation and Implementation
Support the CD, CMs and CPC in formulation of
the Country Strategies and in preparing CPS Progress Reports and
Completion Reports.
Support the CD. CMs and CPC in managing
relations with clients and partners (including monitoring trust funds).
Country Office Management (Dar es Salaam)
Play a key role in overall management of the
Tanzania country office, especially in regard to office administration.
Support the CD in the management of the Dar es Salaam office.
Support the work program for ACS staff in the
Dar es Salaam office; and also mentor junior staff, particularly on
operations and portfolio issues.
In addition to the below selection criteria,
the following competencies are expected of the successful candidate:
Business Judgment and Analytical Decision
Making
Assesses risks, benefits, impact and strategic
intent in decision-making. Gathers varied and accurate input, assesses
risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of decisions for internal
and external stakeholders over the long term. Defines objectives,
resources and proper time scope for the complexity of the challenge.
Anticipates the short- and long-term
implications of decisions and actions on multiple programs and objectives
within the Bank and seeks input from others.
Knowledge, Learning and Communication
Transfers knowledge and communicates
effectively across boundaries. Leads in the sharing of best practice,
trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and
partners. Leads in designing thematic activities and knowledge-sharing
forums and encourages others to participate. Articulates ideas, verbally
and in writing, using appropriate language that is understandable and
easily appreciated by a target audience that spans several client groups
or departments. Provides a forum to mentor, guide and influence colleagues
and/or client groups to share knowledge across boundaries. Applies
expertise and experience to proactively innovate and challenge the status
quo. Demonstrates the ability to influence and persuade others to accept
ideas and suggestions Department-wide.
Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion
Seeks to improve team collaboration and
inclusion. Reaches out to contribute to the work of others in the
department. Addresses challenges to effective teamwork contributing to the
team staying organized and focused on work, even under stress. Shows
leadership in ensuring the team actively seeks and considers diverse ideas
and approaches. Directs and identifies the collaboration needed across
boundaries, internally and externally in order to have lasting impact.
Keeps teams fully informed to ensure integration and work consistency.
Facilitates an open exchange of ideas among
team members and across teams to select beneficial solutions among
alternatives.
Drive for Results
Creates conditions to achieve challenging
results. Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving
multiple stakeholders and communicates the importance to business
outcomes. Finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
Actively employs risk analysis and mitigates risk, making high-quality
decisions on resource allocation and setting priorities for highest
impact. Collaborates with others to make needed adjustments to work
methods or systems to improve performance.
Client Orientation
Identifies WBG solutions to meet client’s
needs and goals. Considers the changing environment and sometimes
competing client demands in the forefront of all work activities.
Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or
directions and proposes sustainable solutions based on good diagnosis;
applies best knowledge and evidence-based advice. Seeks resources and
skills to meet challenging and unexpected client needs. Formulates
effective development solutions that are sensitive to cultural values and
beliefs of varied client groups and is able to resolve differences,
negotiate and bring client to closure in a culturally sensitive manner.
Delivers new insight and recommends actions or viable solutions for
multiple client groups and future needs related to goals and
Department-wide results.
Work closely with the CPC and with the CAO?s
Office on issues such as audits of the Dar es Salaam country office.

Selection Criteria:

A Master’s degree or equivalent and a minimum
of 8 years of relevant and progressively substantive operational
experience, combined with a good knowledge of World Bank strategic
directions.
Knowledge of key Bank Group operational
policies and procedures, and experience relevant to Bank portfolio
management (e.g., direct experience with portfolio management, varied
project experience) is a plus.
Ability to coach, mentor, and develop more
junior staff.
Proven capacity to view project-level issues
in a broader context where the sector setting and policies, the macro
context, and the Bank’s country strategy all intersect.
Proven ability to work cooperatively with a
multi-disciplinary team, other groups throughout the Bank, and development
partners. Ability to work with, and relate to, a wide range of
stakeholders-donors, clients, and staff. Ability to work across the matrix
in a collaborative manner is essential.
Qualified male and female candidates of
diverse background (gender, religious, ethnic etc) are encouraged to
apply.
Ability to contribute to strategic initiatives
across the Bank Group and with external partners. Ability to carry out
independent and innovative work.