Background & General Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? 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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region

We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. We are committed to making the Africa regional teams into leading innovation hubs.

Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in education, health, and skills, which have Africa only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been made over the past decades.

In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 350 projects totaling more than $38 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.

Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better after COVID.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region:

https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

UNIT CONTEXT

The World Bank Group (WBG) supports the Sustainable Energy for All initiative and is committed to working towards accomplishing the initiative’s three goals by 2030: i) universal access to electricity and clean cooking fuels; ii) doubling the share of the world’s energy supplied by renewable sources from 18 percent to 36 percent, and iii) doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

The Infrastructure Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. As part of the Infrastructure Practice Group, the Energy & Extractives (EEX) Global Practice (GP) focuses on providing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy to meet the needs of fast-growing economies, ensure universal access to modern energy services for people in client countries, strengthen policy and institutional frameworks to promote transparent and equitable growth of the extractives sectors for public benefit. There is a strong emphasis on private sector resource mobilization and catalyzing financing from commercial and other sources of development and climate finance.

The Africa Energy Program is growing rapidly, covering reforms (sector and corporate governance, energy security and the environment, regional energy trade, public-private partnerships, energy costs, tariff and subsidy reforms, energy efficiency, etc.) and investment support in power generation, power and gas transmission and distribution, rural energy services, renewable energy development, low-carbon and climate friendly initiatives. The current portfolio comprises about 50 projects with a value of over US$16 billion. New lending is approximately US$1.5 billion per annum, with a growing share of renewable energy and regional activities. The Bank’s Africa Energy Program uses a variety of instruments, including investment lending, guarantees for public private partnerships, and development policy lending. In addition, the team manages a strong knowledge agenda to inform the policy dialogue in the sector.

The Africa energy sector grouping consists of four units (East, 2 units for West/Central Africa, and Southern Africa). Each of the four units is managed by a Practice Manager. The units together have over 90 staff with over 25 in various field locations, and more than half of the operational and advisory activities are managed /led by field-based staff.

The IAWE2 (West and Central Africa Region) unit seeks Senior Energy Specialists (SES) to contribute to the Unit’s strategic, advisory, and operational work on the energy program.

This is a batch recruitment that includes 3 positions. In addition to this vacancy, there are two other vacancies: one in Dakar, Senegal and one in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Please state in your application if you are interested in being considered for the other locations.

In Togo, the Bank is engaged in: (i) promoting universal access to affordable, reliable and modern electricity services; (ii) promoting the financial viability of the sector and enabling conditions to attract private sector capital; and (iii) supporting policy reforms to promote an efficient power market and increased digitalization. This position is based in Lomé, Togo with a specific focus on existing and pipeline programs in Togo and regional projects covering Togo and Benin. The focus will be to further develop the energy engagement in Togo across the entire energy sector portfolio including the value chain of an effective power market and the broader electrification as well as digitalization agenda, implementing enabling conditions to foster private sector participation and the related policy dialogue. There are projects and analytical works under preparation in all these engagements and the selected candidate is expected to play a key role in their design and implementation during the IDA 20 period. The SES is expected to closely coordinate with the Lead Energy Economist/Program Leader for Infrastructure based in Cote d’Ivoire and other task team leaders working on energy operations in Togo and Benin.

Duties & Accountabilities

• Lead the Bank’s energy policy dialogue with the authorities, development partners and other sector stakeholders, on the implementation of ongoing energy sector reforms and others strategic energy issues
• Lead the identification, preparation and supervision of specific energy investment operations and coordinate operations that are led by other task team leaders working on the same country to fully support the client needs in a harmonized manner – including in regulatory reforms, power utilities reform, energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy, Public Private Partnership investments in infrastructure projects and regional integration projects.
• Lead analytical and advisory work in the energy sector and related areas to inform sector dialogue and operations including political economy and macro-fiscal aspects.
• Contribute to the Maximizing Finance for Development (MFD) approach. The AFR Energy team is a key contributor to the WBG strategy for MFD with the objective to help countries maximize their development resources by drawing on a range of financing sources and sustainable private sector solutions.
• Lead teams and provide guidance and mentoring to junior staff on operational, policy dialogue and analytical activities.
• Actively contribute to the dissemination of our activities, within the WBG and in external events. Provide inputs to operational products/outputs for sector and country briefings, analytical and advisory reports and studies, portfolio performance and monitoring reviews, and liaison between the energy and extractives practice and the country unit on energy issues.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in engineering, energy planning/economics, business administration, or equivalent areas relevant for energy/extractives sector development;
• At least 8 years of combined experience in the World Bank, other international institutions and/or companies, government agencies, and/or power sector utilities with consistent record of successful engagement with complex projects;
• Understanding of energy policies, regulations, technologies or strategies, private sector participation, and institutional development needed to support development and for the success of project and analytic work; experience leading and/or playing key roles in policy dialogue with clients and partners;
• Strong experience in planning, designing, and implementing power infrastructure projects including renewable energy generation, transmission and distribution, and on-grid and off-grid electrification and access projects; Hands-on experience with infrastructure projects with power sector utilities will be a distinct advantage;
• Strong knowledge of at least one of relevant thematic business lines such as Energy Access; Economics, Markets & Institution; Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Energy Finance; Hydropower; Power Systems & Technologies.
• A consistent track record in carrying out high quality and timely analytical reports and activities would be advantageous;
• Experience working on World Bank or other International Financial Institutions (IFIs) lending and non-lending operations is desirable; including knowledge and experience with fiduciary and safeguards policies and application.
• Active listening skills, excellent interpersonal skills, able to influence the audience and build positive relationships with clients, different partners and colleagues across units and departmental boundaries in a multi-cultural environment with disperse teams located in different countries.
• Experience working with large global teams, producing high-quality results and outputs with minimal supervision; Proven record of teamwork and ability to lead and mentor junior staff, to advise and guide senior staff in your core skills, to produce high-quality policy and project related written outputs with autonomy and in a highly visible country profile;
• High level of excitement, ability to work independently, taking initiative, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including an ability to communicate complex issues in simple terms and to engage in evidence-based dialogue with clients.
• Full proficiency in spoken and written French and English.

Technical competencies

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Translate technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level;
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipate needs and requests in the field and conduct independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners;
• Integrative Skills – Understand relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations;
• Energy Sector Technologies – Deep experience applying knowledge (hydrocarbon, power generation, transmission and distribution, renewables, and energy efficiency) to policy-related decisions and advice;
• Energy Policy, Strategy and Institutions – Proven understanding of energy policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.

The WBG Core Competencies

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena – Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
• Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
• Integrative Skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Sector/Network Representation – Demonstrates ability to coordinate, participate in, and act as a catalyst for, strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability – Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context.

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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