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, visit www.worldbank.org.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region

We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries 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, growing conflict and fragility, 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 387 projects totaling more than $44.1 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.

However, despite significant efforts to stabilize the West and Central Africa region, the security situation in the Sahel remains dire and Sahel-based terrorist groups progressively threaten many parts of these as well as other coastal West African countries. Moreover, political instability in several Sahelian countries and tensions between Mali and its neighbors have undermined cooperation among all G5 Sahel countries. In this increasingly complicated context, Bank financing has been steadily increasing with a strong and diverse portfolio in all countries in the region.  

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 ensure shared prosperity for all. 

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

The Sustainable Development Practice Group helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food; Climate Change; Environmental and Social Framework (ESF); Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy; Social Sustainability and Inclusion; Urban, Resilience and Land Development; and Water.

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND INCLUSION GLOBAL PRACTICE

The SSI Global Practice (GP) supports countries to address deep rooted social problems stemming from fragility, climate change, exclusion, and the digital age with people centered solutions that build on local values and institutions. The GP engages with citizens, communities, and governments to deepen resilience, build inclusion, and empower vulnerable and marginalized groups to have influence and voice. The SSI GP prioritizes participatory, multi-sectoral approaches that build on norms and informal institutions to address social challenges and to build more inclusive, empowered communities. It also works across the Bank’s portfolio to implement the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and strengthen inclusive development. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/socialsustainability

POSITION

The Africa West Social Sustainability and Inclusion Unit (SAWS4) is looking to recruit a Social Development Specialist to provide high quality technical support for the Bank’s expanding Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and social risk management and inclusion agenda for the Chad portfolio and neighboring countries and promote the social sustainability and inclusion of its investments. The selected candidate will be based in N’Djamena, Chad, and will report directly to the SAWS4 Practice Manager. 

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 4-year term appointment.  

Duties and Accountabilities

The Social Development Specialist will have the following responsibilities:

Work under the coordination of the Regional Standards Coordinator (RSC) and the Country Management unit coordinator (CMU) for ESF and social safeguards to support the following:

    •  Provide high quality technical support for social development and social risk management for the project portfolio in Chad.
• Support the effective implementation of the OPs/ESF by providing high quality technical support and capacity building for clients in Chad regarding the relevant principles, standards and compliance under ESF and other Bank operational policies.
• Support policy dialogue with clients regarding social sustainability and social risk management and provide technical support for social sustainable and inclusive development, particularly relating to involuntary resettlement and livelihoods, labor issues (forced labor, SEA/H and child labor), social inclusion, risk mitigation and institutional capacity building and other efforts to improve social outcomes for Bank financed projects.
• Travel regularly to field sites to support the Borrower to monitor social risks, impacts and performance of Bank-financed operations as needed. Sites may be in remote areas with very limited facilities and provide intensive on-site field level support to project teams and/or Borrowers involved in preparation and the implementation of social risk management instruments.
• Provide technical support for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of local and national consultation and citizen engagement mechanisms and strategies in Chad.
• Support country system strengthening and client capacity building on Social Risk Management and ESF implementation in Chad.
• Participate in comprehensive portfolio reviews and support efforts to address poor performance, non- compliance and improving social impact.
• Participate in analytical studies on social sustainability and inclusive development topics globally and on cross-cutting issues relevant to Chad in particular and the subregion more generally.
• Participate in cross-practice teams and provide timely and high-quality inputs for the preparation of policy notes, Country Partnership Frameworks, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social sustainable and inclusive development topics for Chad.
• Contribute to team building within the CMU social sustainability and inclusion team through collaboration, knowledge sharing, learning activities and team meetings.
• Engage in the Bank-wide professional community of staff in social development and social standards/safeguards by participating in thematic groups, exchanging best practices, peer review and drafting technical notes.
• Carry out any other assignments as and when required by the RSC, CMU Coordinator or Practice Manager.

Selection Criteria

This position is suited for a constructive, highly motivated team player with an eye for detail, an understanding of the bigger picture context of operations, and creative problem-solving abilities. The successful candidate should have good operational and analytical skills, practical experience handling sensitive social development issues through participatory processes of stakeholder engagement, and be able to integrate social development considerations in an operational context.

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science or related social sciences.
• A minimum of five (5) years of directly relevant professional experience in social sustainable development and inclusion in Chad.
• Knowledge and experience in addressing social risks covered by the World Bank’s ESF and social safeguards policies or similar policies in other international finance institutions. This includes experience with: social assessments and analyzing social risks and impacts on different population groups; involuntary resettlement in different socio-economic contexts and tenure systems; transparent consultative and stakeholder engagement processes; grievance redress mechanisms, integration of relevant planning instruments such as Resettlement Action Plans; labor and working conditions including community health and safety; and cultural heritage.
• Experience in social risk management dialogue and collaboration with governments, other international development agencies and civil society.
• Experience in areas of social inclusion such as gender, gender-based violence (GBV); disability; conflict, fragility, and violence (FCV), displacement etc.
• Good analytical skills, operational experience in social risk management, and ability to integrate social sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
• Experience with working in low capacity, fragile and conflict-affected environments, working on complex multi-sectoral development challenges.
• Proven experience with Bank operations, policies, procedures and processes, including safeguard policies and ESF will be a strong advantage.
• Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, diplomacy and team skills, and the ability to work with a range of internal and external partners to effectively build consensus to achieve constructive outputs.
• Strong organizational skills, with ability to prioritize, deal with frequent and unexpected changes, and work within tight timeframes.
• Experience working on complex and multi-sectoral development challenges.
• Excellent oral and written skills in English and French are essential, including proven track record in communicating issues in a clear and concise manner to different stakeholders.

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.