Description

The WBG estimates that by 2030, half the world’s extreme poor will live in countries characterized by fragility, conflict, and violence. In these settings, the private sector can help transform livelihoods by creating jobs, providing goods and services, generating tax revenues, and rebuilding infrastructure.  Fragile economies demand innovative approaches that go beyond country, regional, or sectoral strategies. In recognition of this, IFC has identified supporting stability and growth in fragile and conflict-affected situations as a top priority, pledging that 40 percent of its annual commitments will be in International Development Association-eligible (IDA) and Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations (FCS) countries by 2030.

Private sector investment has the potential to unintentionally exacerbate conflict and violence if the allocation of benefits and jobs sparks tensions among conflicting groups. IFC continues to develop new tools and guidance to assist teams working in FCS settings. Pilot programs incorporating conflict-sensitivity approaches are under way including screening for systematically identifying high risks that are context-specific; and guidance to define approaches to project-level conflict analysis. At the forefront of these efforts is the FCS Africa team, who have been collaborating across the WBG on mainstreaming conflict and fragility lens into IFC operations and strategy.

FCS Africa

IFC’s Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations (FCS) in Africa program is dedicated to developing and piloting innovative and integrated tools and approaches to enable IFC to scale up its engagement (investment and advisory services) in and across all fragile countries in Africa. The team helps IFC to deliver on its FCS commitments under the World Bank Group’s Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) Strategy, and the 2018 Capital Increase Package.

The FCS Africa team delivers through three main workstreams: (1) engagement with the domestic private sector; (2) developing approaches for economic inclusion in forced displacement settings and (3) delivering on conflict sensitivity by developing tools, piloting projects and integrating conflict sensitivity into projects in the region; and across all workstreams, building and sharing knowledge on private sector development in fragile situations.

The FCS Africa team is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Operations Officer to be the thematic lead for Conflict Sensitivity to support IFC’s roll out of conflict sensitivity tools, knowledge and operational solutions in FCS markets. The role will work with the FCS Leads for Domestic Private Sector and Forced Displacement across frontier markets in Africa to develop innovative approaches to doing more responsible and sustainable investments and maximize positive impact in FCS.

The role will report to the Chief Investment Officer and Head of Fragility for Africa.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Conflict Sensitivity Lead will be responsible for:

• Lead the integration of conflict and fragility lens for private sector into core diagnostics, strategy and analysis, and targeted advisory and investment project design, due diligence and monitoring. 

• Piloting client conflict sensitivity support and tools to targeted projects in FCS markets. 

• Development of conflict sensitivity screening tools for projects in collaboration with other WBG teams, such as IFC Environmental, Social and Governance teams and the WB FCV teams in the area of Risk and Resilience Assessments.

• Development of lessons learned on conflict sensitivity approaches, tools and fragility lens application for internal WBG audiences.

• Deliver training and capacity building on conflict sensitivity for internal audiences. 

• Development of common approaches, tools and learning with DFIs and partners on conflict sensitivity.

• Development of external guidance and learning to inform private sector fragility lens application and good industry practice in collaboration with other WBG teams and external partners. 

Core Competencies 

Selection Criteria

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.

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