Description

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.

The Global Water, Cities, Waste and Circularity team is recruiting an experienced Senior Water Sector Specialist/Water Sector Specialist with a background as an economist. The final title and grade will be determined based on the experience and seniority of the chosen candidate. This position will be based in Washington, DC, will have a global focus and will require international travel. The position provides a great opportunity for the candidate to apply their experience as a water sector economist/specialist to this critical infrastructure vertical which is essential for economic development and poverty reduction.

The water sector in emerging markets is in a growing crisis, exacerbated by climate change.  About 2.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water and over 3.5 billion people do not have safe sanitation.  Many developing countries do not collect and treat large quantities of sewage which causes major environmental and health problems. Failure to deal with the market failures in the water sector has an impact on the delivery of all the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The World Bank Group is adopting an integrated approach to dealing with the challenges of water sector delivery. There is increased focus on a coordinated approach towards sector reform and private sector participation.  Within sector reform, the emphasis is on strengthening policies, institutions, and regulations with a view towards optimizing sector governance. The integrated approach also involves looking at the water sector holistically through the lens of climate impact and covering water resource management, irrigation, urban water, demand management, pricing, affordability and other key components of cross-cutting challenges facing the water sector.

WBG staff are increasingly involved in joint discussions with private and government counterparts on the appropriate nature of sector reform in individual markets. These discussions also involve the sequencing and the application of the full suite of WBG instruments/products to achieve delivery objectives.  

The role of the Water Sector Specialist/Economist will be to play a leadership role in the design and execution of sector and investment engagements on a global level. 

The Water Sector Specialist/Economist will provide analytical and thought leadership on the economic underpinnings of sector reform and individual private and municipal investment transactions in the water and waste sectors. The Water Sector Specialist/Economist will help design WBG sector engagements with a particular focus on engagements which enhance the commercial orientation of water service providers and where possible increase private sector participation.  

The Water Sector Specialist/Economist is expected to come from a senior role as an economist or market specialist with experience in the water and sanitation sector and knowledge from an investment and regulatory perspective. Candidates with deep experience in other infrastructure sectors will also be considered.  They should have a Master’s degree or Doctorate in Economics and at least 12 years of professional experience. 

Duties and Accountabilities

•  Lead IFC’s engagement with governments, alongside colleagues from the World Bank Global Water Practice,  in supporting sector reform aimed at increasing Private Sector Participation. This will include preparing Water Sector Assessment Program’s (WaterSAPs) together with the World Bank and designing multi-year engagements of the World Bank Group with selected countries which will aim to enhance the performance of the water and sanitation sector through greater commercial orientation and increased Private Sector Participation.
•  Provide thought leadership across the World Bank Group to support models and approaches to make the water sector in emerging markets more sustainable.  This would include analysis and recommendations for improving public policy for water in different countries as well as preparing research articles and external and internal publications (including through social media) on private sector participation in water and sanitation.
•  Be the first point of contact within the IFC water team for strategic inputs on World Bank operations and publications for the water sector.  Respond to and provide input to World Bank operations and thought papers on water and sanitation with the perspective of increasing private sector participation and/or financing.
•  Speak at conferences and meetings promoting the World Bank Group approach to making the water sector in emerging markets more sustainable and on increasing investments in the water sector.
•  Support individual IFC investment and advisory operations especially around due diligence of market conditions and regulatory structures. This will require good knowledge and understanding of a range of regulatory approaches in the water sector.
•  Support IFC work in raising concessional financing to support private sector participation in water and sanitation infrastructure.
•  Leading/supporting analytical work, for example by synthesizing information and reviewing academic literature, conducting independent data collection and analysis, and contributing to the drafting of research studies, policy notes, and flagships.
•  Lead the development of economic content for IFC’s knowledge platforms, both for external clients and for internal consumption.

The successful candidate should have knowledge of: 

•  Both price and quality regulation
•  Regulatory models and regulatory accounting for the water sector
•  Subsidy design and techniques for targeting subsidies in the water sector
•  Success and failures globally in attempts at private sector participation
•  Municipal water operations from water resource extraction to discharge
•  A good understanding of procurement in the water sector in emerging markets 

Selection Criteria

•  A Master’s degree or Doctorate (PhD) in economics with at least 12 years relevant experience working on infrastructure economics of which ideally at least 5 years relating to the water sector
•  Experience of working in the economics of emerging markets
•  Familiarity with economic models in the water and sanitation sector
•  Understanding the role of regulation in the water sector and various regulatory models
•  Able to demonstrate a broad knowledge of municipal water operations including management, funding and regulation of water utilities
•  Demonstrated experience in water economic policy at country or state level
•  Sound business judgment and the ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Projects from an economic perspective
•  Strong analytical skills
•  Excellent communication skills in both oral and written English
•  Good IT skills and proficient in the MS Offices suite of applications

Desired Criteria

•  Experience of working on the economics of water sector design and governance in emerging markets
•  Expertise in understanding the drivers of successful and unsuccessful private-sector interventions in the water sector
•  Knowledge of industry benchmarks and best practices for evaluation of operational efficiencies
•  Exposure to the different steps of Project development (technical, financial, contractual)
•  Proficient in additional language skills (including, but not limited to, Spanish, Portuguese and French) is an advantage

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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