Senior Social Development Specialist at World Bank

Job #162832
Grade: GG
Job Family: Social Development
Job Type: Professional & Technical

Duties and Accountabilities
The Social Development Specialists will have the following responsibilities:

• Work under the coordination of the regional focal point for safeguards on the social safeguards portfolio, providing oversight and quality assurance. This will include direct operational support to operations.
• Serve as a social development specialist, advising task teams and clients on the Bank’s policies relating to assessment and mitigation of social risks and impacts during preparation and supervision of lending operations.
• Undertake policy dialogue with clients on social sustainability and safeguards issues and advise counterparts on technical options for social development, particularly involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, mitigation plans and institutional development strategies.
• Serve as social development focal point for 1-2 countries and engage actively and regularly with country units and teams, and identify business opportunities for the social development team in consultation with clients and country units.
• Participate in cross-practice teams responsible for the preparation of policy notes, Systematic Country Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, sector studies, and research and policy development activities on the full range of social development topics; advise on the social sustainability of the portfolio, including gender, beneficiary feedback and safeguards issues, etc.
• Advise and participate in project teams to help develop operational designs and mechanisms to assess social opportunities, impacts, constraints and risks related to Bank supported operations; develop and evaluate proposed technical solutions, and assist in the preparation of project documentation.
• Support Senior and Lead Specialists in handling complex technical, institutional and program implementation issues regarding social development.
• For high risk projects for which OPSOR is providing direct oversight, liaise closely with Regional Safeguards Advisors and Lead/Senior Social Development Specialists to ensure timely distribution, completion and follow up on social review processes. This will include ensuring that technical comments related to social aspects have been fully addressed and integrated into project documentation, and ensuring compliance with applicable procedures and disclosure requirements.
• Participate in portfolio reviews on selected social risk and social development issues.
• Build capacity with clients on issues related to safeguards and broader social issues, including clients’ monitoring and evaluation of social development activities and outcomes.
• Improve feedback mechanisms through participating in and contributing in high quality training and other learning events related to social assessments, social safeguards and broader social development issues.
• Develop and build client relations within the Bank and with clients, and contribute to generating new business for the Bank.
• Contribute to ongoing and emerging corporate initiatives related to social safeguards and standards, through participation in the Global Solutions Group on Social Sustainability and Safeguards. This will include contributing to the ongoing safeguards policy reform at the Bank.
• Liaise with other social development specialists and other groups within GSURR and other Global Practices and across the World Bank Group, to develop and promote the use of consistent approaches to social assessment and risk management.
• Participate in the broader social development work of the team.
• Work independently under general direction of the Practice Manager, seeking guidance on complex projects/issues from Senior and Lead specialists.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree with 8 years’ experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related social science (e.g., Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Political Science).
• Demonstration, through written work and dialogue, of in-depth knowledge of social issues and issues of conflict and fragility in Africa.
• Relevant experience in conflict and broader social development issues in Africa.
• Proven capacity to translate analytical work into policy advice and operational, actionable, recommendations.
• Basic knowledge of World Bank’s operations including social safeguard policies on involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated skills and direct work experience with at least one or more of the following: public consultations; public hearings; participatory research methods (including observation, surveys); participatory rural and urban appraisal; participatory poverty assessments; participatory monitoring and evaluation; and grievance redress mechanisms.
• Proven capacity to work with a wide range of stakeholders, international organizations, development agencies, government counterparts, beneficiaries of Bank projects, and civil society organizations.
• Strong oral and written presentation skills, creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams and multicultural environments.
• Willingness to travel regularly in Africa, including in areas affected by fragility.
• Enthusiasm for, and commitment to, poverty alleviation, social development and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English; knowledge of local languages would be an advantage.

Competencies

• Social Development Implications on Policy, Institutions, and Operations - Familiarity with the implications of social development on policy, institutions, and operations.
• Analytical Tools for Social Sustainability - Solid experience conducting social development analyses, producing meaningful results, and applying the tools in the course of an operation.
• Participation and Consultation - Solid experience conducting social development consultative and participatory approaches, and applying the approaches in the course of an operation.
• Social Safeguards - Familiar with and can apply (under supervision) the social safeguard policies to a situation and identify issues and risks.
• Integrative Skills - Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of current sector.
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Lead and Innovate - Develops innovative solutions.
• Deliver Results for Clients - Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
• Make Smart Decisions - Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.