Transport Specialist

Industry:

Company: World Bank Group

Transport Specialist

Job #:
req28832

Organization:
World Bank

Sector:
Transportation

Grade:
GF

Term Duration:
3 years

Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
9/15/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Note: Thisrecruitment is a part of Japanese Recruitment Mission

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. 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

The South Asia Region Context

The South Asia Region comprises eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) that range in size from India (with a population of over 1 billion) to Maldives (with 0.5 million people). The region has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6% a year over the past 20 years. It was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis. This strong growth has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements in human development. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell in South Asia from 56% to 16% between 1981 and 2013. Still, the region remains home to a third of the world’s poorest, with 216 million people living below $1.9/day.

The South Asia Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar

The Infrastructure Practice Group oversees developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. This is done by scaling up investments in critical infrastructure sectors, leveraging innovations that drive impact and promote integration across sectors and regions at a scale that encourages the participation of the private sector, catalyzing financing from commercial and other sources of development and climate finance. The Infrastructure Practice Group leads the design and implementation of the Global Challenge Program (GCP) for Energy Access and Transition (GCP-E), which is a part of the World Bank Group’s flagship effort to address complex and pressing global issues, such as climate change, poverty reduction, shared prosperity, and fragility, conflict, and violence. The South Asia Infrastructure Department (ISADR) includes Energy and Transport, and works closely with Extractives, Digital Development, and Infrastructure Finance, Public Private Partnerships and Guarantees.

Under ISADR, there are two Transport Units (ISAT1 and ISAT2). The two units combined have roughly an active portfolio of 28 lending operations with total commitments of about USD 8.2 billion, 5 ongoing Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) and an average of 5-8 new lending deliveries per FY. SAR Transport team focuses on green, resilient, inclusive, efficient, and safe development of the transport sector in SAR. The portfolio is evolving to match the high urbanization of the region, and includes trade and logistics, rural roads and highways, urban mobility, rail and waterways, and road safety. It focuses increasingly on leveraging private capital to bring additional resources to SAR clients, working with IFC and MIGA and providing Bank Guarantees.
SAR Transport is a key contributor to the Global Challenge Program (GCP) for Energy Access and Transition (GCP-E), through leading the designing and implementation of efforts related to Decarbonizing Transport. It is also a key player to engagements led by other Global Practices, most recently in response to policy reform Development Policy Operations and disaster response operations. It has a large regional integration agenda and works closely with the Regional Integration team in SAR to deliver connectivity, trade, and logistics services. It contributes to, and learns from, the global knowledge and best practices in the Global Transport Department and other regional transport units. The hiring unit, namely ISAT1, primarily focus on operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. The unit has about 21 Staff and is largely decentralized in the country offices.

About the Position

ISAT1 seeks a Transport Specialist to lead and support technical, analytical, and operational work on assigned projects across the South Asia Transport Program as well as contribute to new and ongoing sector dialogues with counterparts. The Transport Specialist will report to the Practice Manager, ISAT1, and will be expected to support the program across the range of Bank instruments. The Transport Specialist is expected to demonstrate the highest collaborative competencies, working with colleagues across the range of areas within the unit and across the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Transport Specialist is expected to display leadership and excellence across several transport modes with proven experience in design and implementation of transport programs for improving trade and logistics, rural connectivity, road safety, and climate adaptation. The SAR Transport portfolio has increased substantially over the past few years with strong growth anticipated with mobilization of private sector capital and solutions. The Transport Specialist will play an instrumental role in supporting and catalyzing the growth for mobilizing private sector capital and solutions.

The position requires candidates with expertise and practical experience in transport climate adaptation and mobilizing private capital for sustainable development of transport solutions. A background in transport infrastructure development, harnessing private sector efficiencies through PPPs, implementing climate/green solutions, procurement, contract management and related technical issues is highly desired. Broader knowledge of the key issues in the transport sector, including gender, accessibility, social and environmental impacts and mitigations, and climate change considerations are also required. Strong consideration is given to operational experience and leading of tasks related to World Bank lending instrument(s) such as IPF, PforR, DPF.
The primary objectives of the assignment will be to:
• Lead and/or support core aspects of the preparation and implementation of transport projects (in a variety of subsectors) across the region, covering the core themes on transport PPPs, trade and connectivity, and, resilient transport infrastructure, while incorporating key cross-cutting issues such as gender, climate change, road safety, and private sector engagement;
• Lead and/or support analytical and advisory engagements in the transport sector;
• Lead and/or support coordination efforts across operations with cross-cutting teams engaged in project delivery, such as legal specialists, fiduciary specialists, and environmental and social specialists;
• Advising government counterparts on technical matters associated with transport projects, including on institutional strengthening activities, technical designs and specifications, compliance with environmental and social policies, procurement, operational health and safety, etc.;
• Contribute to transport strategy, ensuring alignment with country programs as part of Systematic Country Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, and Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) to generate evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the resilience of transport systems to climate change impacts, and mainstreaming climate change considerations into transport planning processes, ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of transport infrastructure;
• Support pipeline operations with financial and economic analyses
• Work as an integral member to promote Private Capital Mobilization in the region and work in collaboration with IFC and MIGA while supporting the identification and development of a pipeline of project and programs in the region;
• Support the World Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in the transport practice by participating in a selected number of thematic technical groups (Global Solutions Groups or Communities of Practice) and drafting of technical notes and supporting cutting-edge work in collaboration with other global practices to enhance knowledge creation and dissemination and expanding the existing knowledge base; and
• Stay abreast of recent developments in the transport sector world-wide, and on cross-cutting issues, in relation to the topics of specialization for this position; identifying knowledge gaps and disseminating relevant knowledge to clients.

Selection Criteria
• Master’s degree or higher in engineering, financing, transport economics, or other related fields;
• Minimum five years of relevant professional experience in the transport sector with demonstrated ability to work on: (a) designing and implementing transport programs and projects in a resilient and sustainable manner, with particular focus on trade and connectivity, green and resilient infrastructure, and PPPs; (b) contract management and execution; (c) road and/or infrastructure maintenance and asset management; and (d) financial, economic, social, and environmental impact of infrastructure investments;
• Experience in leading/co-leading/executing analytical work in the transport sector;
• Demonstrated research and analytical skills, specifically with experience in economic and financial analysis, PPPs, GHG accounting, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and advanced knowledge of Excel is preferred;
• Demonstrated solid understanding of a range of subsectors under Transport, including Urban Transport, Roads and Bridges, Ports/Inland Waterways, as well as various cross-cutting themes (such as road safety and resilience);
• Work experience in developing countries;
• Experience in working either with the World Bank, or on programs financed by other development partners, multilateral or bilateral;
• Organizational skills, ability to see the big picture as well as attention to detail and ability to prioritize work among multiple competing demands and tight deadlines;
• High degree of initiative, problem-solving skills, flexibility, and ability to work independently;
• Strong inter-personal skills; experience working effectively in large and multi-disciplinary teams of specialists; with the capacity to interact in a multi-cultural environment;
• Strong work relation and communication with the Client team including ability to coordinate effectively between the Bank team and Client team is desirable;
• Excellent written and communications skills in English, specifically in writing briefs, reports and preparing power point presentations as well as interacting with counterparts;
• Additional certifications such as CFA or PPP related certifications will be 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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