Associate Risk Officer – Business continuity

World Bank Group • Washington, DC

9d

About The Position

Build a career with impact. Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help countries solve their greatest development challenges. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, the WBG is a unique partnership of five global institutions dedicated to ending poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the WBG works 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.

The International Finance Corporation (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 in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

VPU Context:

The WBG Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Vice Presidency is the core unit responsible for Group-wide institutional risk oversight, including establishment and monitoring adherence to risk policies and guidelines and risk assessment and reporting to the Board and executive management. Its mission is to enable and support the WBG to achieve its goals in a financially sustainable manner. The VPU assists management with identifying and managing Group-wide cross-cutting risks, enhancing risk response decisions, reducing financial and operational surprises and losses, seizing opportunities and improving deployment of capital. The WBG CRO Vice Presidency includes the IBRD/IDA, IFC, and MIGA risk teams and covers a wide range of financial and non-financial risks.

Unit Context:

In the context of One WBG, the newly unified WBG Operational Risk Department (CROOR), housed within the WBG Chief Risk Officer (WBG CRO), provides independent second line of defense oversight, assessment, and management operational and business continuity risks across the World Bank Group.

The Department strengthens institutional risk governance by ensuring that operational risk-taking activities are consistent with the WBG’s risk appetite, internal control frameworks, and long-term operational resilience objectives. It provides rigorous, consistent oversight, ensuring operational and business continuity risks are identified, measured, monitored, and managed effectively across all WBG entities. The WBG Operational Risk Department (CROOR) is responsible for risk oversight in the following areas: (i) Operational Risk, (ii) Business Continuity, (iii) Scenario Planning, (iv) Corporate Insurance, (v) Data Privacy, and (vi) Risk Technology and Data Infrastructure.

The Business Continuity (BC) Team is responsible for the WBG business continuity program, which focuses on ensuring WBG’s ability to maintain critical operations and services during and after disruptive events. This includes developing and testing business continuity strategies, recovery plans, and crisis management protocols across entities and geographies. The BC Team supports business units in identifying critical functions, processes and applications, ensuring resource readiness, and coordinating institution-wide responses to operational disruptions.

We are seeking a dynamic Associate Risk Officer to join the WBG Business Continuity team and contribute to the successful delivery of the WBG BC Program both in HQ and non-HQ offices.

The candidate selected will be based in Washington DC and will report to the Manager, WBG Business Continuity and Resilience. The position will have a global focus and may involve travel.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in an area relevant to the job.
• 5 years of experience in either one or more of these areas: business process analysis, business continuity management, operational risk management or operational resilience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Strong understanding of industry standard business continuity planning principles, tools and techniques; business continuity certification or equivalent accreditation is a plus.
• Ability to align/integrate WBG’s BC response to other initiatives such as compliance, data privacy, enterprise architecture.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English, including excellence in making effective formal presentations to groups of all sizes and at all levels.
• Strong skills in standard Microsoft office suite; experience in document management and project management tools is a plus.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent understanding of WBG’s processes (IBRD/IDA, IFC, and MIGA) is a strong plus.
• Strong understanding of industry standard business continuity planning principles, tools and techniques; business continuity certification or equivalent accreditation is a plus.
• Strong skills in standard Microsoft office suite; experience in document management and project management tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates the review and update of WBG Business continuity and crisis management policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with stakeholders to conduct business impact analysis, including business processes and dependency analysis.
• Supports validation of Business Continuity and Crisis Management Plans for WBG HQ units and Country Offices.
• Supports the implementation and maintenance of BC tools, including BCM software, Crisis management portal, and BCM intranet site.
• Contributes to the design and facilitation of Business Continuity exercises.
• Supports data analysis, program management activities and KRIs and KPIs reporting.
• Undertakes additional projects or tasks assigned by the BC Manager.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level