Lead Evaluation Officer

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

20h•Onsite

About The Position

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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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. The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is responsible for the assessment of the relevance, efficacy, and efficiency of World Bank Group operational policies, programs and activities, and their contribution to development effectiveness. IEG’s evaluations aim to enhance accountability and learning to inform the formulation of new directions, policies and procedures, country and sector strategies, and programs for the World Bank Group’s work. IEG is led by the Director General, Evaluation (DGE), who reports directly to the Board of Executive Directors through the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE). IEG’s organizational structure comprises: Office of the DGE (IEGDG); Human Development and Economic Management Department (IEGHE); Financial, Private Sector, and Sustainable Development Department (IEGSP); and Knowledge and Communications Unit (IEGKC). Within the Human Development and Economic Management Department (IEGHE), the Economic Management and Country Program Evaluation (IEGEC) unit covers four main areas of work: Thematic Evaluations of the WBG’s Prosperity engagement, WBG Country Program Evaluations, Evaluations and validation of self-evaluations of the WBG’s Prosperity operations, and Evaluations and validation of self-evaluations of WBG Country Partnership Frameworks.

Requirements

Master’s or PhD degree in directly relevant area of expertise.
12-15+ years of relevant experience.
Prior experience, both operational and policy-related, ideally in Country Programs, Prosperity, and related sectors and substantial background in analytical work.
Strong familiarity with World Bank, IFC and MIGA operations.
Deep evaluation knowledge and management: awareness and experience in understanding the design and delivery of evaluations, preferably in a multilateral development bank context; or solid experience in overseeing or leading the successful preparation and effective dissemination of highly complex analytical products for maximum impact, combined with familiarity with evaluation principles, criteria and methods.
Personal maturity and balanced judgment: Has an independent mind set, common sense judgement, and the ability to conduct critical, evidence-based assessments.
Experience in engaging on evaluations with operational teams: strong practical understanding of how to engage with operational teams effectively in the design and delivery of evaluations, protecting independence and credibility while promoting learning and ownership from operational staff.
Prior experience in successfully supervising a diverse group of highly skilled professionals.
Demonstrated capacity to motivate and develop teams.
Ability to coach, mentor, develop and empower more junior staff, to provide seasoned advice to more senior staff and managers, and to work collaboratively with peers.
Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, and ability to operate collaboratively across organizational boundaries.
Proactive, inclusive and innovative, with an open and collegial work style and ability to listen and integrate ideas from diverse points of view.
Excellent communication, diplomatic and negotiating skills, with demonstrated strong personal maturity, balanced judgment, and a track record of building and maintaining partnerships with colleagues and clients.
Required Language(s): English

Nice To Haves

Preferred Language(s): French, Spanish
Ideally in-depth knowledge of Prosperity operations and Country Program products in one or two of the three institutions (World Bank, IFC and MIGA).

Responsibilities

Lead jointly with the unit’s Lead Economist IEG’s work program on Prosperity and Country Programs and Corporate topics and be directly responsible for Thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations.
Advise the IEGEC manager, IEGHE director and other members of IEG leadership team on Thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations.
Provide guidance to the IEGEC teams working on Tematic, Country Program and Corporate topics and coordinate closely with the unit’s Lead Economist.
Provide quality control for the validation of Implementation Completion Reports (from Prosperity Global Practices) and of Country Learning Reviews.
Lead in Country Program Evaluations and thematic evaluations on topics falling under the Prosperity Practice Group and other Practice Groups.
Lead and contribute to IEG corporate level tasks as needed, including reviewing and commenting on other evaluation work.
Lead – and provide technical advice to staff working on – evaluations of IEGEC and support the IEGEC manager in supervising evaluation work.
As TTL, lead the design, implementation and dissemination of IEGEC evaluations, including thematic evaluations and other evaluation products, such as Evaluation Insight Notes (EINs), Learning Engagements (LEs) and other IEG products.
Provide strategic advice and technical insight on IEGEC evaluation work led by other colleagues.
Engage on issues such as strategic directions and work program; collaboration with other units in and outside IEG and with development partners.
Lead or participate in evaluations mapped to other IEG units.
Provide technical and strategic advice to the IEGEC manager on thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations.
Provide advice on evaluation quality, work program, and collaboration.
Support the strategic dialogue with World Bank Group counterparts and with development partners.
Keep abreast – and inform the IEGEC manager – of strategic developments which are relevant to the work of IEGEC.
Provide technical stewardship and keep IEGEC staff informed of WBG’s initiatives, including through presentations at IEG staff meetings on the WBG’s strategic direction in these areas and organization of Brown Bag Lunches.
Facilitate generation and exchange of information in the department, to promote cross-unit collaboration and learning.
Review and provide comments on thematic evaluations of other IEG units, on behalf of the IEGEC.
Advise on outreach strategies for the unit’s evaluations.
Mentor IEGEC staff by providing technical, professional and career development guidance.
Advise IEG Extended Leadership Team (ELT) on policy developments and emerging issues, including the review of WBG corporate strategies and policy documents requiring feedback based on IEG evaluations.