Manager, Disaster Risk Finance, Solutions & Impact

World Bank Group • Washington, DC

2d

About The Position

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. Please visit www.worldbank.org.

PROSPERITY VICE PRESIDENCY
The WBG Prosperity Vice Presidency leads the WBG’s key global engagements in support of: Growth and jobs (including supporting teams across the WBG on the jobs agenda); debt sustainability and debt management; improved domestic resource mobilization and expenditure efficiency; a resilient and inclusive financial sector; business-enabling policies and regulations; trade policy and facilitation; and transparent, effective, and accountable government institutions world-wide. The Vice Presidency also houses the group that examines the distributional/poverty impacts of all policies.
It is responsible for getting the right public and private sector solutions to our operational teams and to our clients, and to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact to enable and support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs; supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, a business-enabling policy environment, and private sector mobilization; focusing on agribusiness, healthcare, infrastructure, manufacturing, and tourism; and support and accelerate corporate targets and commitments. The VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams in the areas of its mandate.
Financial Services Sector I Department
The FSS Global Department is comprised of two directorates: FSS I covers financial resilience and integrity, financial inclusion, capital market development and disaster risk finance, while FSS II covers SME finance, Banking, Housing, Leasing and Insurance, as well as Sustainable Finance.
The FSS I Global Department is seeking a Practice Manager to lead the Disaster Risk Finance Team. The Crisis and Disaster Risk Finance Team draws on experienced professionals with skill sets covering all areas of climate and disaster risk finance and insurance. Collectively, the team assists countries in areas from policy formation to regulation and supervision to investment and creating new financial products against climate and disaster shocks, including index insurance and disaster risk financing. The team focuses in two primary areas: (i) enhancing access of households as well as small and medium enterprises to suitable financial services to increase their resilience, and facilitate their adaptation to shocks, including natural disasters; and (ii) increasing the financial resilience of countries against natural disasters by implementing sustainable and cost-effective financial protection policies and instruments.
This involves creating innovative public-private disaster risk insurance solutions to address the insurance protection gap that currently leaves households, businesses, and farmers vulnerable to disaster-related losses. Additionally, it requires establishing pre-arranged disaster risk financing mechanisms to ensure preparedness and rapid response to crises, as well as fostering the development of insurance markets, including agricultural insurance.
Moreover, the team provides solutions for disaster risk finance and insurance through initiatives such as the World Bank Academy Impact Program. The team also actively informs international policy discussions on financial resilience in fora such as the G7, G20, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), and other key platforms.
The Practice Manager will lead an integrated WBG team of professionals that provides expertise and advisory services across these areas and collaborate with other Departments inside and outside the Prosperity Vice Presidency and WBG regional teams to design and implement financing, analytical and advisory projects.

Requirements

• A Master’s degree (Ph.D. preferred) in finance, economy, or financial economics, with at least twelve (12) years of relevant professional experience.
• Strong technical knowledge and experience (in EMDEs preferably) in most of the areas relevant to crisis and disaster risk finance.
• Solid understanding of – or substantial past exposure to - the international financial architecture (Financial Stability Board, Standard Setting Bodies, G20, G7….)
• Excellent leadership and supervisory skills, and experience in leading teams for results and innovation.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience and track record of results and successfully working across practices, disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Good partnership experience, including involving multiple partners – both public and private – in building collaborative alliances for results.
• Strong sense of strategy, including ability to conceptualize, prioritize and be selective. Demonstrated ability to influence and lead the development agenda at the country or regional level in the topical areas.
• Experience in applying practical know-how and effective policy dialogue to achieve development results.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with proven experience in dealing with the media, external constituencies, and expert groups, including at senior level, as well as influencing / “soft diplomacy” skills.

Responsibilities

• Leads her his team to deliver the WBG Vice Presidency and Global Department key strategic priorities and, in collaboration with Country Directors, ensures alignment with the WBG Strategy, notably on Knowledge and Partnerships, and Country Partnership Framework.
• Draws on thought leadership and implementation know-how to ensure high impact multi-sectoral solutions.
• Promotes excellency and rigor in designing and implementing public-private disaster risk finance solutions;
• Promotes innovation in disaster risk finance solutions for clients;
• Builds and maintains a balanced portfolio of innovative, cost-effective, and demand-driven products and services.
• Works in partnership with other managers, as well as public and private stakeholders, to find tailored and holistic solutions to complex operational challenges.
• Accountable for delivering high-quality and timely results.
• Collaborates with KB and regional managers in implementing, replicating and scaling sound disaster risk finance solutions;
• Models exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforces these qualities in own team and staff.
• Drives and inspires technical excellence within the team and the Global Department by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients.
• Supports Global Department management in developing and implementing appropriate strategies for global staffing, deployment, talent, and performance management.
• Ensures that the Global Department is at the forefront of the development debate and contributes to the global dialogue in the area of expertise of the Finance Directorate.
• Ensures timely flow and capture of knowledge and expertise so that clients receive the highest quality support and knowledge they need, when and where they need it.
• Promotes innovative and cross-cutting research, as well as the dissemination of technical and experiential knowledge and learning.
• Instills a culture of evidence-based, yet client tailored engagement for highest development impact.
• In consultation with relevant stakeholders within the WBG, decides on the best use of internal and external resources for maximum client and developmental impact.
• Is accountable for delivering the agreed upon work program through cost-effective use of resources (human and budget) within the agreed parameters and in compliance with internal controls and policies and ensures timely delivery and overall quality of outputs.
• Development and representation of the Department 'brand'.
• Effective communication to various audiences, including key stakeholders, clients, beneficiaries, general public, internal and external partners.

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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