Program Manager – Strategy & Portfolio

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

About The Position

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 on a livable planet, 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. WBG Climate Department The Climate Department enables the World Bank Group to deliver climate at scale across operations by providing the expertise, solutions, and platforms needed to integrate climate into projects, policy, and finance. It supports delivery of the World Bank Group Climate Action Plan, including alignment with the Paris Agreement and delivery of 45% climate co-benefits. As climate is embedded across sectors and regions, the Department acts as a connector and service provider to teams, helping translate climate ambition into operational solutions, financing approaches, and country programs. The Department is organized across two complementary functions: Policy & Regulation • Partnerships for Smart Development & Cross-Sector Expertise • Analytics & Policy for Adaptation & Mitigation Finance Solutions & Impact • Sustainable Finance & Transaction Solutions • Strategy, Learning & Operations • Carbon Finance Solutions • Market Building with Toolkits and Products Solutions & Impact – Strategy, Learning & Operations Unit The KTCSL unit plays a central role in enabling the Climate Department to function as an integrated “One Climate” platform under the Knowledge Bank model. The unit operates as a strategic and operational backbone, supporting coherence, scale, and effectiveness across the Climate Department’s portfolio. Its core functions include: (i) shaping and operationalizing the One Climate agenda, ensuring alignment across units, programs, and trust funds; (ii) overseeing cross-cutting platforms such as the Climate Support Facility (CSF) and Canada Funds, ensuring strategic allocation of resources and evolution toward programmatic, impact-driven approaches in collaboration with the other Climate umbrella trust funds; (iii) designing and delivering a One Climate knowledge and learning ecosystem, including communities of practice, training programs, and knowledge platforms; and (iv) strengthening operating models, systems, and performance frameworks to support more integrated, disciplined, and demand-driven ways of working. The unit also functions as a connector and integrator across global practices, regions, and institutions (IBRD/IFC), ensuring that climate priorities are effectively translated into operations and results. The Climate Support Facility (CSF) is a $220 million + multi-donor umbrella trust fund that provides flexible grant financing to help countries integrate climate considerations into development planning, policies, and investments. It supports upstream analytics, capacity building, and operational engagement across sectors, while serving as a platform to align donor resources with World Bank priorities and scale climate impact through more strategic, programmatic approaches. Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be initially offered a 3-year term appointment.

Requirements

A Master’s degree in a relevant field, with at least 12 years of relevant experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
Demonstrated leadership and people management skills, including experience managing multi-location and virtual teams, and operating effectively with both formal and matrixed authority.
Strong strategic orientation and ability to prioritize, streamline, and rationalize activities to maximize impact.
Adaptability, flexibility, and ability to lead teams for success during periods of change.
Extensive experience working in both operational and corporate roles across regions, practices, disciplines, and sectors, and in building partnerships with governments, the private sector, civil society, donors, and research institutions to achieve development results.
Excellent communication and representational skills, including proven experience engaging with senior stakeholders, media, and external constituencies.
Contributes new insights to understand situations and develops solutions to resolve complex problems.
Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself.
Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders.
Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches displaying a sense of mutuality and respect.
Identifies and pursues innovative approaches to resolve issues.
Leverages Climate Group’s expertise and body of knowledge across the WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.
Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department and unit.
Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy.
Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term implications of decisions.
Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge and experience in one or more relevant thematic areas is desirable, though strong managerial, coordination, and influencing skills are paramount.

Responsibilities

Act as a strategic deputy to the Practice Manager, supporting overall leadership of the KTCSL unit.
Help shape and drive the unit’s work program across strategy, portfolio management, knowledge, and operations, ensuring coherence and delivery against One Climate priorities.
Support decision-making, prioritization, and stakeholder engagement at the unit and departmental level.
Serve as a core strategic partner to the Practice Manager and play a key role in supporting the strategy of One Climate, including positioning of CSF and other cross-cutting platforms.
Drive the articulation and implementation of a coherent strategy linking trust funds, knowledge, and operational support into a unified “One Climate” offering.
Lead the development of a forward-looking strategy and business plan for CSF, and its linkages to other umbrella trust funds within One Climate, including prioritization across thematic areas and alignment with institutional priorities and reforms.
Oversee the full CSF portfolio across windows and programs, ensuring strategic allocation of resources, quality control, and delivery against commitments.
Lead the transition from window-based programming toward a more strategic, portfolio-driven model anchored in regional demand, institutional priorities, and impact.
Drive a more disciplined, demand-driven programming approach, including structured engagement with regions, prioritization frameworks, and pipeline development.
Ensure compliance with World Bank trust fund policies and financial frameworks, including governance, allocation rules, and cost structures.
Strengthen the operating model of CSF, including internal processes, roles and responsibilities, and coordination across teams.
Define and implement a clearer allocation model, including criteria for prioritization, governance of decision-making, and balance between pooled and preferenced funding.
Lead improvements in governance, transparency, and reporting, including portfolio tracking, results frameworks, and decision-making processes.
Contribute to broader institutional efforts on trust fund reform and standardization.
Lead engagement with key partners, ensuring consistent messaging, proactive dialogue, and alignment with CSF priorities.
Shape a more coherent fundraising architecture, including consolidation of fragmented funding streams and evolution toward more programmatic and pooled approaches for One Climate as a whole.
Support development of innovative funding approaches and partnerships with MDBs and other external actors.
Play a leadership role in shaping the broader direction of KTCSL and One Climate, including cross-program coordination and strategic initiatives.
Act as a connector and integrator across teams, regions, and global practices.
Represent the unit in internal governance and decision-making forums and deputize for the Practice Manager as needed.

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.

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