Project Manager – Project Management Officer

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development, with 189 member countries and over 190 offices worldwide. Global Corporate Solutions (GCS) integrates Corporate Security, Corporate Real Estate, and Corporate Services. GCS’s Corporate Real Estate (GCSCR) division is crucial in supporting IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID by developing and operating their real estate demands globally. GCSCR aims to create safe, cost-effective, sustainable, and functional real estate solutions, enabling business units to perform their work in line with the WBG’s mission. GCSCR is structured into HQ Real Estate Development and Management (GCSHQ), International Real Estate (GCSIR), and Corporate Real Estate, Center of Excellence (CoE). The division comprises approximately 100 staff, leverages over 500 contractors, and manages an annual facilities capital investment plan of about $150 million globally. This Project Manager position is responsible for overseeing the centralized Project Management Office (PMO) within the HQ Real Estate Development and Management Unit. This role is critical for maintaining standardized processes, governance frameworks, tools, and resources to ensure successful project execution across the unit. The project manager will collaborate with project managers and key stakeholders to align projects with corporate strategy, optimize resource allocation, and improve project delivery. Close collaboration with the Corporate Real Estate’s Center of Excellence is required to provide a harmonized outcome. The position is based in Washington, DC and will report to the Manager of HQ Real Estate Development and Management.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, or related field with five years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Financial management (cost/investment, budget planning, cost analysis, project cost control, spend tracking and spend management) negotiating skills, procurement, and contract management experience.
Experience in project management, with at least 3 years in a PMO leadership role.
Strong understanding of project management methodologies.
Proven experience in managing large, complex projects and portfolios.
Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Proficiency with project management tools such as MS Project or similar software.
Strategic thinker with a proactive and innovative mindset.
Strong commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
Ability to influence and inspire others to achieve common goals.

Nice To Haves

Experience within a Center of Excellence is desirable.

Responsibilities

Establish and enforce PMO governance frameworks, methodologies, and lifecycle standards to guide project managers and teams in the successful delivery of real estate projects.
Act as the portfolio level governance and assurance function, defining and enforcing review gates, approval criteria, and required artifacts across the real estate project lifecycle.
Define and standardize project management processes and practices (including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure) to enable consistent and efficient implementation of approved work programs.
Serve as the custodian of Real Estate Recommendation (RER) standards, ensuring submissions meet fiduciary, procedural, and investment planning requirements prior to management and SMT review.
Prepare and coordinate Real Estate Recommendations (RERs) for inclusion in the HQ Annual Investment Plan, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, corporate strategy, and GCS Corporate Real Estate objectives.
Provide independent challenge and decision support to management on project prioritization, sequencing, scope changes, and resource trade offs across the HQ and global real estate portfolios.
Collaborate closely with HQ Team Leads and the Corporate Real Estate Center of Excellence to ensure delivery teams are appropriately supported and aligned.
Lead structured portfolio reviews for senior management (quarterly and annual), synthesizing delivery performance, budgets, risk, utilization, and strategic alignment across the real estate portfolio, and ensuring smooth financial year end project closure with no slippages.
Work with the Center of Excellence and Budget teams to prepare, review, and validate budget deliverables, including contingencies, forecasts, commitments, extensions, reconciliations, depreciation reviews, write offs, accruals, and available balances, ensuring financial accountability.
Review financial transactions, capital investment reports, and portfolio data in SAP; develop financial models and analyses, including cost benefit assessments, project cost savings, and contract financial tracking.
Support audit readiness and compliance by ensuring project and portfolio financial practices adhere to approved procedures, directives, and internal control standards.
Apply, monitor, and refine approved project and financial performance indicators to support portfolio oversight, management reporting, and decision making, in coordination with the Center of Excellence.
Own the definition and governance of portfolio and project management data standards, KPIs, dashboards, and reporting structures to ensure tools support executive decision making as well as operational tracking.
Represent PMO and portfolio requirements in the design, rollout, and governance of Project Portfolio Management (PPM) platforms and related digital tools.
Oversee the implementation, adoption, and ongoing optimization of project management systems, tools, and reporting solutions.
Initiate innovative initiatives, including portfolio dashboards, pipeline visibility tools, automated reporting, and completion analytics to improve workflow efficiency and transparency.
Develop, maintain, and disseminate standard operating procedures, templates, tools, and best practices to support consistent and efficient project and portfolio execution.
Train and support project teams in the effective use of PMO tools and systems to enhance visibility, collaboration, and governance.
Communicate and collaborate effectively across functions, levels, and geographic locations, engaging internal and external stakeholders including the Center of Excellence, budget and finance networks, and project managers.
Provide project managers with standardized tools, templates, methodologies, and best practices to enable consistent project execution across the portfolio.
Facilitate cross functional coordination and communication to ensure alignment between delivery teams, budget partners, finance, and senior stakeholders.
Support the resolution of project related risks, issues, and roadblocks through structured escalation, analysis, and coordination.