(Senior) Environmental Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

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 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. To enhance accountability and credibility, the World Bank Group (WBG) has established an independent second line of environmental and social risk (E&S) oversight within its Chief Risk Officer (CRO) function – CROES. While operational teams at the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA are responsible for designing and implementing projects in accordance with E&S policies, the newly formed E&S Risk Department—led by the WBG Director for Environment and Social Risk—oversees, monitors, and evaluates E&S risk and performance. CROES is looking for two seasoned, dynamic and motivated (Senior) E&S development professionals with sound technical judgement and minimum 8 years of relevant experience for the E&S risk oversight function within CROES. The selected candidates will work as part of a seasoned team, guided by Lead Regional Risk Officers and supported by Associates and Analysts, and will report to the Manager, E&S Risk Management Unit.

Requirements

Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience, including private sector experience in sustainability and E&S risk management:
Candidates with a focus in the environmental aspects should have a Master’s degree in environment and/or natural resource management, environmental policy or engineering, or similar relevant disciplines as well as proven experience in one or more areas of environmental risk management, such as: environment, health and safety (EHS); risk assessment; occupational, health and safety (OHS); due diligence, environmental site assessment, and compliance audits.
Candidates with a focus on social aspects should have a Master’s degree in social sciences, anthropology, sociology or other related relevant discipline as well as proven experience related to one or more areas of social risk management, such as: stakeholder engagement, labor and working conditions, gender, involuntary resettlement, Indigenous Peoples and cultural heritage.
Familiarity and proven experience in managing E&S issues related to complex transactions involving infrastructure, extractives, manufacturing, agribusiness, and/or services sectors.
Knowledge of IFC’s Sustainability Framework and Performance Standards including requirements for Financial Intermediaries.
Strong analytical skills, ability to think strategically, analyze and synthesize diverse information sources, and draw conclusions from sometimes limited data.
Ability to travel and manage multiple tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing circumstances, organize and prioritize deliverables, and maintain attention to detail.
Ability to communicate effectively and concisely in spoken and written English is essential.
Excellent interpersonal, listening and communication skills include the ability to relate well with a wide range of internal and external parties and develop solutions in potentially tense or conflicting situations.
Ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team, influence and negotiate points of view within teams.
High personal integrity and emotional intelligence, with demonstrated ability to handle sensitive matters in a discreet and respectful manner.

Nice To Haves

Additional language skills are desirable.

Responsibilities

Work in collaboration with the Lead E&S Risk Officers on E&S monitoring and oversight role across the WBG.
Reviewing project E&S documentation (DD reports, ESIA/RAP/other specialist studies), monitoring reports/SSVs/E&S ratings/management responses to grievances and providing qualified technical opinions on E&S matters (e.g. risk and mitigants as proposed for projects, disclosure documents, board papers, E&S provisions in legal agreements, etc.).
Keeping an active oversight of portfolio projects through review of portfolio projects to identify trends and issues in sectors/regions/themes etc. Assigning and reviewing E&S performance risk ratings for projects.
Supporting/participating in Senior Management Reviews.
Contribute to regional supervision program reviews.
Work as technical specialist in complex projects together with regional ESG teams.
Input and maintain the Integrated Risk (IR) Dashboard that will provide World Bank Group (WBG) senior leadership and the Enterprise Risk Committee with a consolidated, actionable view of Environmental and Social (E&S) risks across all WBG operations (IBRD/IDA, IFC, MIGA).
Contribute to development of high-quality work products that clearly and logically frame and concisely communicate risks and mitigants.
Support Accountability and Engagement function in monitoring projects with Compliance Advisory Ombudsman (CAO) or direct E&S complaints and work with project teams, particularly the ESG regional specialist in finding solutions and addressing non-compliances.

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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