Senior Partnership Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group (WBG) is a global community working across disciplines and borders to address development challenges, particularly job creation. Through partnerships in 145 countries, the WBG invests in people, strengthens markets, and delivers data-driven solutions. The GIF Management Unit, within the WBG Infrastructure VPU, focuses on building smart infrastructure in developing countries to support growth, create jobs, and promote a cleaner future. The Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) was established in 2014 as a G20 initiative to address the infrastructure investment gap in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) by preparing bankable projects that attract private investment. GIF provides funding and technical support to MDB partners to help client governments structure projects. GIF aims to expand the market for private infrastructure finance in EMDEs by increasing the number of sound, sustainable, and bankable projects and broadening the range of private investors. GIF is structured as a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) hosted by the World Bank, with funding from sovereign donors and the World Bank. It collaborates with 11 accredited MDB technical partners and engages with over 50 private sector Advisory Partners, representing significant assets under management. This role supports a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) and is subject to WBG Staff Directives and Procedures.

Requirements

Master’s degree in international relations, public policy, international development, law, economics, finance, business administration, or a related field, with at least 8 years of relevant experience.
Demonstrated experience working on donor relations, strategic partnerships, governance, resource mobilization, or stakeholder engagement in a multilateral development, trust fund, FIF, MDB, infrastructure finance, or international development context.
Strong understanding of the international development architecture, political economy, donor decision-making processes, multilateral governance, and the role of blended finance, project preparation, PPPs, and private capital mobilization in infrastructure.
Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with senior representatives of governments, MDBs, foundations, private-sector partners, executive offices, and internal corporate units.
Experience supporting governance bodies, boards, councils, committees, or multi-stakeholder decision-making processes.
Strong political judgment and ability to navigate sensitive institutional, donor, and stakeholder dynamics with discretion and professionalism.
Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information quickly and provide practical, strategic advice.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English, including ability to draft clear, concise, persuasive, and senior-level briefing materials.
Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and lead complex workstreams with minimal supervision.
Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, meet tight deadlines, and deliver high-quality products in a fast-moving environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively across teams, cultures, institutions, and seniority levels.
Strategic donor and stakeholder engagement
Governance and institutional advisory support
Political economy and donor intelligence
Resource mobilization and partnership strategy
Senior-level drafting, briefing, and communication
Multi-stakeholder coordination and relationship management
Judgment, discretion, and problem-solving in complex environments
Results orientation and ability to deliver under pressure

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of World Bank Group operations, Financial Intermediary Funds, trust fund governance, MDB partnerships, or infrastructure finance would be a strong advantage.
Proficiency in another World Bank Group official language, such as Spanish or Arabic would be an advantage.
Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

Responsibilities

Lead and support strategic engagement with GIF Funding Partners, including sovereign donors, prospective contributors, and other priority financing partners.
Develop and implement tailored donor engagement strategies informed by donor priorities, political economy dynamics, budget cycles, institutional processes, decision-making frameworks, and evolving policy objectives.
Monitor and analyze political, budgetary, legislative, and policy developments across priority donor countries, providing strategic intelligence, risk assessments, and briefing materials to support GIF leadership, resource mobilization, and partnership engagement.
Lead stakeholder mapping and engagement planning for priority sovereign and non-sovereign partners, identifying opportunities to strengthen existing relationships, cultivate new contributors, and expand the GIF's funding base.
Support resource mobilization efforts through the preparation of donor outreach materials, funding proposals, contribution negotiations, senior management briefing packages, talking points, and other strategic communications.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with ministries, development agencies, permanent missions, executive offices, MDBs, foundations, private-sector partners, and other key stakeholders, serving as a trusted focal point for strategic engagement.
Plan and coordinate high-level engagement with ministers, deputy ministers, executive directors, and other senior officials, including bilateral meetings, strategic missions, and major international events, to advance GIF priorities and partnerships.
Lead the strategic planning, preparation, and execution of the GIF's governance processes, including meetings of the Governing Council, Funding Partners, Advisory Council, and other governance bodies, ensuring effective decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
Advise the Head of GIF and senior management on governance policies, operating procedures, institutional requirements, stakeholder considerations, and governance-related risks to support informed strategic decision-making.
Lead the periodic review, interpretation, and implementation of the GIF's governance framework, including the Operating Guidelines, Partnership Framework, Accreditation Framework, governance policies, and related institutional arrangements, recommending amendments and improvements as appropriate.
Prepare and oversee high-quality governance documentation, including agendas, annotated agendas, decision papers, briefing notes, presentations, meeting records, and formal governance communications for senior stakeholders.
Coordinate governance processes across the GIF Management Unit, World Bank Infrastructure, Legal, Development Finance (DFI), the Trustee, Funding Partners, Technical Partners, Advisory Council members, and other stakeholders to facilitate timely and effective governance outcomes.
Lead the accreditation and onboarding of new GIF Technical Partners, Funding Partners, Beneficiary Partners, Advisory Council members, and other strategic stakeholders, ensuring compliance with governance requirements and supporting successful institutional integration.
Maintain and strengthen institutional governance systems, including records of governance decisions, partnership commitments, accreditation processes, and strategic follow-up actions, ensuring continuity, transparency, and institutional memory.
Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Head of GIF and senior management on donor relations, governance, institutional strategy, political economy developments, stakeholder engagement, and organizational priorities.
Lead and support strategic initiatives related to the GIF's institutional positioning, governance evolution, partnership model, stakeholder consultations, and long-term organizational development within the World Bank Group and broader development finance architecture.
Provide strategic analysis and advice on emerging risks and opportunities affecting the GIF's donor base, governance framework, external partnerships, institutional positioning, and operating environment.
Shape and advance the GIF's external positioning as the leading global MDB platform for infrastructure project preparation and private capital mobilization through strategic engagement with governments, MDBs, development finance institutions, foundations, investors, and other key stakeholders.
Lead the development of strategic partnership opportunities with sovereign and non-sovereign contributors, ensuring alignment with the GIF's governance framework, strategic priorities, and applicable World Bank policies.
Prepare high-quality, politically sensitive briefing materials, strategic advice, and key messages for senior management engagements with ministers, executive directors, vice presidents, directors, donor principals, MDB leadership, and private-sector representatives.
Lead strategic coordination across relevant World Bank Group units—including Infrastructure, Legal, Development Finance (DFI), other Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs), and corporate functions—on governance, partnership, and institutional matters affecting the GIF.
Represent the GIF Management Unit in high-level internal and external meetings and working groups, as delegated by senior management.
Draft and edit high-quality written products, including donor briefings, governance papers, talking points, correspondence, concept notes, meeting summaries, Board/Governing Council materials, and strategic presentations.
Translate complex governance, donor, and institutional issues into clear, actionable advice for leadership.
Develop messaging that effectively communicates GIF’s role, results, comparative advantages, and strategic priorities to diverse audiences.
Lead on delivery of external engagement materials for high-level meetings, donor consultations, replenishment discussions, partnership events, and global forums.
Lead on development of revamped GIF website.
Lead delivery of continuous improvement of GIF’s partnership, governance, and donor engagement practices.