Senior Procurement Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

14d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group’s Procurement Unit, EMAPR, is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a procurement hub leader supporting Pakistan, Djibouti, and West Bank & Gaza, as well as other country management units as agreed with the Accredited Procurement Practice Manager (APM). The role supports the APM, based in Cairo, and helps lead procurement reforms, capacity building, and fiduciary services in Bank-financed projects. The specialist works closely with country Prosperity teams and engages with Bank leadership and staff, government officials, international organizations, donors, consultants, borrowers, and other partners. The position provides APM-level fiduciary oversight of Bank-financed operations and quality assurance for cases requiring Operations Procurement Review Committee (OPRC) review. The hub leader advises clients and colleagues on complex procurement matters, leads or contributes to operational, analytical, and advisory work, and develops dialogue and partnerships to support procurement reforms. The work calls for strong knowledge of economic and public-sector governance issues, substantial experience with operations and complex or large-value procurement, diplomatic skills, and the ability to work effectively with government and multilateral and bilateral counterparts. This is an open-ended staff position based in Washington, DC, with frequent international travel. Recruitment is international, but the requisition is open only to World Bank Group and IMF staff, including short-term and extended-term consultants and temporaries; external candidates will not be considered. English mastery is essential, and Arabic or French is preferred. The World Bank Group provides a comprehensive benefits package and is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer.

Requirements

Advanced degree with a major in a relevant discipline, such as engineering, law, procurement, finance, business, or commerce.
At least 8 years of experience as a seasoned Procurement Specialist.
State-of-the-art knowledge of public procurement principles, systems, processes, planning, data analytics, and international procurement approaches.
Ability to independently produce well-researched analyses of complex procurement issues and problems.
Practical operational experience with the World Bank’s Procurement Policies and Regulations and procedures.
Experience reviewing OPRC cases.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain and defend difficult issues and positions to Bank management and government officials.
High integrity and personal responsibility for quality and timely delivery of the APM office work program.
Strong team management and organizational skills, with a track record of building and managing teams and creating an enabling work environment.
Ability to present, negotiate, and resolve highly complex issues persuasively, orally and in writing.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide staff and clients and design training and skills-enhancement initiatives.
Ability to work effectively and sensitively in multicultural environments and build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.
Mastery of spoken and written English.
Ability to coach and mentor junior staff and train procurement staff.
Ability to travel internationally frequently.
The requisition is open to World Bank Group and IMF staff only, including short-term and extended-term consultants and temporaries; external applicants will not be considered.

Nice To Haves

Arabic language skills.
French language skills.
Experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent contexts.
Ability to collaborate across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
Experience responsibly using digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and expert advice on complex procurement tasks and issues in Pakistan, Djibouti, and West Bank & Gaza, including advising task teams on procurement policies and guidelines throughout the project cycle.
Apply and interpret operational procurement policy to support complex decisions, optimize resources, and ensure appropriate fiduciary and quality controls.
Lead regional and sector-level procurement initiatives and develop and disseminate knowledge products, tools, methodologies, and guidelines within the Bank and externally.
Contribute to departmental, regional, and institutional efforts to develop and review procurement policies, practices, analytical tools, and operational approaches.
Engage with Bank management, government officials, and international organization counterparts on procurement matters.
Provide strategic advice on Bank policy, risk management, governance, anti-corruption, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and use of country systems.
Drive innovation in Bank procurement policy to improve project and sector outcomes.
Lead or participate in precedent-setting missions and develop innovative procurement approaches to address complex policy and operational challenges.
Promote effective use of electronic tools, including STEP, to monitor client engagement and fiduciary performance across the operations procurement portfolio.
Manage or contribute to fiduciary and country procurement assessments, reform programs, and activities related to governance, use of country systems, and anti-corruption.
Help improve borrowers’ procurement systems and practices, including public procurement legislation, professionalization, e-government procurement, sustainable public procurement, and institutional capacity building.
Review procurement cases for APM and OPRC thresholds and prepare high-quality OPRC documentation.
Support the APM and perform delegated responsibilities as needed.
Help lead and supervise work, assure deliverable quality, mentor procurement staff, and develop dialogue on reform activities.
Work with Prosperity teams in Pakistan, Djibouti, and West Bank & Gaza to coordinate support to those countries.
Build and maintain working relationships with international and national partner organizations, including academic institutions, civil society groups, and local research centers.
Travel internationally as required.