Senior Social Development Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group (WBG) is seeking a Senior Social Development Specialist to join its People Vice Presidency, specifically within the Social Policy (SP) Global Department. This role is part of the WBG Knowledge Bank and is anchored in Social Policy’s Solutions and Impact unit. The specialist will focus on translating global knowledge, operational experience, and innovation into practical and scalable solutions for regional and country teams. The position involves connecting lessons from regional implementation with global technical expertise, supporting the adaptation and replication of proven approaches across country contexts, and ensuring knowledge informs the design and delivery of high-quality operations. The Senior Social Development Specialist will have a dual role: leading the climate team and scaling microfinance solutions for climate-affected households and women’s livelihood groups under the SP500 Microentreprise Support solution.

Requirements

Advanced university degree (Masters or PhD) in relevant social science (e.g., Economics, Sociology, and Political Science) or related fields.
Minimum of 8 years of professional working experience and knowledge on social development in a variety of roles.
Knowledge, interest, and experience working on jobs and livelihoods, financial inclusion, productive inclusion, microfinance, and climate.
Proven ability to carry-out independent policy-relevant research, translate theory into practical applications, and adapt professional knowledge and technical skills to analyze, diagnose and propose solutions to policy issues and challenges related to climate and social policy.
Experience leading or contributing to WBG operations related to climate change, livelihoods, inclusion and climate change, and thorough knowledge of WBG financing instruments and operational procedures, including trust fund management.
Experience in leading analytical and technical assistance activities linked to operations.
Demonstrated policy development as well as project/program management skills.
Aptitude to advise and/or lead diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and team skills.
Ability to think innovatively and strategically to find balanced solutions to complex development problems, with a strong client focus.
Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and to meet tight deadlines.
This internal requisition is open to WBG and IMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/ temporaries).
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.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts.

Responsibilities

Provide overall technical, operational, and partnership leadership for the Global Microfinance Initiative for Climate, looking for synergies with other programs supporting livelihoods, social protection, and microfinance.
Advance innovative microfinance solutions that strengthen the climate resilience and adaptability of microentrepreneurs and vulnerable households.
Coordinate closely with FCI, IFC, CGAP, regional teams, the GEF and other external partners to support implementation and scale-up of microfinance solutions.
Support operationalization of microfinance solutions within the broader Social Policy agenda.
Oversee knowledge generation, learning, and dissemination activities related to the Global Microfinance Initiative for Climate.
Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Global Knowledge Hub on Financing Integrated Livelihood Platforms, including support of four partner governments in Africa in designing, testing, and documenting safe and sustained pathways for expanding poor and near-poor women’s access to affordable productive credit.
Oversee the provision of grants, technical assistance, operational support and global learning from the Global Knowledge Hub to advance country programs.
Generate and curate practical knowledge to support cross-country learning.
Co-lead partnerships, policy dialogue, and stakeholder engagement with donors and financial-sector actors for the Global Knowledge Hub.
Represent the Global Knowledge Hub externally and mobilize partnerships and resources to sustain its impact.
Lead the cross-cutting climate team that advances climate adaptation, resilience, and just transition across Social Policy operations, analytics, and knowledge activities with a focus on adapting the SP500 solutions to have greater climate sensitivity and impact.
Provide strategic leadership and overall coordination of the climate agenda within the Social Policy Global Unit.
Lead efforts to integrate and scale climate adaptation and resilience across the SP500 Implementation Plan in collaboration with the other Solutions.
Support regional teams in incorporating climate into operations, analytics, and policy dialogue, including through Adaptive Social Protection and Locally Led Climate Action; ensure that lessons from the regions are captured to strengthen Social Policy’s operational evidence base on climate adaptation and resilience.
Maintain and grow the Platform on locally-led climate action in collaboration with external partners and by connecting adaptive social protection, economic inclusion, and green jobs.
Advance the green jobs agenda in close collaboration with the Labor team, linking climate adaptation and resilience investments with opportunities for job creation, skills development, and more resilient livelihoods.
Serve as the primary focal point for climate-related corporate engagement working closely with the Climate Change Group, other Global Practices, development partners, and donors.
Lead and deliver the Social Policy Climate Practitioners' Academy, global exchanges, and communities of practice.
Promote the visibility and uptake of Social Policy climate work through strategic communications and representation at internal and external forums.
Lead fundraising and resource mobilization to support implementation and expansion of the Social Policy climate work program.