Special Assistant

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Special Assistant to the CEO will provide high-level strategic, diplomatic, and operational support to the Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson. The position will help ensure that the CEO’s engagements, priorities, and relationships are prepared, coordinated, and followed through effectively across the GEF Secretariat and the wider GEF partnership. The incumbent will serve as a trusted first point of contact for the CEO’s office and will work side by side with the CEO in a fast-moving, international environment. About the Global Environment Facility (GEF) The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral financial mechanism created in 1991 to provide grant and concessional funds to recipient countries for projects and programs that address biodiversity loss, climate change mitigation and adaptation, degradation of international waters, land and forests, ozone depletion, elimination or reduction of persistent organic pollutants and mercury, all within the framework of sustainable development. The GEF unites 186 countries in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. An independently operating financial organization, GEF is the designated financial mechanism for five international environmental conventions: the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Minamata Convention on Mercury. GEF is also a designated financial mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The GEF Secretariat is a Vice-Presidential Unit (VPU) within the World Bank with approximately 100 staff.

Requirements

Master’s degree or equivalent in international relations, economic development, public policy, business administration, diplomacy, or a closely related field.
A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience, with demonstrated progression in responsibility.
Substantial experience in international relations at the government level, a multilateral organization, an international financial institution, or an international NGO.
Demonstrated experience supporting or engaging senior public officials, heads of institutions, or comparable senior stakeholders in multilateral or diplomatic settings.
Excellent written and spoken English is required.
Fluency in at least one additional language relevant to the GEF partnership is required.
Outstanding diplomatic judgment, political awareness, discretion, and interpersonal skills.
Excellent organization, time management, prioritization, and multitasking skills, with close attention to detail.
Ability to work at pace, remain composed under pressure, and adjust to changing priorities and schedules.
Strong writing, synthesis, and verbal communication skills for senior audiences.
Collaborative, service-oriented, and team-based working style.
Ability and willingness to travel internationally and work flexibly alongside the CEO, including outside standard working hours when required by official duties.

Nice To Haves

Experience preparing executive briefings, coordinating high-level engagements, and managing multiple time-sensitive priorities is highly desirable.
Proficiency in one or more additional relevant languages highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Support the CEO’s relationships and substantive engagement with senior government authorities, heads of GEF Agencies, heads and senior officials of multilateral environmental conventions, leaders of multilateral organizations, international NGOs, civil society, private sector institutions, and other senior stakeholders.
Prepare the CEO for bilateral meetings, missions, Council-related engagements, conferences, and public events through concise briefing materials, stakeholder profiles, key messages, agendas, and follow-up notes.
Accompany the CEO to selected events, missions, and high-level meetings, coordinating closely with host institutions and relevant GEF Secretariat teams.
Coordinate and help organize the CEO’s agenda in partnership with administrative and substantive teams, ensuring that priorities, preparation requirements, travel needs, and decision points are anticipated and sequenced effectively.
Act as the first point of contact for senior-level requests directed to the CEO’s office, exercising sound judgment in triaging, routing, and following up on issues.
Support the CEO’s interactions with the GEF senior management team and facilitate timely information flow, alignment, and follow-through on agreed actions.
Maintain a structured system for tracking the CEO’s commitments, correspondence, stakeholder engagements, decisions, and follow-up actions.
Draft and coordinate high-quality correspondence, meeting records, speaking points, outreach notes, and other executive materials, as required.
Anticipate sensitive political, diplomatic, reputational, and scheduling issues and propose practical options for the CEO’s consideration.
Build effective working relationships across the Secretariat and with external partners, while maintaining strict confidentiality and discretion.
Undertake other responsibilities assigned by the CEO that are consistent with the role.