Job Details

Counsel

 Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

Innovation and partnership bind the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.

The Legal Vice Presidency (LEGVP), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel, is responsible for providing legal support to internal and external World Bank clients on operational, advisory and corporate matters. LEGVP provides legal services required by the World Bank and plays an active role in all the World Bank's activities. In addition, LEGVP helps to ensure that all World Bank activities comply with the institution's Articles of Agreement, as well as its operational policies and procedures. Organizationally, LEGVP includes geographically based regional Operational Practice Groups devoted to the legal and policy aspects of the World Bank's lending operations, Policy and Advisory Practice Groups which provide advice on operations policy, environmental and international law, development finance and structured finance and guarantees and Corporate Practice Groups, which provide advice on corporate finance, administrative and institutional matters for the World Bank.

LEGAM provides operational legal support to three regions: (i) Africa East and Southern (AFE), (ii) Africa West and Central (AFW); and (iii) Middle East and North Africa (MENA). AFE, AFW and MENA include a mix of low-income, lower- middle-income, and upper-middle income countries, and several fragile states. The World Bank work program across Africa is the largest among all the Regions. The Africa and MENA Regions together represent about 38% of the World Bank’s net commitments and about 41% of its number of projects in addition to a robust and complex trust fund portfolio.

LEGAM invites qualified candidates to apply for its Counsel position. 

The Selected candidate will be expected, at some point during his/her tenure, to move to a decentralized position in one of the Bank’s Country Offices, as business needs of LEG VPU might require.

Selected candidate will work under the general supervision of the LEGAM Chief Counsels, with day-to-day guidance provided by one or more Lead or Senior Counsels. The Counsel will be a lawyer who can operate independently to handle legal and policy issues related to the Bank’s work while working collaboratively with other lawyers within LEGAM and LEG as a whole.

 Roles & Responsibility:

The Counsel position requires demonstrated ability of rigorous analytical skills, to work harmoniously in a team, and to exercise good judgment. The level and quality of these skills will be a determining factor in the selection for the position, and references will be given consideration in this determination.

The Counsel will be expected to handle at least some of the following areas of responsibility:

- Cover a broad portfolio within a functional area, providing risk-based advice to clients on legal and policy issues in one or more areas of concentration.

- Identify, assess and provide advice to management and staff under the legal risk management framework being developed, including rating and reporting of legal risks, and serve as a champion as that framework is developed and fully implemented.

- Participate in, or lead on initiatives or teams, through coordination of portfolios or programs, management of client relationships, participating in dialogue on corporate priorities and other areas relevant to the assigned functional scope.

- Draft, review, negotiate and finalize legal documents under the Counsel’s portfolio.

- Successfully deliver legal work on projects, programs, and resource mobilization and other transactions within client assignments.

- Provide legal support to ongoing projects and programs, including reviewing project and program documents for adherence to World Bank Group legal policies and procedures and business objectives.

- Conduct comparative legal analyses on a range of issues in a given area, identify legal and policy issues, research for relevant precedents, and propose appropriate solutions to colleagues and clients.

- Engage in policy discussions and negotiations with officials internally and externally, developing relationships with members of the legal profession and lawyers working in development partner agencies.

- Protect World Bank Group's interests and promote its goals and values.

- Write and review policy papers, undertake legal research on topics in area of concentration and contribute to dissemination of policy and best practices in a given field.

- Prepare legal briefs on diverse topics, as required.

- Work to advance the LEG VPU’s knowledge management agenda and use of technology; and

- Perform ad hoc assignments as requested by the manager or designated Lead/Senior Counsel.

Selection Criteria

* An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction is required.

General Competencies Required

- Excellent legal research, writing, drafting, analytical and communications skills.

- Excellent interpersonal skills.

- Experience in international, commercial or contract law, in transactional legal work and/or preparation and negotiation of legal agreements.

- Excellent legal drafting skills, including of agreements, legal memos and/or well-reasoned litigation pleadings and ability to deliver cogent oral arguments, where applicable.

- Familiarity in the use of varied legal research sources (including electronic sources on the internet) and other databases.

- Proven ability to operate effectively as a member of one or more teams; must be a self-starter and collaborate well with others; ability to exercise sound judgment in recognizing what issues to bring to the attention of the Chief Counsel and/or another supervising Counsel, and which to handle autonomously.

- Proven ability to identify and help manage legal risk, through sound judgment, determining and escalating risk appropriately, providing risk-based advice, and guide more junior staff on the same.

- Proven ability to deal sensitively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.

- Ability to supervise and work with local counsel in a collaborative and collegial way; and

- Ability to work under time pressure and to juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines.

Other Competencies Required

- Legal Drafting, Research and Communication:  Proven ability to draft transactional documentation (e.g., loan agreements or other financial agreements), briefs and variety of legal instruments and related documents independently.  Conducts research as necessary to acquire insight and information.  Is aware of the need for precision and focus on quality.  Uses a writing style that is clear and precise.

- Multilateral Development Banks’ Legal and Policy Framework: Knowledge of the Multilateral Development Banks’ legal framework and policies and procedures is desirable but not mandatory.

- Independence: Carries out work with due care, preparing accurate documents and reports, ensuring that pertinent facts are fairly presented without seeking to obfuscate (either through too much information or withholding relevant information).  Interprets information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism when required. Does not divulge or exploit confidential information.

- Professional Maturity: Understands others and the reasons for their behavior. Takes the time to clarifying others' points of view so that progress can be made particularly in situations of stress or conflict. Proven ability to deal sensitively and effectively across organizational boundaries, as a team member, in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.

- Legal Reasoning:  Breaks down problem into their component parts.Articulates the implications of situations in a step-by-step way.  Remains objective when reviewing problems or situations to understand the issues.  Makes sure he/she possesses all the facts.

- Recommends and takes decisive action:  Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG’s strategy. Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term implications of decisions.  Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.

- Deliver Results for Clients: Contributes to delivery of results for clients on complex issues. Sets challenging goals that align with the WBG mission and is always looking to improve. Understands clients’ most pressing challenges and contributes to solutions. Takes personal responsibility for producing high quality work, identifying and informing of risks, and delivering results for clients.

- Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success. Shares information and frame thinking/actions with a corporate perspective in mind.

- Lead and Innovate: Brings new and different insights. Applies critical thinking to current approaches, identifies areas for improvement, and tries new solutions that drive results. Considers own behavior in context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact one has on others. Operates in ambiguity and changing needs and supports others to do the same.

- Create, Apply and Share Knowledge: Actively contributes to and readily applies WBG’s body of knowledge for internal and/or external client solutions. Contributes to the department’s and WBG’s body of knowledge by applying lessons learned and expertise. Actively invests in own knowledge and seeks feedback. Builds personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group.

- Make Smart Decisions: Leverages available data and makes timely decisions. Seeks and analyzes facts, data and lessons of past experience to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work.

- Applies cost/benefit analysis to meet work program objectives. Contributes to decision making by providing relevant risk-analysis. Shows initiative when necessary and makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.