Job Details

Transport Specialist

 Description

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region

We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. We are committed to making the Africa regional teams into leading innovation hubs.

Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in education, health, and skills, which have Africa only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential. Moreover, conflict, food insecurity, population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change threaten to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been made over the past decades.

In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 387 projects totaling more than $44.1 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region:

https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa

Overview of Unit

Transport in the Africa Region has a large and diversity portfolio of about 54 projects under implementation, with an aggregate value of about US$ 8.9 billion. This portfolio is increasing by 5-10 projects per year, with a slightly smaller number closing over the same period. The record replenishment for IDA20, together with the greater focus on fragile states, gender equality, transformational projects, greater private sector participation, and climate change, is leading to a further increase in both the diversity and scale of the portfolio. The Transport program in Africa is split between four units covering (a) Francophone and Lusophone West Africa and Gambia, (b) East Africa, (c) Southern Africa, and (d) Central Africa, and anglophone West Africa except Gambia.

In the IAWT3 unit, the World Bank serves 10 client countries. Clients range from lower middle-income countries such as Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria with high demand for infrastructure programs, to fragile and low-income IDA countries such as Central African Republic and Sierra Leone. Areas of particular interest for the transport sector in these countries include rural transport for agricultural productivity; urban mobility (particularly Bus Rapid Transit systems) to improve functioning of urban areas and improving accessibility to jobs and social services by the poorer segments of the population; regional integration corridors for facilitating trade and reducing logistics costs; investments in ports, railway, and air transport, for improving connectivity within and across countries; PPPs to bring in efficiencies in the provision of infrastructure and services; and road safety interventions to reduce the high number of traffic fatalities in the client countries.

IAWT3 is hiring a Transport Specialist (Locally Recruited Staff), with outstanding technical skills and knowledge of urban mobility issues, and other transport sub-sector experience and prior direct project management experience—preferably in Africa—to join the WB Country Office in Abuja, Nigeria. She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager, Transport. 

The Specialist will: 

(i) Manage, as Task Team co-Leader, or contribute as member to the supervision of other transport projects in Nigeria covering the core elements of planning, design, procurement, construction, contract management, maintenance, and operations, while paying close attention to the design and monitoring the implementation of safeguards and other cross-cutting issues, including climate change/resilience considerations, gender dimensions, and opportunities for expanding the incorporation of the private sector in the financing and/or provision of transport infrastructure and services. 
(ii) Under the guidance of the Transport GP Practice Manager and the Infrastructure PG Program Leader, support the technical dialogue in the transport sector with the authorities of the Government of Nigeria, with a particular focus on urban mobility, which is expected to be a growing agenda in Nigeria.
(iii) Manage or contribute to selected analytical studies, particularly on issues related to urban mobility, financing options, asset maintenance and operations, climate resilience, impact evaluation, and generally best practices in the investment, management and delivery of infrastructure and services.
(iv) Contribute to cross-sectoral teams responsible for preparation of Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Country Partnership Framework (CPF), Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), policy notes, public expenditures reviews, sectoral studies, and research and policy development activities on the relevant topics/sections pertaining to transport and trade and competitiveness.
(v) Support the Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in the transport practice by participating in a selected number of thematic technical groups and participating in drafting selected technical notes in collaboration with other Global practices to enhance the creation and dissemination of new knowledge and expanding the existing knowledge base.
(vi) Stay abreast of recent developments in the transport sector world-wide, in relation to the topics of specialization for this position.

The Transport Specialist will be based in the Abuja Country Office, on a 2-year appointment, renewable based on performance and business need.  She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager. Her/His activities will be defined with the Practice Manager and adjusted based on business needs.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree (Masters level or higher) in engineering, economics, finance, urban transport planning or other discipline relevant to the transport sector.
• Minimum 5 years of proven practical experience in urban transport, and general experience in broader transport issues, with demonstrated ability to work on at least three of the following areas: (a) development of transport policy and planning instruments; (b) policy, institutional and financing aspects of urban mobility and the strategies to encourage private sector participation in the delivery of transport infrastructure or services; (c) road/urban mobility investment prioritization; (d) transport asset management; and (e) procurement and contract management.
• Experience of working on similar programs in developing countries (including middle-income countries), in activities financed by the World Bank or other financing/ government organizations, or in a contractor or consultant capacity would be a plus. 
• Thorough understanding of the urban mobility sector in Nigeria is essential. 
• Proven ability to build client relationships involving multiple stakeholders; 
• Demonstrated familiarity and comfort with quantitative methods;
• Publications in transport journals or specialized magazines would be a plus.
• High degree of dynamism and self-motivation, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present complex issues in a straightforward manner;
• Written and oral fluency in English is required. 

WBG COMPETENCIES

• Deliver results for clients - Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
• Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
• Make Smart Decisions - Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.
• Integrative skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas
• Policy dialogue skills – anticipate needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners
• Transport policy, strategy and institutions – Solid understanding of transport policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Operational Project Management – demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of transport project management tools and methodologies, 
• Project design for impact and sustainability – contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context
• Team leadership – leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.

The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in race, gender, nationality, culture, and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.  Women and SSA/CR candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  Candidates with open term appointments will retain their employment status if selected for this position. All others will be offered a 2-year term appointment. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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.

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