Job Details

Counsel - Ethics

 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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

ETHICS AND INTERNAL JUSTICE SERVICES VPU

 The World Bank’s Ethics and Internal Justice Services Vice Presidency (EIJ VPU) is a newly created Vice Presidency within the World Bank Group (WBG) that brings together, under a single umbrella, the WBG’s approach to values, ethics and the resolution of workplace conflict.  The EIJ VPU’s vision is to foster a values-based workplace culture and help staff uphold the WBG’s ethical standards.  EIJ provides an integrated, empathetic, and efficient approach to resolving workplace conflict, allowing staff to focus with urgency on the WBG’s mission.  EIJ’s work covers each of the five WBG institutions. 

The Vice Presidency has recently been organized as follows:

1. Ethics Advice and Early Interventions Department, which consists of:
• Advisory, Training & Values (ATV) – responsible for the Core Values and the Code of Ethics and associated rules; manages all training and outreach on behalf of the VPU; provides advice and guidance on the Code, with specific focus on conflicts of interest; and manages the Bank’s Declarations of Interest program;
• Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination (AHAD) comprising the Anti-Harassment Coordinator’s Office, and the Race Equity Office. 
- The Anti-Harassment Coordinator (AHC) – addresses reports of harassment, and sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse; provides guidance to management on preventing and addressing such behaviors; and 
- The Race Equity Office (REO) – acts as the focal point for the WBG for addressing reports of workplace racism and racial discrimination, at both the individual and systemic levels. 
2. Mediation and Formal Reviews Department, which consists of: 
• Mediation Services (MEF) – offers a confidential conflict resolution process for staff to resolve workplace issues with the assistance of a neutral third-party.  MEF also provides team building and team facilitation services; 
• Peer Review Services (PRS) – provides an independent review by a panel of peers of managerial decisions, actions or inactions (not related to performance management) affecting a staff member; 
• Performance Management Review (PMR) – provides an independent appellate review of performance management-related decisions; and 
• Investigations (INV) – conducts independent fact-finding investigations of allegations of staff misconduct.  
3. Ombuds Services, which offers staff a confidential off the record, impartial and informal venue to discuss any workplace issues, and alerts management to systemic trends.
4. Client Services which consists of: 
• EIJ Navigator – a centralized intake function to assist staff with their concerns by pairing them with the appropriate channel within the EIJ VPU to resolve their concerns efficiently and expediently.
• Respectful Workplace Advisors (RWAs) – comprising staff selected by their peers, RWAs act as a confidential sounding board for staff and a source of information about EIJ services.
5. Core Services which consists of: 
• Front Office – providing day to day unit-based administrative support;
• Core Services – overseeing centralized administrative and resource management coordination across the VPU, and supporting cohesion through VPU-wide communications.

Counsel, Ethics
The Ethics & Internal Justice Services VPU is seeking to recruit a Counsel in its Ethics Advice & Early Interventions Department, in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Counsel will act as a trusted advisor within the region to deliver ethics training and outreach and respond to ethics queries. The role will report to the Manager, ATV and will work under the supervision of the Senior Counsel, ATV.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assess and analyze business conduct issues as they arise, apply relevant policies, staff rules, guidelines, and follow-up with appropriate advice and instructions. 
• Be a resource for the Country Management Units and staff who raise work-place issues, face ethical dilemmas, or need advice on ethics and conflicts of interest inquiries. 
• Promote ethics awareness based on the WBG’s core values, conflicts of interest and the Code of Ethics by conducting impactful pro-active outreach and ethics related training.
• Partner closely with colleagues across all EIJ units in providing support to clients and build robust partnerships with relevant institutional functions such as HR, Procurement, and Legal Departments.
• Support the administration of the Declaration of Interests Programs.
• Research and draft policy and rule changes related to ethics issues and conduct gap analyses to identify desirable changes in staff rules or processes and propose amendments where necessary. 
• Organize consultation records in accordance with appropriate standards. Maintain appropriate data and record keeping assisting in EIJ’s identification of ethical trends and patterns.
• Partner closely with colleagues across all EIJ units in providing support to clients, and build robust partnerships with relevant institutional functions such as HR, Procurement, LEG, etc.
• Work closely with EIJ and client leadership in developing and implementing a coherent outreach strategy in line with identified substantive and geographic priority areas.
• Travel to regional country offices, for up to 40% of office time.

Selection Criteria

• It is envisaged that the Counsel, Ethics would have a Master's degree or equivalent in law, ethics, or other relevant field. The successful candidate will also have: 
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in an international or multicultural organization in the following areas: ethics, compliance, personal conflicts of interest, operational conflicts of interest, ethics training, legal or a related field. 
• Excellent communications and presentation skills, both oral and written; proven ability to clearly and concisely prepare, present, and discuss ethics and compliance issues.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting analysis and providing advice & instructions around conflicts of interest and/or practical knowledge of the operations, compliance, procurement, audit, or legal areas of an international organization.
• Track record in design and delivery of ethics related content, including experience with latest learning trends. 
• Ability to assess risk in a practical and responsible manner and make fair, well-reasoned, independent and transparent decisions.
• Fluency in oral and written English and French.  
• High level of integrity, discretion and sound judgment in working with sensitive issues. 
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a team and/or task force as a participant and with staff at all levels, internally and collaboratively across departments.
• Commitment to innovation: learning and adopting to find better ways of doing things.
• Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, and sensitivity to the WBG’s distinctive demographic and cross-cultural context and influences.

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.