Job Details

Senior Environmental Engineer

 Description

Background

We are on a mission to change the world; do you want to join us where it matters the most? Invest in your personal and professional development and acquire the skills that are vital for a global career in international development. 

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

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

Note: This recruitment is a part of Japanese Recruitment Mission

The Environment Global Practice has five key business lines consisting of Lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Watersheds and Sustainable Landscapes (‘Green Business line’); (2) Marine, Coastal, Aquatic Resources and Ocean Health (‘Blue Economy Business line’); (3) Pollution Management and Environmental Health (‘Pollution Management Business line’); (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions Business line, and (5) Environmental Risk Management Business line:  delivery of effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development.

The Environment Global Practice in West Africa includes two units SAWE1and SAWE4. The mission of the SAWE1 unit is to work with national and local governments and with communities to improve sustainable management of natural resources and improve preparedness to natural disasters in the following three Country Management Units: AWCF1 (Senegal), AWCF2 (Cote d’Ivoire) and AWCW3 (Mali).

SAWE1 has been developing and implementing, since 2015, the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Program to support countries in the management of their coastal areas. While initially the focus was on addressing the acute erosions in four countries, the program expanded to nearly all countries in West Africa, along the coastline from Mauritania to Gabon, including Cabo Verde and São Tomé and Principe. It focuses on the sustainable development and the building of the resilience of their coastal zone, through multi-sectoral approaches.

Building on the “WACA Platform” and first phase of investments, a new Phase of WACA plus is being set up to broaden the focus to the whole of the Blue Economy.

SAWE1 is seeking to recruit a Senior Environmental Engineer based in Dakar, Senegal to support a broad portfolio of activities, lending, and policy dialogue for WACA. The selected candidate will work under the supervision of the Practice Manager for SAWE1.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Bank is recruiting a Senior Environmental Engineer, whose core responsibilities will include the following:

1. Manage and provide expertise on coastal zone risk management, and climate adaptation engineering solutions to Bank investment operations under identification, preparation and implementation and related analytical work, aimed at assisting African client countries to increase the resilience of their coastal areas.
 
2. Serve as coastal resilience management focal point for SAWE1, which will involve:

   • Develop and apply best practices on coastal resilience, including the promotion of the use of nature-based solutions;
   • Mainstream climate risk management into the existing Africa portfolio, where possible;
   • Develop advisory services and operations on coastal resilience and climate adaptation, with a specific attention to the development and promotion of nature-based solutions;
   • Contribute to quality improvements in operations linked to the coastal areas, by working across Global Practices and Bank operations;
   • Ensure that resilience and adaptation to climate change aspects, especially in coastal areas, are considered in the preparation of Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) and other corporate documents;
   • Support initiatives related to technical advisory support to, and capacity building of, client counterparts;
   • As part of the coastal zone management team, provide support to coastal resilience, climate adaptation and blue economy operations in Africa and beyond.

3. Lead the engineering team of the WACA program, including by drawing from Bank practice in risk management and engineering, tracking implementation of engineering works in the portfolio, and sharing lessons learned, innovative tools and instruments with practitioners throughout the World Bank.

4. Work closely with the WACA focal point to participate in internal and external meetings on coastal management.

5. Lead dialogue with governments and other stakeholders and contribute to strategy products and business development. Support the implementation of the Blue Economy across WACA countries.

6. Support to design and implementation of circular economy and pollution solutions. Provide intellectual and operational leadership on pollution agenda (including solid and hazardous waste) in and around coastal areas.

7. Build partnerships with donors and stakeholders in support of more sustainable and resilient coastal zone management in Africa, and link World Bank investments in the sector in Africa to global networks.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) in environmental engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, natural resource management, marine and coastal zone management, disaster risk management waste management, environmental or civil engineering from a recognized university.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in the environmental sector, with recognized expertise in coastal risk reduction and adaptation approaches, including through conventional engineering and nature-based solutions, with a track record in providing advice to government, or industry, analytical work and a sound knowledge and practical experience of risk assessment tools.
• Strong environmental risk management, knowledge of large infrastructure projects and adaptation is required. 
• Knowledge of international standards and codes of practices in the environment sector, including World Bank Group Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs).
• Experience working on high-risk infrastructure projects with solid experience in working in FCV settings is required. 
• Demonstrated skills and experience, particularly on the Blue Economy agendas, is important. 
• Sound knowledge of World Bank’s safeguards policies, the ESF, and/or IFC Performance Standards/MIGA Environmental and Social policies or similar standards as well as its stakeholders, especially the challenges and opportunities for borrowing countries would be an advantage.
• Field experience in both assessing project site vulnerabilities/risks, as well as supervising/ inspecting/monitoring projects during implementation to mitigate and monitor environmental impacts is required. 
• Strong operational experience (including experience with IPFs and DPFs) is required. 
• Demonstrated experience from a public or private perspective of planning, negotiating or managing national or regional projects in developing countries and / or the conception and execution of global studies, projects or initiatives on coastal resilience.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, client engagement skills and a track record of engagement with NGOs and development partners is key. 
• Proven experience managing complex operations and multi-sectoral work and experience with fundraising for and management of trust funds.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high quality analytical tasks that include environmentally related data and information. 
• Experience from working on transboundary and regional projects, with inter-country dialogues is an advantage.
• Experience in developing countries/emerging economies is a strong advantage. 
• Extensive travel across the region would be required. Ability and willingness to travel frequently, including to developing countries and possibly remote, fragile and conflict affected areas, is required. 
• Collaborate with a range of stakeholders, including project-affected parties, government officials, non-governmental organizations/civil society, private sector partners as well as project investors and their staff. 
• Excellent verbal and written English and French language skills are essential; Portuguese language proficiency could be desirable. 
• Good team player who can work as a member of a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team, motivate and lead group efforts and network effectively across boundaries.

Required Competencies:

• Environmental Engineering: Has a solid understanding of environmental engineering, and has worked across policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations needed to support development. Knows the client's strategy and structure and can assess impact on the project. Can credibly and effectively engage with a range of environmental institutions to support project outcomes. Explains to clients and other stakeholders the risks to the project when environmental laws and regulations are deficient or not enforced. Supports client efforts to address such weaknesses.

• Lead and Innovate: Encourages and works with others to identify, incubate and implement relevant solutions. Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG’s values and mission. Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.

• Deliver Results for Clients: Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally and socially sustainable. Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients. Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes.

• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries: Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect. Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due. Leverages expertise of all team members to ensure successful outcomes. Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge: Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG, clients, and partners. Is known across WBG in their subject area and is sought out by WBG colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products of others. Seeks mentoring opportunities with more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and mentors junior staff. Builds networks across the WBG and as part of external professional groups/networks.

• Make Smart Decisions: 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.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this appointment, s/he will retain the duration of his/her current Term appointment.

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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