Jobs
World Bank Job in Abuja for a Social Protection Specialist
The World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group, is a vital source of
financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the
world.
Our mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism
for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their
environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity
and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.
The World Bank Country Office in Nigeria is looking for a highly
organized, energized and experienced professional, capable of operating
effectively in a very demanding and fast-paced environment to serve as a
Research Economist in the Macro and Fiscal Management (MFM) Global
Practice on a Short-Term Consultancy contract spanning one year (150
working days) and subject to extension. Nigeria has the biggest
portfolio for the World Bank Group in the Africa region. In this
context, the MFM Global Practice has an expanding and critical work
program in helping the WBG meet development needs of the country,
particularly in a dynamic and fragile environment.
World Bank is recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Social Protection Specialist
Job #152619
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Family: Social Protection
Job Type: Professional & Technical
Grade: GF
Recruitment Type: Local Hire
Language Requirement: English [Essential]
Background / General Description
- The Social Protection & Labor Global Practice (SPL GP)
delivers operational approaches and evidence-based solutions to help
individuals and families manage risk, cope with chronic/ transitional
poverty, and access better livelihoods and jobs.
These include:
- Strategy, analysis, financing and design of programs delivering
social safety nets/social assistance in the form of cash transfers,
public works programs, and fee waivers.
- The World Bank Nigeria Country office is looking for an
experienced professional, capable of operating effectively in a very
demanding fast paced environment to serve as Term Staff in the Social
Protection Unit of the Abuja Office.
- The Nigeria social protection portfolio comprises IDA-funded
projects amounting to about US$ 500 million now. In addition, a new
national social safety nets operation is currently under development.
- The portfolio includes operations on community driven
development for social services and safety nets focused on human
development and productivity. Policy dialogue, technical assistance and
analytical work focused mainly on protection and promotion of basic
services for the poor and vulnerable is also carried out in the social
protection unit.
- Advisory and analytical services on design and delivery of
contributory transfers (including old-age pensions, unemployment
insurance, disability and survivor benefits), and their fiscal
sustainability (including budget support for transitions).
- Analysis, design and delivery of labor market and youth
employment programs (with a focus on supply side interventions and
intermediation policies), as well as policy advice on labor market
regulations and interventions.
- Strategy, analysis, financing and design of integrated social
protection delivery systems (e.g., payments, identification, registries,
systems assessments) as underpinnings of effective social programs that
can help cope with climatic shocks or underpin fiscal reforms.
Duties and Accountabilities
- The person selected for this assignment would be based in the
World Bank office in Abuja with travel across the country as required.
- Her/his main task will be to develop and strengthen social
protection systems and programs in Nigeria, with a focus on coordinating
and supporting the implementation of activities funded by the new
national social protection program.
- To this end the consultant will take part in the conduct of
analytical work, as well as project preparation/supervision work,
including missions/field visits related to the pipeline and ongoing
projects.
The Specific Roles and Responsibilities are outlined below:
- Assist the Task Team Leader (TTL), and the project teams in the
identification, preparation and appraisal of social protection pipeline
projects to be financed by the World Bank, with a specific focus on
social protection;
- Support the development of key documents for policy dialogue and
contribute to the discourse on the subject of Social Protection in
Nigeria, including providing inputs and support for the development of
the Government's new social protection policy
- Carry out any other related technical assessments (including the
preparation of analytical pieces and/or technical reports on various
aspects of ongoing and pipeline Bank projects) and administrative
activities required by the TTL, Practice Manager and Country Director.
- Support World Bank colleagues in providing advice to governments to design and supervise Social Protection projects
- Support the day-to-day design and implementation support of the national social safety nets program
- Provide technical and implementation support to the key implementing agencies of the national social safety nets program
- Review annual work plans and budgets, Terms of Reference,
assessments and analyses, reports and other program-related documents as
needed;
- Support the analytical work on social protection and safety nets systems and operations
- Organize, support and participate in World Bank missions;
- Contribute to Aide Memoires, Implementation Status Reports,
Implementation Completion Reports and other related Bank documentation;
- Prepare inputs to country-level reports and briefs;
- Provide technical advice and policy guidance to government on
social safety nets and livelihoods in rural and urban areas in
consultation with the Bank's management and relevant Task Team Leaders;
- Work closely with the Bank's financial management and
procurement teams and assist government in matters of procurement,
financial management and other aspects of program planning and
implementation;
- Assist the Task Team Leader in responding to government and
donor partners requests for action on program implementation issues and
help to ensure the Bank's timely and complete responses to those
requests;
- Regularly follow up on agreed actions and conduct field monitoring and reporting of program activities as needed
- Assist with other related tasks.
Selection Criteria
- This position will be a local hire. It requires an individual
with exceptional maturity, judgment and diplomatic skills, and the
ability to work well with teams within the Bank, donor partners, and
with senior government officials. Key requirements for this position
are:
- A Master's Degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (Economics, Public Policy, Rural Development, or a related field);
- Excellent English writing and speaking ability;
- Ability to function well independently, professionally represent
the Bank, handle multiple tasks, meet changing priorities and deliver
high-quality analysis and work on-time;
- Proven capacity to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders within and outside the Bank; and
- Experience in successfully working as a member of a multi-professional and multi-cultural team.
- At least five years of relevant work experience and previous
experience with government, donor/multi-lateral development agency
projects or Non-Governmental Organizations (with specific experience in
agricultural development, microenterprise, employment linkages,
financial services, or other livelihoods-related interventions);
- Demonstrated expertise in policy dialogue;
- Strong knowledge of development, political, social and cultural issues in Nigeria;
The Social Protection Specialist should also have the following relevant competencies:
- Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Translates
technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and
contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients
at the policy level.
- Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Shows leadership in
ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and
considers diverse ideas and approaches.
- Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Leads in the sharing of
best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and
with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in
a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.
- Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Gathers
inputs, assesses risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of
decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term.
- Policy Dialogue Skills - Anticipates needs and requests in the
field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives
of the government and non-government partners.
- Integrative Skills - Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas
how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in
lending and non-lending operations.
- Client Orientation - Maintains client relationships in the face
of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice
and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.
- Drive for Results - Identifies the needed resources to
accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions
to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
Reporting Arrangements:
- The Senior Social Protection Specialist will be based in Abuja
Nigeria as a member of the Social Protection team. H/she will report to
the Social Protection and Labor Global Practice Manager for Western
Africa, based in HQ, and the TTL for the national social safety nets
program. He/she will work closely with other team members in Abuja and
Washington, DC.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group
staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will
retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be
offered a 2 year term appointment.
Application Deadline 17th December, 2015.