Senior Water Specialist | Pretoria, ZA

Senior Water Specialist

Job #: req31742
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Water/Sanitation
Grade: GG
Term Duration: 2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Pretoria, South Africa
Required Language(s): English
Closing Date: 2/28/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank 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.

As the world's largest multilateral source of financing for water in developing countries, the World Bank is working closely with partners to achieve "A Water-Secure World for All" by sustaining water resources, delivering services, and building resilience.

Duties and accountabilities:
The Senior Water Specialist will be based in the World Bank's Pretoria office in South Africa. He/she will report to the Program Manager of WRG (based in Washington DC) and work closely with the Water Practice Manager for the region (based in Ethiopia) and country teams, the IFC team, the local country platform leaders, and partners from business, government, and civil society who oversee and support the WRG work in country.

1. Lead the implementation of the WRG South Africa country program in alignment with the WRG Strategic Plan and Operational Plan, in active consultation with World Bank management and country teams and country partners.
2. Support the Program Manager in identifying opportunities to scale-up WRG efforts in the region, such as expansion into new countries or new program areas while supporting existing country work in South Africa.
3. Lead the production of high-caliber analytical products and technical assessments in line with program needs and priorities and ensure that they are rigorously quality-assured following regular WBG procedures.
4. Fundraise and bring in new partners, including funding partners at the regional- and local levels, to ensure the financial sustainability of the regional and country programs and effective budget management.
5. Develop a strategy to leverage opportunities for resource mobilization at the country level, including tapping into World Bank Group and external Trust Funds.
6. Participate actively in Regional, Unit and Global Solution Groups (GSGs) meetings of the Water Global Practice, and Country Management Unit (CMU) meetings and activities and closely coordinate with all relevant groups in the World Bank, IFC and MIGA to ensure alignment and visibility of WRG internally and externally.
7. Work closely with country teams to ensure alignment of activities to World Bank priorities and participate in joint activities and missions as required.
8. Work closely with the WRG Communications team to strengthen 2030 WRG visibility, thought leadership, and impact globally, regionally and at the country level.
9. Engage with and maintain close ties with all WRG partners in the respective countries, particularly government and private sector.

Selection Criteria
1. Master's degree in a Water-related field, including Environment, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Business Strategy, and/or Business Administration.
2. At least 8 years of regional and country-level work experience in program management, financing/business development, private sector development, public-private partnerships or water and other environmental issues, with relevant experience in supporting private sector-driven solutions.
3. Clear understanding of the technical and policy drivers of the water sector and the political economy of reforms.
4. Demonstrated track record of successfully leading regional and national-level transformational programs and delivering large-scale public-private partnership initiatives in water/sanitation/environment/sustainability issues.
5. Well-established networks among key individuals and organizations associated with the water, climate, and environment agenda, ideally across public, private, and civil society sector activities in South Africa.
6. Proven ability to work with senior business leaders, technical staff in the World Bank Group or equivalent in other international organizations, senior-most government officials (at the Minister or Principal Secretary level), non-governmental organizations, as well as with representatives from grassroots organizations and academia.
7. Team leadership skills, with proven capacity to supervise, coordinate, and motivate team members in complex, highly decentralized, and matrixed organizational settings and manage regional and country budgets and work programs.
8. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in other local South African languages desirable.
9. Direct experience and/or familiarity with the current and potential country partners of WRG is highly desirable.

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.