*Transport Specialist at the World Bank*

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.

Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build their development.

Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region:

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

WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA TRANSPORT UNIT (IAWT3)

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 8 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.

The IAWT3 unit has currently 16 staff. The transport portfolio includes about 10 projects under implementation, with an aggregate value of about US$ 1.5 billion and a pipeline of 7 projects and analytical activities. This portfolio is diverse and includes projects and analytical work in transport and trade facilitation, urban mobility, port, road and railway sectors, PPPs, Climate resilience and adaptation of the transport sector and transport and human capital (i.e., roads to schools).    

IAWT3 is hiring a Transport Specialist, with robust technical skills and knowledge of transport sector issues and prior direct project management experience—preferably in Africa—to join the WB Country Office in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. The Specialist will contribute to: (i) the technical dialogue in the transport sector with the Congolese authorities as well as with other clients in the sub-region; and (ii) projects and knowledge activities in the transport practice and in close collaboration with other Global Practices.

The Transport Specialist will be based in the World Bank’s Brazzaville, Republic of Congo on a two-year appointment, renewable. She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager, Transport. The Specialist will: (i) contribute to the World Bank support to the governments of Congo Republic to implement the national component of the central Africa regional waterways and other countries of the Cameroon Country Management Unit (CMU) in the implementation of the transport sector projects and initiatives in these countries , currently with a focus on road connectivity and urban mobility; (ii) support the technical dialogue in the transport sector with the authorities of the Government of Congo Republic as well as in other neighboring clients in the sub-region; (iii) contribute to the preparation of possible new projects in Congo, such as those related to connectivity in rural areas, urban mobility, and those related to road transport/management, road safety, and regional trade; and (iv) support the management of other possible projects and knowledge activities mapped to other Global Practices in the Cameroon CMU.  More specifically, the Transport Specialist will:

• Contribute, as team member and sector specialist, to the preparation and supervision of transport projects in Congo and in the neighboring countries, support the technical dimensions of project related to (but not limited to) design, procurement, contract management, and monitoring of the implementation, while paying close attention safeguards and other cross-cutting issues: 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.
• Contribute to selected analytical studies (ASA activities) or Trust Funds, particularly on issues related to the provision of transport infrastructure and services in the road sector or in urban mobility, financing options, asset management and operations, climate resilience, impact evaluation, and generally best practices in the investments’ design, management and delivery of infrastructure and services.
• Under the guidance of the Transport GP Practice Manager and the Infrastructure PG Program Leader, contribute to sector policy dialogue and institutional reforms and capacity building programs, seeking to develop capacity in the pertinent implementing entities, with attention to the opportunities and options to engage the private sector. In this effort, ensure consideration of cross-cutting issues such as, inter alia, social and environmental impacts, gender equality, health and safety, digitalization in transport services, and climate change.
• Contribute to cross-sectoral teams responsible for preparation of policy notes, public expenditures reviews, sectoral studies, and research and policy development activities on the relevant topics/sections pertaining to transport, logistics services and trade and competitiveness.
• Support the Bank-wide professional community of staff engaged in the transport practice by participating in a selected number of thematic technical groups (Global Solutions Groups or Solution Areas) and 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.
• 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 Brazzaville Country Office, on a two-year appointment, renewable.  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. She/He will actively participate in the relevant Country Management Unit (CMU) discussions, particularly on the preparation, as applicable, of Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Comprehensive Partnership Frameworks (CPFs), County Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) as well as on portfolio reviews. She/He will also liaise and work from other global practices and cross-cutting solutions areas, as relevant, and ensure appropriate collaboration and partnership between the governments, the World Bank Group, and other international and bilateral organizations involved in the transport sector in Congo and other neighboring countries.

While the preference is for the selected candidate to be based in Brazzaville, the Bank may also consider to have the selected candidate based in Yaoundé.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree with 5 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of relevant graduate level education and experience on transport/highway/civil engineering/river navigation or transport planning/economics.
• Minimum 5 years of proven experience in the transport sector, 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 road transport or 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 infrastructure and asset management; and (e) procurement and contract management.
• Experience in working with cross-sectoral teams, including teams for safeguards and fiduciary aspects, and knowledge of key cross-cutting issues that impinge on the performance of the transport sector and on which the development of transport sector infrastructure and services needs to create positive effect, including environmental and social impacts, land acquisition and resettlement, gender equality, road safety, climate change, and the interplay with digital technologies for enhance transport sector performance.
• A reasonable track record of design and implementation of transport programs, and experience of working on programs financed by the World Bank or other development partners.
• High degree of dynamism and self-motivation, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision. Proven practical experience in project development and management would be a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with the challenges facing the transport sector in the country would be an advantage.
• Good oral and written communications skills in French. Working level in English would be a plus.

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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