Job # 121344
Job Title Senior Country Officer
Job Family Country Services
Location Rabat, Morocco
Appointment International Hire
Job Posted 29-May-2012
Closing Date 12-Jun-2012
Language Requirements English [Essential]; French [Essential]; Arabic [Desired]
Appointment Type
Background / General description
MNC01 Sr. Country Officer based in Rabat The World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa Region (MNA) serves 20 countries, with a total population of 354 million. The region has abundant mineral resources — it holds 2/3 of world oil and gas reserves and accounts for 1/3 of world production, enjoys a rich cultural heritage and geographic proximity to important global markets. The winds of change of the Arab Spring have brought exciting opportunities for improved inclusion and voice for the countries of the Region, as well as a renewed focus on strengthening governance and accountability. At the same time, MNA also faces challenges, not least on-going political turmoil and recent conflicts, high youth unemployment, severe water scarcity and human and social development outcomes that have been below those achieved by countries at similar levels of income. While most countries are middle income countries, the region also includes two IDA countries and several high-income non-borrowing countries among the oil-exporters, particularly in the Gulf. The MENA region includes five Country Departments (CMUs), the Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration (MNCMI), four Sector Departments (SMUs), the Regional Strategy and Programs Unit (MNARS), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, and the Operations Core Services unit (MNACS). CMUs are accountable for the overall country program, consistent with objectives articulated in the Country Assistance/Partnership Strategy (CAS/CPS). Based on work program agreements with the CMUs, sector staff and teams in the SMUs are accountable for delivering the portfolio of lending and non-lending products. MNACS brings together core services including quality assurance, procurement and financial management to enhance operational standards and to enable the Region to meet its fiduciary responsibilities. The MNA Region attaches particular importance to creating a supportive work environment, based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, client service, and professional excellence. MNC01: The Country Director is based in Rabat where he manages Bank activities for Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Malta. The department includes a country office in Tunis and liaison offices in Algiers and Tripoli. A CMU anchor (MNCA1) is located in Washington which provides support to MNC01 team. The Rabat office is the World Bank’s regional office for the Maghreb and currently has 32 staff covering a wide range of sectors and functions. The administration of the Rabat office is partially delegated to the Senior Country Officer in Rabat. The Morocco program comprises roughly $2 million of analytic and advisory tasks per year, and the IBRD investment portfolio currently consists of 7 operations representing commitments of $840 million. The Board will discuss a Progress Report for the Morocco Country Partnership Strategy (FY10-13) in June 2012. The Tunisia program is responding to the historic changes that have been happening in the country since January 2011. Following the revolution, the Bank moved quickly to prepare a $500 million budget support operation to assist the interim authorities in pushing forward with reforms in governance and opportunity. In parallel, the Bank supports the implementation of a portfolio of IBRD and GEF projects supporting infrastructure and social services, rural development and natural resources management and private sector development. Commitments are estimated at US$539 million (of which $29 million are GEF grants). The Board will discuss an Interim Strategy Note for Tunisia in June 2012. Activities in Algeria involve a broad reimbursable technical assistance (RTA) program which has been outlined in a Country Partnership Strategy approved in 2011. In Libya, the Bank has reengaged with the transitional authorities following the cessation of conflict and the liberation of Libya in August 2011. The Bank launched a Watching Brief process with the UN and is supporting the preparation of a Libya Coordinated Needs Assessment while also providing TA for institution building. In Malta, the Bank has provided technical assistance on a fee-for-service basis in recent years. At the corporate level, Malta has a close cooperation with the Bank’s Small States Program. The MNA region attaches particular importance to creating a supportive work environment, based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, client service, and professional excellence. MNA staff is expected to be guided by these values as well as to possess the following attributes: (i) Collegiality, creativeness, resourcefulness; (ii) Good listening and communications skills; (iii) Intellectual and personal integrity and competence; (iv) Willingness and ability to work in teams; and (v) Commitment to clients.
Duties and Accountabilities
The Sr. Country Officer is a core member of the CMU and Morocco Country Leadership Team, and is expected to (i) provide support to the Country Director in managing the portfolio and pipeline of lending operations and non-lending activities; (ii) coordinate, on behalf of the Country Director, the Bank’s approach to local development issues; and (iii) assist the Country Director in administering the Country Office, particularly in supervising and mentoring new/junior staff members. Under the direction of the Country Director, the Sr. Country Officer will oversee all aspects of portfolio/pipeline quality and AAA, liaison with the Government and coordination with donors in Morocco, including: • Supporting the implementation of the CPS/Progress Report (and preparation of the 2014 CPS) including through development of the AAA and lending programs and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders and clients. • Improving the quality of the existing portfolio of loans in coordination with the Rabat-based MNC01 Operations Officer responsible for portfolio monitoring, by supporting the supervision of individual projects (particularly problem projects), overseeing the monitoring of the portfolio, and taking the lead on portfolio wide issues (particularly to help trouble shoot or advise task teams on procurement, financial management and implementation issues); • Ensuring that country issues affecting Quality at Entry are appropriately addressed for new projects and supporting project preparation missions, Quality Enhancement Reviews, project negotiations and follow-up for project -approval effectiveness; • Task Managing Country Portfolio Performance Reviews and leading follow-up with the Government on recommendations; • Acting as the primary day-to-day working-level liaison with the Ministry of General Affairs, the core counterpart Ministry. • Representing the Country Director, as needed at government-sponsored and development partners meetings, as well as at sector/thematic subgroup meetings. • Administering the country office and supervising country office staff. The Sr. Country Officer will also play a significant role in ensuring consistency in the Bank’s approach to supporting the Government’s efforts to accelerate growth at national and local levels and liaising with other parts of the Bank Group (IFC and MIGA) in this regard.
Selection Criteria
Education/Relevant Experience: Master’s degree in a development-related field and at least eight years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of years and experience. The hiring unit will recognize track record of performance over years of experience, evaluating quality, innovation and creativity as important criteria for the position. It will also consider diversity of experience and will assess potential in addition to current performance. • Country Strategy - Recognized proficiency in playing a central role in and make substantive contributions to the strategy formulation process and related products • Country Program Management - Contributes to preparation, including the story line, of the CMU's annual reporting, budgeting, and business planning, focusing in particular on the Region's performance indicators • Country Operations Knowledge and Application - Ability to providing high quality advice to teams on the appropriate use of Bank policies, procedures and instruments; Experience in working in both sophisticated IBRD contexts as well as with a fragile state would be a plus • Stakeholder Engagement - Ability to advance and make substantive contributions to the country dialogue • Country Team Management - Ability to coordinate mechanisms to ensure CMU responsiveness to country team members, including an ability to respond substantively to challenging queries by task teams within the country team and efficient and effective procedures for routine workflow t • 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; sensitivity to political economy, social, and cultural factors and ability to analyze complex situations • Drive for Results - Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables. • 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; ability to work across a broad range of tasks in parallel, to set priorities, and to achieve results under stress; • Excellent English writing skills are required; ability to communicate clearly and articulately both verbally and in writing with a broad range of counterparts; Knowledge of French is required; Arabic is desirable but not a requirement. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
How to Apply;
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