Job: Environmental Spec.

Location:Sana'a, YemenEmployer: World BankDeadline: 22-Jul-2013

Description

Background:

The MNA Environment and Energy Team works across a complex institutional environment, in partnership with many different units within the Bank given the cross-cutting nature of environmental issues. 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:

• Collegiality, creativeness, resourcefulness
• Good listening and communications skills
• Intellectual and personal integrity and competence
• Willingness and ability to work in teams
• Commitment to clients. 
  MNSEE is looking for an Environmental Specialist to be based in Sana'a, Yemen with strong background in implementing the Bank's environmental safeguards policies. The Environmental Specialist will report to the Sector Manager (based in Washington DC), and will work under the guidance of the environmental safeguards focal point and the Lead Environment Specialist in MNSEE. He/she would be part of the environment team in working on Yemen, and a number of integrated, interdisciplinary teams preparing and supervising operations with World Bank financing in Yemen and possibly other nearby countries. For safeguards work, the Environment Specialist will collaborate closely with social safeguards specialists assigned to the same projects.
   
  Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, he/she will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3 year term appointment.
   
  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 3 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Environmental Safeguards inputs to projects - from identification to preparation, implementation, and completion - to ensure that projects integrate good environmental management practices, and that the Bank's environmental safeguards policies are complied with in full. The Environment Specialist is expected to dedicate 70% of his/her time working on environmental safeguards for projects either under preparation in implementation at any given time and possibly covering Iraq and Lebanon. He/she is expected to work as part of various Bank teams, to take part in Bank missions, to deliver targeted capacity-building inputs to counterparts in environmental assessment and environmental safeguards policy.
• Assisting other colleagues working on environment, natural resources management, and climate change to conduct policy dialogue, to supervise ongoing projects/program, and to follow up with clients/counterparts and other developmental partners. It is estimated that this will require about 20% of time inputs from the post-holder.
• Providing inputs to Country Assistance Strategy/Country Partnership Strategy, the preparation of environmental briefs for management, presentations, and pieces of analytical or knowledge products as needed. This is estimated to be about 10% of time inputs from the post-holder.
• Assist in preparing/reviewing terms of reference for environmental assessments; review environmental safeguards instruments and other analytical tools required for investment design and implementation. This may require providing assistance to the staff or client to assure the quality of project documentation before submission to the MNA Regional Safeguards Secretariat for approval. Finally, the Environment Specialist will be expected to help the borrower/implementing agency apply the safeguards policies effectively.
• During project preparation and implementation, the Environment Specialist will go beyond narrow policy compliance to look for opportunities to improve environmental outcomes of the project he/she is supporting. The specialist will be expected to contribute to well-written summaries of key safeguards instruments for inclusion in project documentation.
• Participate in review meetings and represent MNA in relevant Bank-wide initiatives; represent the Bank in donor meetings on the environment; and contribute to knowledge generation and diffusion within the region and beyond.

Selection Criteria:

Master's degree or equivalent academic qualification in a relevant discipline, e.g. environmental engineering, ecology, environmental economics, natural resource management, environmental science or related discipline and a minimum of five years of professional experience in the environmental sector preferably in environmental assessment around infrastructure and/or agriculture projects.

• Experience or understanding of the application of the World Bank's environmental safeguards policies.
• Good knowledge of environmental legislation and institutions in Yemen in particular and the Middle East in general.
• Experience in management of complex operations and working in post-conflict situations.
• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills, and the ability to effectively negotiate and achieve balanced solutions to environmental development problems
• Excellent oral and written English and Arabic. Knowledge of French would be a strong asset. Further, the selected candidate is expected to have good listening skills and experience working with demanding clients 
  In addition the following skills and attitudes will be particularly considered during the selection process:
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams based in multiple locations on diverse and complex tasks;
• Strong client orientation with the ability to build an understanding with implementing agency counterparts on the value-added of Bank safeguards;
• A drive for results while working with limited supervision and under tight timelines;
• A penchant for solving problems rather than merely identifying them;
• An ability to think innovatively and negotiate effectively;
• Willingness to travel

COMPETENCIES

• Tasks and Workflow Management - Has excellent workflow management and task organization skills; able to take responsibility for all aspects of coordination of the workflow of assigned responsibilities.
• 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.
• Integrative Skills - Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Environmental Policy, Strategy and Institutions - Solid understanding of environmental policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
• Environmental Aspects of Infrastructure Design, Construction, and Operation - Extensive experience in at least one area (wastewater treatment plants; hazardous or solid waste facilities; air pollution control systems; potable water treatment plants; etc.); applies this knowledge to policy-related decisions and advice.
• Environmental Sciences - Experience applying knowledge (soil science; water; ecosystems; conservation; agriculture concerns, etc.) to policy-related decisions and advice.
• Pollution Management - Depth in at least one area: pollution sources, types, and controls; approaches to prevent and mitigate public health impacts; environmental remediation; waste management; etc.
• Natural Resources Management - Broad experience in natural resources management, including depth in at least one area, with ability to apply this knowledge to policy-related decisions and advice.
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability - Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context.
• Sector Dialogue -Able to conduct a dialogue with the client on familiar topics, with a narrow scope, based on a solid understanding of the sector. Knowledge of FCS (Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations) Context - Applies a foundational knowledge of fragility, conflict and violence to operations and analytical tasks including the impacts of violence and conflict, polarization of state-society relations, diminished client capacity, relevance of partnerships, etc.
• FCS Behavioral Skills - Quickly adopts the mind-set needed for success in FCS settings: adaptability, resilience, determination, sound judgment, etc.
• FCS Operational Skills - Implements a pragmatic approach to FCS operations. Avoids overly complex solutions in favor of approaches that are fit to FCS.
• FCS Policies, Tools and Instruments - Has experience with at least two of the primary tools or instruments used in FCS settings: post-conflict needs assessment, transitional results framework, conflict assessments, political economy analysis, etc.
• 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.
• 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. 
  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.

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