Job: Senior Environmental Engineer

Location: Washington
Deadline: Sunday, 10 November 2013

Background / General description:

The World Bank uses financial resources and extensive experience to help poor nations reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve the quality of life. The World Bank serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle income clients to IDA countries to small Caribbean states to one fragile state. The Bank's strategy in LCR is focused on five pillars: (a) stimulating growth and improving competitiveness; (b) reducing poverty and inequality; (c) making governments and institutions work for people; (d) providing a platform for tackling global issues (climate change, trade, disease, migration), and (e) reducing risk, whether from extreme weather events, climate change, crime and violence or other.

The LCR Sustainable Development Department (LCSSD) includes seven sector units covering environment and water resource management, water and sanitation, agriculture and rural development, social development, disaster risk management and urban development, energy and transport, with approximately 180 active projects and US$16 billion in commitments.

The mission of the LCR Environment and Water Resources Unit (LCSEN) within LCSSD is to help client countries achieve environmentally sustainable economic development within a vision of Green Inclusive Growth. LCSEN works with clients to internalize the socioeconomic impact of environmental degradation and supports their efforts to improve natural resource management, address climate change challenges, and promote investment in sustainable infrastructure.

LCSEN pursues these objectives by:

(i) financing programs that support policy reforms and investments in environmental improvements and sustainable water resources management;

(ii) providing technical assistance and advisory services (including reimbursable advisory service programs); and

(iii) undertaking analytical work in response to client demands and needs. LCSEN mobilizes grant resources and innovative financing instruments to support these efforts. In addition, LCSEN works collaboratively with other units within LCSSD and across Bank networks on issues ranging from natural resource management to land administration, environmental management and conservation, degraded areas management, regional transportation, and climate change.

LCSEN's business lines include Pollution and Environmental Management; Environmental Policy and Institutions; Climate Change and Carbon Financing; Water Resources Management and Irrigation; Natural Resources Management and Biodiversity Conservation, Oceans and Integrated Coastal Zone Management; and Environmental Safeguards.

LCSEN is seeking a senior environmental engineer - or professional with similar background (civil engineer, chemical engineer, hydro-geologist, etc) - who would be hired internationally and based in the World Bank's Office in Washington, DC. The environmental engineer would provide support in the area of pollution and environmental management for a growing investments portfolio and analytical work program in LCR countries, including water quality management, air quality management, wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management, air pollution control, water quality, noise management, environmental monitoring networks, environmental remediation, groundwater remediation, hazardous materials and oil spill control, cleaner production, and environmental management systems.

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:

The Environmental Engineer will report to the LCSEN Sector Manager. She/he will work as an integral part of the LCSEN team, and coordinate closely with the relevant Lead Technical Specialist and team working on LCR from Washington and other country offices to provide leadership with regard to lending, analytical work, and global practice.

The Environmental Engineer will be responsible for building long-term business relationships with national and local stakeholders through policy dialogue; developing lending projects and task management; leading strategic communications and outreach activities on environment and pollution management to ensure that best practices and lessons learned are reflected on the unit's operations. Specifically, the responsibilities of this position will fall into the following categories:

(i) Policy dialogue and strategy development

• Leading policy dialogue on environment and pollution management, with key Government counterparts and participating in policy dialogue with other sectors to ensure consistency and coherence in collaboration with sector colleagues at HQ and Country Offices.
• Developing state of the art analytical and advisory activities in the environmental management and pollution control area;
• Promoting innovations in sector policies and strategies in the environmental management and pollution control area; and
• Keeping management and sector staff in the environment unit regularly updated on the state-of-the-art on pollution and environmental management in the Region.
  (ii) Business development
• Developing the Bank's environment and pollution management work program in the Region and monitoring its implementation with government agencies and stakeholders.
  (iii) Task management and quality control
• Task managing of environmental management and pollution control loans.
• Undertaking task management of cutting edge analytical work and lending operations
• Support the relevant Lead Technical Specialist to ensure the quality of the portfolio.
• Peer reviewing pollution control and environmental management operations Bank wide
  (iv) Knowledge Management
• Managing knowledge products and training activities to improve best practices in the environment sector both within and outside the Bank;
• Engaging with civil society organizations, academia and private sector partners.
  Fluency in Spanish is essential for this position; candidates with less than advanced level of proficiency would need to commit to undertake intensive language learning.

Selection Criteria:

The specialist should have the following:

• Advanced degree (Ph.D. or Masters) in Civil and Environmental Engineering or other relevant discipline with specialization in pollution management, including academic and research experience;
• At least 8 years of full-time relevant operational experience including the design and implementation of projects and analytical work in environment related areas; support to clients in initiating and implementing programs/projects with development impact; design and procurement of civil works, analytical work and other consultancy services; and other relevant activities;
• Understanding of the institutional and political context and exposure to the environmental policy challenges specific to the LCR countries;
• Ability to effectively communicate and provide guidance to clients and non-environmental specialists;
• Proven capacity to engage in high level dialogue on complex environmental issues, and to engage both at the high policy level and at the community level;
• Direct experience as Task Team Leader in identifying, preparing, appraising, and supervising operations, particularly investment lending operations, and analytic and advisory activities;
• Demonstrated familiarity with Bank procedures, procurement of large civil works, business practices; as well as strong business development skills;
• Demonstrated experience in delivering results in multi-tasking and multi-sector environments;
• Demonstrated skills and commitment to: Client Orientation; Drive for Results; Teamwork (collaboration) and Inclusion; Knowledge, Learning and Communication; and Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making.
• Strong track record of delivering high quality products in a timely manner and within budget;
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English, Spanish and/or Portuguese;
• Previous experiences in field assignments are desired.
  Competencies
  Knowledge and Experience in Environmental Management and Pollution Control - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
  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.
  Project Design for Impact and Sustainability - Leads to the design of effective investment projects in pollution control and environmental management.
  Operational Project Management - Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of infrastructure project management tools & methodologies, as well as of Bank instruments and processes related to project preparation & implementation, resource management, and stakeholder communications.
  Operational Policies Application to the Project Cycle (fiduciary, disbursement, procurement, and GAC policies) - Possesses a strong understanding of procurement and disbursement policies; knows what issues might arise and who to involve in problem resolution, especially in investment lending.
  Team Leadership - Leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.
  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.
  
  
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