Established in 1944, the WBG is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2018, the WBG committed $67 billion in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $24 billion was concessional finance to its poorest members. It is governed by 188-member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with more than 16,000 staff located globally.

The World Bank Group (WBG) is seeking a Social Development-Safeguards Specialist based in Sydney to provide support on project preparation and supervision to the World Bank’s Pacific portfolio to help ensure that social development considerations are integrated into project design and implementation, and compliance with the Bank’s social safeguard policies/ESF across all sectors. The Pacific program has some 70+ projects covering social development, energy and infrastructure, fisheries, agriculture and natural resource management, rural development, social protection, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation.

As a member of project teams related to preparing and implementing/supervising projects in the Pacific, the specialist will be responsible for providing social safeguards advice so that projects comply with the World Bank’s safeguard requirements. More specifically, they will:

• Work closely with task teams and other colleagues to address social safeguard challenges including land access arrangements for infrastructure activities particularly as those related to customary land ownership and indigenous people.
• Provide operational support on social risk management including undertaking regular operational missions to assist task teams to review social safeguard documentation and implementation to ensure that social issues have been adequately addressed and that the project is in compliance with the Social Safeguard Policies or the ESF.
• Prepare Environmental & Social Review Summaries (ESRS) for new projects and relevant social sections of Project Appraisal Documents and complete necessary administrative activities including the “Tracking Social Performance” database used by the Bank to track and monitor social safeguard implementation.
• Support efforts to build capacity among colleagues and counterparts including understanding of Social Impact Assessment and stakeholder engagement as it relates to projects. Where appropriate promote and contribute substantively to analyses and efforts to strengthen country systems.
• Review and guide the preparation of terms of reference for social assessments and other analytical tools required for investment design and implementation. This will require helping the client to assure the quality of project documentation and supporting analysis and participation in training sessions and other capacity building exercises.
• Undertake analytical work on land acquisition, resettlement, Indigenous Peoples and other social risk management issues.

The successful candidate is expected to meet the following selection criteria:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant social science discipline (anthropology, sociology, political economy, social development, etc.) or other related discipline.
• A minimum of five years of working experience in social sustainability, social risk management or social development (e.g. gender, inclusion of vulnerable groups such as indigenous groups and the disabled, community development, local governance, citizen engagement) in the context of international development projects.
• Knowledge and experience in addressing issues covered by social risk management policies (social impact assessments, land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, indigenous people, labor and working conditions, community health and safety, and stakeholder engagement and grievance redress). Experience in reviewing potential social impacts of development projects and promoting social sustainability aspects of operations.
• Ability to develop innovative approaches to mitigate social risks or overcome difficult challenges across a range of investment projects.
• Team oriented professionals with proven ability in managing complex tasks as part of multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to operate in a multicultural environment, manage multiple tasks, identify and respond to needs as they arise, and remain flexible and self-motivated in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment.
• High level of energy, initiative and self-motivation; willingness to travel extensively.
• Excellent communication skills with demonstrated ability of making effective presentations to diverse audiences.
• Fluency in English is a prerequisite. Excellent communications and writing skills in English are essential.

Competencies

In addition to the above, the successful candidate should demonstrate the following:

• Policy Dialogue Skills – Identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.
• Integrative Skills – Working to develop an integrated view across all facets of the sector.
• Analytical Tools for Social Sustainability – Proven ability to conceptualise, design and implement major projects and to produce major/complex reports or studies. Substantial experience conducting gender related analyses, deriving results that resonate with the client; ability to coach more junior staff in the application of the tools.
• Participation and Consultation – Substantial experience in conducting gender/social development consultative and participatory approaches and applying the approaches in the course of an operation.
• 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. Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the Client.
• 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 - Demonstrated professional leadership and ability to lead a team of professionals. Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organised and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG and brings differing ideas into the forefront.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.

The complete Term of Reference can be found on The World Bank Careers website.