Lead Environmental Specialist

Lead Environmental Specialist

Job #:

req34788

Organization:

World Bank

Sector:

Environment

Grade:

GH

Term Duration: 4 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:

International Recruitment

Location:

Nairobi,Kenya

Required Language(s):

English, French

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:

11/23/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit

Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region

Home to about 700 million of Africa's people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. Children under 18 make up almost half of the total population. The subregion boasts of some of the world's richest human and natural resources and, apart from South Africa, the countries are predominantly raw material exporters.

The subregion harbors some of Africa's protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continue to keep people from reaching their full potential. This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.

The World Bank's Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,200 staff, mostly based in 26 country offices, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the following priorities:

• Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies: We are working with countries across Africa to stimulate job creation and economic transformation by leveraging all sources of finance, expertise, and solutions to promote investment.

• Building up the Digital Economy: We are supporting Africa's vision to ensure that every African individual, business, and government is connected by 2030 – a vision that, if realized, can boost growth by up to 2 percentage points per year, and reduce poverty by 1 percentage point per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.

• Making Institutions more Efficient and Accountable: Our support helps governments strengthen public policy processes, manage resources effectively, and reinforce fair and reliable delivery of public services.

• Investing in People: We are at the forefront of helping African countries accelerate human capital gains and empower women by improving their access to education and skills acquisition, sexual and reproductive health services, and employment opportunities.

• Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: In the face of increasing climate-related risks, we are working with African countries to advance efforts to adopt renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and green infrastructure.

• Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence: Given the cross-border nature of conflicts in Africa, we are employing an approach that simultaneously focuses on the drivers of fragility while also supporting well-targeted regional initiatives to create opportunities for peace and shared prosperity.

• Building Partnerships and Working across the African Continent: We are scaling up our work on regional integration, taking a holistic view of the continent that covers both North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Planet Practice Group

The Planet Practice Group helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Environment; Agriculture and Food; Water; Environmental and Social Risk Management; Social Sustainability and Inclusion; and Climate Change.

Environment Department

The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained job creation, inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction.

Unit and Country Context

The Environment Operations Unit for Eastern and Southern Africa (SAEEO) has 33 staff working on lending and knowledge products in 26 client countries, with an active portfolio of 24 projects totaling US$2.3 billion in commitments, and 12 active ASA engagements. About two-thirds of the staff are based in country offices, with the rest in Washington DC travelling to the region frequently. The skills of these staff include environmental economics, management of natural resources including forests, fisheries, landscapes and watersheds, conservation of biodiversity, environmental health and pollution management, nature-based solutions for climate resilience, and innovative finance for nature and climate.

The Position

Coordinator for the Environment Portfolio in AECE1, AECE2 and AECC2

The environment portfolio in the AECE1, AECE2 and AECC2 CMUs is large, covering 11 countries, with 12 operations under implementation (for a total commitment of US$1.3 billion), 5 under preparation (expected commitment of US$375 million) and six active ASA engagements. These initiatives cover a broad range of natural resource challenges in forestry, fisheries and watershed management, as well as a well-developed program of advisory and analytical support on environmental economics, climate adaptation and natural resource-based job creation.
Implementation of this portfolio takes place across widely varied country settings, including some with high levels of fragility, conflict and security constraints. This requires the ability to manage adaptively and responsively as circumstances change. In addition to being TTL for selected engagements within this portfolio, key responsibilities of this position will include oversight of the Environment portfolio in these CMUs to enhance the quality of project preparation and implementation, review and quality enhancement of ASA deliverables, trouble-shooting support to environment teams working on these engagements, maintenance of the strategic CMU dialogue on environmental opportunities and challenges, as well as mobilization and efficient management of the budget for the environment program in these countries.

Country Engagement and Business Development

The Environment team has strong and productive relationships with key government agencies in the 11 countries covered by the AECE1, AECE2 and AECC2 CMUs, building on a record of portfolio performance and responsive client support. This position requires continuous and close liaison with these client agencies to identify business opportunities, address challenges, and mobilize finance, ensuring that client needs are met to the extent possible.
The role will require ensuring that environmental opportunities and challenges are well identified and integrated into Country Partnership Frameworks and other strategic country engagements, including development policy lending. An important new area for business development will be to identify opportunities and mechanisms for joint engagement with the IFC, MIGA and World Bank Treasury, as well as the development and delivery of innovative financing approaches for natural resource management and job creation. A particular focus will be the mobilization of finance for natural resource management and job creation in the Congo Basin forest.

Environment team management, mentoring and communications

As a key member of the SAEEO leadership team, this position includes responsibilities for management of task team assignments and mentoring of staff to expand career development opportunities, motivate and improve performance, including as a co-supervisor.
The selected candidate will be required to communicate effectively with client and corporate audiences on a regular basis in order to keep them well-informed of Environment Department objectives, activities and results. The role requires responsive and timely inputs to meet corporate needs including briefings, preparation of speeches and talking points.
The role will require representation of SAEEO not only in the AECE1, AECE2 and AECC2 CMUs, but also in the AFE Regional Hub in Nairobi.

An important requirement for this role will be the ability to collaborate closely with the manager while based in the region to effectively co-lead the SAEEO team.

Selection Criteria

In addition to meeting Bank-wide Grade GH level competencies (see below), it is expected that the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:
The following are required: 
· Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Management, Environmental Economics, Environmental Science or Engineering.
· A minimum of 12 years of relevant and substantive operational experience in a least two World Bank regions (that may include a corporate assignment), including experience preparing and managing World Bank operations across a variety of instruments.
· A proven track record managing a large country program successfully, working well with country management teams.
· A proven track record of policy dialogue, project development and implementation in the forest sector, preferably with experience in the Congo Basin.
· A proven track record as a dynamic and hard-working individual with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, building business and raising trust funds. 
· A proven record of managing large teams well.
· Fluency in English and French is required (writing, speaking, listening and reading).
· Willingness to travel extensively in the Africa region is necessary, including to remote rural areas.
Competencies Level GH, Lead Environmental Specialist:
Knowledge and Experience in Development - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributes to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
Proven track record of intellectual leadership and delivery of innovative thinking as applied to World Bank analytical work and operations. 
Ability to make compelling presentations to large and sophisticated audiences.   
Proven capacity to view project-level issues in a broader context where the sector setting and policies, the macro context, and the Bank's country strategy intersect.
Proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary team, other groups throughout the Bank, and development partners. Ability to work with, and relate to, a wide range of stakeholders: donors, clients, and staff. Ability to work across the matrix in a collaborative manner is essential.
Environmental Sciences – Understanding of fundamental concepts of natural science (soil science; water resources; ecosystems; biodiversity conservation; agriculture concerns, etc.).
Environmental Economics - Understanding of fundamental economic concepts relevant to environment.
Ability to lead the design of NRM, environmental and pollution projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context. 
Operational Project Management - Demonstrates in-depth knowledge and understanding of PforR, IPF, DPL and ASA instruments. 
Note: This internal requisition is open to WBG and IMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/ temporaries). External candidates are requested not to apply. In case an external candidate applies, their application will not be considered.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

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