The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:   Senior Operations Officer 

Organisation: World Bank Group (WBG)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About Organisation:

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. The World Bank provides low-interest loans, zero to low-interest credits, and grants to developing countries. These support a wide array of investments in such areas as education, health, public administration, infrastructure, financial and private sector development, agriculture, and environmental and natural resource management. Some of our projects are co-financed with governments, other multilateral institutions, commercial banks, export credit agencies, and private sector investors.

Job Summary:  A Senior Operations Officer is required to support the Uganda Country Management Unit (CMU) in undertaking substantive operational and implementation support tasks with respect to the Bank financed portfolio – currently US$5.6 Billion in IDA commitments including financing from the Window for Host Communities and Refugees, the Regional Window and a significant Trust Fund portfolio.  S/he will support the Country Manager and the Senior Operations Officers to conduct country-specific monitoring and reporting on the Uganda program and maintain up-to-date information on portfolio performance for Uganda in close collaboration with task team leaders and under the supervision of the Country Manager.

Based in Kampala, the Senior Operations Officer (SOO) will have the following principal duties and accountabilities:

The SOO will be expected to provide operational support/guidance and quality assurance on cross-cutting dimensions to task teams and the CMU management (Country Director, Country Manager, Operations Manager, Sr. Country Officer based in DC and Program Leaders) including advice on the implementation of operational policies and guidelines and the use of instruments. The SOO will also support the CD, CM, OM and the Program Leaders to help track overall project implementation performance and facilitate resolution of portfolio problems.  The SOO will maintain up-to-date information on portfolio performance in close collaboration with the Washington Anchor Unit. The SOO will be a member of the CMU Management Team.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Preparation and Implementation

• Review and provide quality enhancement advice on all operations throughout the project cycle: identification, design, appraisal, implementation, and evaluation. Provide leadership and advisory support in all phases of operations. Facilitate resolution of cross-department and cross-sectorial problems.
• Participate in operational missions and meetings and assist teams in resolution of difficult issues.
• Work closely with the fiduciary teams to address key fiduciary issues that are generic to the portfolio.
• Work closely with the safeguards teams to address key environmental and social issues that are generic to the portfolio.
• Play a key role in quality enhancement, risk management and implementation issues, in collaboration with the CD, CM, Program Leaders and the OM.
• Play a key role on behalf of the CMU management in the review of projects from the concept stage to final approval. Review of appraisal documentation prior to Board submission. Assist the CD, CM, and OM in the review of ISRs and AMs.
• Advise the Uganda country teams on operational policies, instruments, and procedures and on complex operational issues.

Portfolio Management

• Support the CD, the CM and the OM in the preparation of work programs and budgets, and monitors budget execution, and the fulfilling of WPA agreement.
• Organize or lead the Country Portfolio Performance Reviews for Uganda on a regular basis. Flag implementation problems for attention by clients and Bank management and take the lead in resolving systemic portfolio issues. Follow-up with government ministries and other clients on recommendations in close consultation with the CM, OM and Program Leaders.
• Interact directly with the Program Leaders and Task Team Leaders (TTLs) on daily work program issues and provide operational support for problem or risky operations.
• Lead the development of key training programs for the client at a portfolio level on fiduciary, safeguards, and the governance and anti-corruption work, drawing on fiduciary, safeguards and governance specialists.
• Lead the preparation of monthly Uganda portfolio dashboard reports, in coordination with the focal persons in the CMU.
• Assist the CM in monitoring the development impact and implementation progress of the portfolio, drawing lessons and resolving implementation issues.
• Review all Uganda project documentation and ASA at various stages of preparation for consistency with country strategies and Bank policies, as well as with a view toward maintaining overall portfolio quality and provides his/her inputs on such documentation to the CM.
• Act as the focal point all operational guidance and board procedures to the country team, checking all documents for internal consistency and follow-up with task team leaders on needed revisions.

Country Strategy Formulation and Implementation

• Support the CD, CM and OM in formulation of the CPFs and in preparing CPS Progress Reports and Completion Reports.
• Support the CD, CM and OM in managing relations with clients and partners, including monitoring trust funds and harmonization of development assistance/policy dialogue with multilateral and bilateral partners.
• Coordinate, prepare or assist with the preparation of briefs and presentations, including for high-level visiting missions, special events, conferences and IMF-WB Annual and Spring meetings; and oversee or assist with drafting or reviewing operational correspondence, including responses to official external queries.
• Supports the country strategy formulation process (including PLR, SCD, CPF and annual business plans) for Uganda country office.
• Monitors the implementation of these strategies and, in coordination with the Country Team, reports on progress as needed to the CM.
• Advises task teams on country context and strategy issues.
• Makes substantive contributions to the country dialogue in Uganda under the leadership of the CM.
• Represents CM in interactions with Government, development partners and stakeholders, as needed.
• Prepares and/or contributes to background and policy papers and selected notes for internal and external audience (e.g., memos to senior management, Bank-IMF Annex).
• Supports to communication team and implement the country office communications, dissemination and outreach strategy, including the internal and external websites.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the World Bank Senior Operations Officer job must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent and a minimum of 8 years of relevant discipline and progressively substantive operational experience, combined with a good knowledge of World Bank strategic directions.
• Knowledge of operational policies and procedures, and experience relevant to portfolio management (e.g. direct experience with portfolio management, varied project experience). Experience of the bank policies and procedures is a plus.
• 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 all intersect.
• Ability to lead a team of professionals in the execution of major projects.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop more junior staff.
• 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.
• Ability to contribute to strategic initiatives across the Bank Group and with external partners. Ability to carry out independent and innovative work.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment, both as a team leader and team member.
• Effective verbal and written communications skills.

Competencies:

• Project Management – Demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of the project management concepts, as they relate to the implementation of complex, multi-functional projects in varied geographical and economic conditions
• Portfolio Management – Leads the monitoring of country/sector strategy and work program; Flags implementation issues for attention of clients and Bank management and takes a leading role in resolving these.
• Analytical and Technical Skills, Operational Strategy Development & Advice – Recognized by peers and/or managers for ability to identify and pro-actively solve operational issues and problems.
• 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.
• Bank Instruments, Policies, Procedures, and Systems – Recognized by peers and/or managers for providing high quality, pragmatic advice to teams on the appropriate use of Bank policies, procedures and instruments and financing mechanisms.
• 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.

NB: The World Bank is committed to achieving diversity of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online at the link below 

Click Here

Deadline: 19th July 2024

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