Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. 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.
The World Bank’s Country Management Unit (CMU) for Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde and The Gambia (AWCF1) develops strategy direction, oversees portfolio implementation, monitors impact, and evaluates results for the Bank’s portfolio in the five countries. The country unit includes offices in Dakar, Praia, Banjul, Bissau, Nouakchott and an Anchor Unit in Washington, D.C. It oversees a portfolio of 54 projects for a total of US$5 billion and a large ASA program (25 tasks). The portfolio comprises support to a wide range of sectors including energy, water and sanitation, transportation, education, decentralization, and social protection and we have ongoing DPO series in four of the five countries. The fragile states face important implementation challenges while the implementation of the other programs requires close Bank support in coordination with Government counterparts.
The AWCF1 CMU is managed by a Division Director (DD), assisted by an Operations Manager (OM) and four Practices Leaders (PLs), all based in the World Bank Regional Office in Dakar. The DD coordinates and oversees the AWCF1country offices and an anchor unit in Washington D.C. The Country Manager (CM) for Mauritania, and Resident Representatives (RR) in Cabo Verde , Guinea Bissau and The Gambia, reside and represent the Bank in the respective country where they lead the Bank dialogue with authorities, manage the day-to-day operations of the program, with the assistance of an Operations Officer, an Executive Assistant, other Country Office staff and the broader Country Team. The Bank team is working closely with the IFC and cooperates with MIGA as well.

Duties And Accountabilities:
AWCF1 is seeking a Senior Operations Officer (SOO) who will be based in the country office in Dakar and reports to the OM. The SOO is responsible for the CMU program, with a particular focus on the Senegal program but plays an important role in other countries as well: s/he will coordinate the team of Operations officers working in other CMU Offices (the core Portfolio team). The Senior Operations Officer (SOO) will provide direct support to the Operations Manager (OM). He/she will closely coordinate with other members of the country management team – including the Country Manager and Resident Representatives (CM/RR), Program Leaders (PLs), other OOs in the CMU, and the AWCF1 Country Teams in advancing the CMU work program. He/she will contribute to ensuring strategic focus, integration and consistency across and within the CMU portfolio. Under the leadership of the OM, he/she will lead program monitoring and portfolio management, support the DD/OM in managing the relationship with government counterparts on operational and portfolio issues and provide operational support to task teams in Senegal and across CMU countries. He/she will also back up other members of the CMU, as needed. More specifically, he/she will undertake the following tasks.

Selection Criteria
• Minimum Education : MA/MS (In relevant discipline)
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment, both as a team leader and team member.
• Ability to lead a team of professionals in the execution of major projects.
• Proven ability to think independently and demonstrate political sensitivity and mature judgment, with an ability to interpret challenging socio-economic trends.
• Ability to coach, mentor and develop more junior staff.
• Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and demonstrated effectiveness in developing and maintaining positive client (internal and external) and partners relations.
• Ability to focus on key issues, while not losing sight of the big picture.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills include the ability to draft concise reports and correspondence under tight deadlines, and the ability to communicate and defend orally and in writing difficult issues and positions to a variety of stakeholders, including government officials, and partners. Fluency in French and spoken and written English at an intermediate level are essential.