Senior Procurement Specialist

Senior Procurement Specialist

Description

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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Regional and MENA Context
Countries of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) region confront a vast array of development challenges, from an uncertain and uneven recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to the implications of decelerating global economy, deepening geopolitical divisions, protracted regional conflicts, and climate change. These overlapping crises are amplified by longstanding structural relating to economic governance that contribute to an outsized presence of the state in the economy, high unemployment rates among women and youth, and limited intraregional trade and investment.
Overcoming these challenges will allow MENAAP countries to realize their vast development potential, endowed as the region is with a rapidly growing and highly educated population, geo-strategic location, and abundance of renewable energy potential. To unlock this potential, the World Bank is advancing inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development through a two-pronged strategy that seeks to respond to sudden and severe crises while supporting reforms that spur structural transformation and job creation, advance gender equity, strengthen regional cooperation, and accelerate green transitions. This strategy is operationalized through a differentiated approach that reflects the distinct circumstances of the World Bank’s clients in the region, comprising 22 countries that range from active IBRD borrowers and IDA recipients to recipients of reimbursable advisory services and non-active countries with whom the Bank maintains a policy dialogue. For more on the World Bank in MENAAP, visit www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena.
The World Bank’s MENAAP region consists primarily of the Front Office of the Regional Vice President, the Chief Economist, 7 Country Management Units, 4 Regional Directorships, and close linkages with Human resources (HR), Resource Management, and Corporate Security.
Procurement
The Prosperity Vice Presidency is one of the World Bank Group’s five verticals, with a mandate that emphasizes “Growth, Finance, and Institutions for all.” Our approach leverages data-driven analysis and combines expertise from both the public and private sectors, together with International Finance Corporation (IFC). The Prosperity Vice Presidency supports clients in advancing evidence-based structural reforms to establish the foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth in the thematic areas of macro-fiscal policy; financial sector resilience, access, and deepening; private sector development, trade, and competitiveness; and governance and public sector reform, including statistical capacity. Prosperity is comprised of five Global Departments. The procurement unit (EMAPR) is under the authority of a Procurement Practice Manager for MENAAP who directly reports to the MENAAP Prosperity Regional Practice Director.
Most MENAAP Procurement staff members are decentralized through the establishment of procurement teams in Country Offices (COs) including in: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Djibouti, Iraq, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the West Bank and Gaza. All procurement staff members are managed by an Accredited Procurement Practice Manager (APM), who is based in the World Bank Cairo, Egypt office.
In this context, the Procurement Unit, EMAPR, seeks to recruit a highly organized, energized, experienced professional hub leader to support/lead procurement reforms, capacity building and fiduciary services in Bank-financed projects in Pakistan, Djibouti and West Bank & Gaza and any other CMU as agreed with the APM.  The Sr. Procurement Specialist will support the APM who is based in Cairo. 
The work implies frequent interaction with the following stakeholders:
1. Country Director, Operations and Practice Managers, and Technical Specialists across the Bank and staff from other agencies, donors, consultants, and borrowers.
2. Government officials and equivalent contacts in other international organizations, partner entities, etc.
3. Counterparts in the Bank across VPUs, Global Practices, and other units involved in meeting the Bank’s business objectives.
4. Other external constituencies and expert groups such as OPSPR, CPO, OPRC, Legal (LEGOP), GIA, IEG, INT, and others.
The Sr. Procurement Specialist-Hub Leader will help lead, supervise, ensure quality of deliverables, mentor procurement staff, support, and further develop dialogue for reform activities in Pakistan, Djibouti and the West Bank & Gaza. He/she will lead or participate in the operational, analytical, and advisory activities of MENAAP.  This requires strong knowledge of both economic and public-sector governance issues, as well as extensive experience in operations and complex/large value procurement. He/she will have excellent diplomatic skills to engage effectively with the many stakeholders involved inside and outside the Bank. He/she will also have a demonstrated ability to work effectively with counterparts in government as well as with multilateral and bilateral institutions. He/she is also expected to establish and maintain good working relationships with a variety of international and national partner organizations (academia, society groups, local research centers).
He/she will work closely with the Prosperity team in Pakistan, Djibouti and West Bank & Gaza to ensure a coordinated approach to support these countries.
The Sr. Procurement Specialist-Hub Leader will provide APM level fiduciary oversight into Bank-financed operations and will be responsible for quality assurance of cases requiring OPRC review.
Duties and Accountabilities:
• Provide leadership and expert advice to client and colleagues in Pakistan, Djibouti and West Bank & Gaza on complex procurement tasks and issues that often span sectors. This includes advising task teams on the application of procurement policies and guidelines throughout all phases of the project cycle.
• Consistently and accurately apply and interpret operations procurement policy to support complex decision-making, optimizing resources and ensuring appropriate fiduciary and quality controls.
• Lead regional and sector-level procurement initiatives, including the development and dissemination of knowledge products, tools, methodologies, and guidelines both within the Bank and externally.
• Lead and contribute to departmental, regional, and institutional efforts to develop and review procurement policies, practices, analytical tools, and operational approaches to meet evolving client needs.
• Engage with Bank management, government officials, and counterparts in other international organizations on procurement-related matters.
• Provide strategic advice on Bank policy, risk management, governance, anti-corruption, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and use of country systems.
• Drive innovation in Bank procurement policy to enhance project and sector outcomes.
• Lead or participate in precedent-setting missions, developing innovative procurement approaches while addressing complex global, regional, country, and sector-level policy and operational challenges.
• Ensure effective use of electronic tools, including the Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP), to monitor client engagement and fiduciary performance across the operations procurement portfolio.
• Manage or contribute to fiduciary and country procurement assessments, reform programs, and activities related to governance, use of country systems, and anti-corruption.
• Contribute significantly to improving borrowers’ procurement system and practices, including the design, reform, and implementation of public procurement legislation, professionalization, e-Government procurement (e-GP), sustainable public procurement, and institutional capacity building.
• Take the lead in reviewing procurement cases for the APM and OPRC thresholds through conducting thorough review to ensure high-quality OPRC documentation.
• Support the APM and perform delegated responsibilities as needed.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree with a major in a relevant discipline (e.g. Engineering, Law, Procurement, Finance, Business or Commerce) plus a minimum of 8 years of experience as a seasoned Procurement Specialist.
• State-of-the-art knowledge of public procurement principles, systems, processes, planning, data analytics and approaches to international procurement with proven ability to independently provide well researched analyses of complex procurement issues and problems.
• Solid knowledge and practical operational experience with World Bank’s Procurement Policies and Regulations and procedures. Experience in review of OPRC cases.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to defend orally and in writing difficult issues and positions (in a challenging environment as necessary) to Bank management, government officials, etc.
• High level of integrity and a sense of personal responsibility for achieving quality and timeliness in delivering the work program of the APM office.
• Strong team managerial and organizational skills, including proven track record of building and managing teams and creating an enabling work environment.
• Strong communication skills and persuasiveness in presenting, negotiating, and resolving highly complex issues, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively mentor/guide staff and clients and design training/skills enhancement initiatives to ensure effective transfer of knowledge/skills.
• Ability to function effectively and deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Language requirements: Oral and written mastery of English is essential. Arabic/French are a plus.
• Ability to coach/mentor junior staff and train procurement staff.
• Ability to frequently travel internationally.
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.

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