Lead Financial Sector Specialist/Global Lead - Financial Market, Pension at the World Bank

The World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group, is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Our mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.

The World Bank Group is launching a recruitment drive aimed at increasing the number of Sub Saharan Africans in its work force. This commitment to hire Sub Saharan Africans reflects the Bank Group’s senior leadership commitment for a diverse workforce in which African nationals can play a key role in fighting poverty and increasing shared prosperity. Employment opportunities will be in various technical areas and professional streams for talented and diverse young professionals and mid-career level professionals to contribute and grow their skills in a career in international development.

A career with the World Bank Group offers a unique opportunity for exceptionally talented individuals with a passion for international development to contribute to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. Bank staff work with governments, civil society groups, the private sector, and others in developing countries around the world, assisting people in all areas of development, from policy and strategic advice to the identification, preparation, appraisal, and supervision of development projects.

We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title Lead Financial Sector Specialist/Global Lead - Financial Market

Location: Africa
Area: Finance and Markets

Description
The Finance & Markets Global Practice aims to help countries build deep, diversified, inclusive, efficient, and stable financial systems which are essential to promoting economic growth and reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity. The practice is committed to delivering public and private sector tailored solutions to development challenges by leveraging the whole range of the Bank Group's financial, knowledge/advisory and convening services for clients. In doing so, the practice not only partners with the broader World Bank finance team (IFC, WB, MIGA, and WB/IFC Treasuries) but also acts as an enabler for all of the other GPs and Cross-Cutting Groups.

As a joint World Bank-IFC practice, the Finance & Markets Practice brings together the World Bank's knowledge, finance (loans, credits, guarantees, risk management products), and convening services, and IFC advisory at the industry and public sector level into a single suite of development solutions for our clients and the global community to support reaching the twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

Today, this suite of financial solutions is in excess of $10 billion in current and pipeline engagement commitments. We also have an ongoing portfolio of about 400 knowledge activities (with costs up to $73 million) and 98 IFC advisory services (valued at $136 million).

Led by a Senior Director and two Directors, the practice is managed by a cadre of 14 Practice Managers who oversee its regional teams and global solutions groups, global leads who help in setting the direction of the Practice, and CGAP, which has a dedicated Director. Thematically, the practice is organized into three global solutions groups.

The first groups activities aimed at Strengthening the foundations of stable financial systems and markets by supporting global financial sector oversight frameworks and policies; strengthening banking regulation and restructuring regimes; improving financial sector integrity efforts and deepening capital markets, insurance, pensions and investment funds; the second Improving financial infrastructure and access through its work on credit infrastructures; payment and market infrastructures; responsible financial access: and SME finance, and the third on partnering with other practices on frontier development finance initiatives such as climate change finance, disaster risk finance and insurance, infrastructure finance, agriculture finance and housing finance.

The Capital Markets, Pension, Insurance, and Investment Funds Global solutions team leads WBG advisory operations to provide sustainable, long term finance for strategic sectors (for example, infrastructure, housing, SMEs) through development of local securities markets, mainly for bonds, institutional investors, and funds, and stronger safety nets through improved access to quality pension and insurance products and services.

The team interacts closely with other practices, cross-cutting thematic groups, and WB and IFC Treasury and investment departments to create integrated advisory and financing programs that better support clients in addressing large-scale development needs. It represents the WBG on standard-setting bodies, including the International Organization of Securities Commissions, International Association of Insurance Supervisors, and International Organization of Pension Supervisors. The work agenda also includes building government bond markets for better fiscal/ macro management and financial stability and sovereign wealth funds.

The Financial Market Integrity Global Solutions Team leads the World Bank activities on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, asset recovery, tackling financial crime and improving corporate governance. It plays a critical and leadership role in the growing activities of the World Bank Group on Illicit Financial Flows.

The GST leads WBG engagement with the relevant international standard setters (UN, FATF, OECD) and designs and delivers advisory services and knowledge development on these issues. It ensures the most effective articulation between Global and Country engagements on these subject matters. The GST is also an active participant to the World Bank Group activities on broader financial sector issues, the promotion of good governance and the fight against corruption.

The Financial Sector Specialist will be responsible for setting and leading the policy dialogue on behalf of the WBG-related to the capital markets, pensions, insurance, and investment funds area.

The high-level ToR is to:

• Support the F&M GP Leadership in setting the strategic direction and policy in their particular solutions area
• Advise on mobilization of talent across the WBG for their relevant thematic area
• Carry-out quality enhancement reviews on behalf of the F&M GP to ensure for a consistent policy approach, notably across country activities.
• Represent internally and externally the F&M GP and global solutions group on their topic area, engage with clients and help develop business on behalf of the GP.
• Support the development of cutting edge knowledge in their topic area.

Selection Criteria

• Master's Degree in a relevant discipline (for example, Finance, Economics, Public Policy) or equivalent combination of education and experience:
• Candidate must have at least 12 years work experience with advanced degree (Masters or PhD).

Preferred Experience for Lead and Senior Specialists roles:

• Recognized internally and externally as an authority/leader in the field of capital markets, pensions, insurance, and investment funds or a large portion of this area.
• Demonstrated track record to work across institutional boundaries.
• Able to lead and inspire around a common vision, and strong mentoring skills.
• Excellent client skills and track record in delivering successful financial and advisory solutions.
• Strong leadership in creating world class knowledge collateral and leading communities of practice.
• Ideal candidates for this position must have a demonstrated capacity for strategic thinking, the ability to conduct dialogue on relevant development policies and priorities, and be fluent in English with very good writing and communication skills.

Application Closing Date
31st August, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

If you are interested in this position, please click the link above to submit your application. You will be prompted to log in to the "Member Center" or "Create a New Account". Please fill in all fields, answer the screening questions if any, attach your resume or CV, and submit your Statement of Interest (no more than 700 words).

Note

• A select number of candidates will be interviewed in September and October 2015 in Washington, D.C. and locations in Africa and Europe.
• Those applications that were not selected for interview during this campaign will be kept on file for up to one year and may be considered for future opportunities.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.