Senior Transport Specialist - World Bank

The World Bank is a dedicated partner for Western and Central African countries, helping them deliver strong development outcomes for their people. A brighter future for the region is a better future for the world.

WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA TRANSPORT UNIT (IAWT3)

In the West and Central Africa Unit (IAWT3), the World Bank serves 11 client countries (Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone). These clients range from lower middle-income countries such as Ivory Coast, Ghana or Cameroon with high demand for infrastructure programs, to fragile and low-income IDA countries such as CAR, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Areas of particular interest for the transport sector in the sub-region include urban transport (Bus Rapid Transit systems), regional integration corridors, trade and transit facilitation, logistics, PPPs, ports, railway, air transport, rural transport for agricultural productivity, and road safety.

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The IAWT3 unit has currently  22 staff and is growing. The transport portfolio is includes about 15 projects under implementation, with an aggregate value of about US$ 1.54 billion and a pipeline of 10 projects and analytical activities. This portfolio is diverse and includes projects and analytical work in transport and trade facilitation, urban mobility, port, road and railway sectors, PPPs, Climate resilience and adaptation of the transport sector and transport and human capital (i.e. roads to schools).

Role & Responsibilities :

IAWT3 is hiring a Senior Transport Specialist, with extensive prior operational experience – preferably in Africa, to join the WB Accra country office. The Specialist will:

•  lead the technical dialogue in the transport sector with the Ghanaian authorities, as well as with other clients in the sub-region;
•  Lead the preparation and implementation support of transport projects, covering the core elements, but also incorporating the key cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, private sector participation, climate change;
•  Participate in the sector policy dialogue, together with other development partners, under the guidance of the Program Team Leader and Practice Manager, with external stakeholders in the country and region;
  (ii) lead and contribute to projects and knowledge activities in the unit and department, and in close collaboration with other Africa Transport units and other Global Practices;
•  Develop capacity in the pertinent implementing entities to plan, develop, and manage transport projects under their jurisdiction, and pay greater heed to the cross-cutting issues of gender equality, climate change, inter alia;
•  Promote the participation of the private sector in provision of roads and transport services;
•  Provide support and guidance to improve the quality of transport projects in general, through technical advisory, quality assurance, and junior staff mentoring;
•  Provide guidance and leadership for the development of Bank strategies, particularly with respect to issues related to institutional design of implementation agencies, financing, and public private partnership options;
•  Work in teams in other sector units with transport components in projects, enhance the quality of project design, implementation and supervision, and related technical assistance components; and
•  Support the formulation and implementation of institutional reforms and capacity building initiatives in the road sector in cooperation with responsible agencies and other partners at country level.

The Senior Transport Specialist will be based in the World Bank’s Accra Office on a four year appointment.  She/He will report to the IAWT3 Practice Manager. Her/His activities will be identified with the Practice Manager, and adjusted based on business needs. She/He will actively participate in the relevant Country Management Unit (CMU) discussions, particularly on the preparation of Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD) and Comprehensive Partnership Frameworks (CPF), as well as on portfolio reviews. She/He will also liaise and work from other global practices and cross-cutting solutions areas, as relevant, and ensure appropriate collaboration and partnership between Government, the World Bank Group, and other international and bilateral organizations involved in the transport sector in Ghana and the sub-region.

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Selection Criteria

Candidates for the position will be selected based on the following requirements:

Minimum Requirements:

•  Master’s degree with 8 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of relevant graduate level education and experience, on transport engineering or economics.
• Proven experience in the transport sector with specific experience in road asset management and financing;
•  Demonstrated ability to work on the following areas: (a) development of transport policy and national planning; (b) policy, institutional and financing aspects of transport and the elements to encourage private sector participation in the delivery of transport infrastructure or services; (c) contract management, site management, material testing, construction (and maintenance) equipment/plant management.
•  A good working knowledge on the procurement of works, goods and services, as well as the options to harness Digital Development technologies into the transport sector initiatives and operations will be a plus.
• Experience in working with and leading cross-sectoral teams, including teams for safeguards and fiduciary aspects, and knowledge of key cross-cutting issues that impinge on the performance of the transport sector and on which the development of transport sector infrastructure and services needs to create positive effect, including environmental and social impacts, land acquisition and resettlement, gender equality, road safety, climate change, and the interplay with digital technologies for enhance transport sector performance.
• Proven track record of design and implementation of transport programs, and experience of working on programs financed by the World Bank or other development partners, multilateral or bilateral.
• High degree of dynamism and self-motivation, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision. Proven practical experience in project development and management would be a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with the challenges facing the transport sector in Sub-Saharan Africa would be an advantage.
• Proven ability to build client relationships involving multiple stakeholders, to discuss transformative transport policies or reforms
• Excellent oral and written communications skills
• English essential and French is desired;
• A willingness to travel for about 90 days per calendar year is essential.

Transport GP Technical Competencies:

•  General Transport Engineering and Planning Knowledge – Possesses specialized technical knowledge in the transport fields and ability to translate this knowledge for the practical benefit of clients.
•  Knowledge and Experience in the Development Arena – Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
•  Policy Dialogue Skills – Anticipates needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
•  Integrative Skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
•  Transport Policy, Strategy, and Institutions – Solid understanding of policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations that affect both passenger transport and freight logistics.
•  Transport Systems and Technologies – Extensive experience with urban and interurban transport systems and technologies, with ability to apply knowledge to policy-related decisions and advice.
•  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.

WBG COMPETENCIES

•  Deliver results for clients – Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs.
•  Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
•  Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.
•  Integrative skills – Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas
•  Policy dialogue skills – anticipate needs and requests in the field and conducts independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners
•  Transport policy, strategy and institutions – Solid understanding of transport policies, strategies, institutions, and regulations.
•  Operational Project Management – demonstrates in depth knowledge and understanding of transport project management tools and methodologies,
   Project design for impact and sustainability – contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context
•  Team leadership – leads teams to achieve challenging outcomes, providing a role model and enhancing the team-leadership skills of team members.

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