Senegal: Regional Advisor, Fragility, Conflict, and Violence

The role of the World Bank Group in Fragility, Conflict, and Violence

To achieve its twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner, the World Bank Group (WGB) needs to address a number of development challenges related to Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV). Recent events have highlighted the complexity of this agenda, its multifaceted nature, its relevance across all country income levels, and its cross-border and regional dimensions.

In the face of this increasingly complex landscape, the WBG and key partners are re-evaluating their approach to FCV, and are working to identify more effective policy and financial solutions. A number of processes and discussions within and outside the WBG are ongoing in this regard. These are informed by the broader debate on global risks, risk mitigation and management, the role of development policy and development financing (including innovations), and partnerships. They also take place against the backdrop of the IDA18 FCV scale up, the World Bank’s Forward Look exercise (which places particular emphasis on the role of the WBG in countries affected by FCV) and the establishment of the Global Crisis Response Platform (GCRP) in September 2016.

The demand for WBG expertise and operational engagement on FCV has increased over the last years, and is expected to further increase in the period to come. Dedicated streams of resources will be made available under IDA 18 (for low income) and the Global Concessional Financing Facility (for middle income countries hosting significant numbers of refugees). The challenge for the WBG is to maximize the impact of its engagement on FCV issues, by: (1) mainstreaming and scaling up FCV programs across the WBG; (2) ensuring quality and impact, including by developing new, evidenced-based business models where needed; and (3) leveraging partnerships with donors, UN, and other stakeholders.

The role of the FCV CCSA

The FCV Cross-Cutting Solutions Area (CCSA) aims to steer and drive the FCV agenda within the WBG, and to ensure consistency, complementarity, and synergies in approaches across the WBG. The CCSA’s strategy and work program are articulated around five tracks: (1) analytics; (2) forced displacement; (3) corporate strategy and reforms; (4) operational support; and (5) partnerships, located in DC and Nairobi. Going forward, FCV CCSA staff will support and partner with the frontline, in different regions, prioritizing those Country Management Units (CMUs) where fragility is one of the core challenges for the Bank.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Drawing on critical background in operations, diplomacy, refugee and humanitarian issues, and strong substantive experience in development, the FCV Regional Advisor will cover West and Central Africa and will:

• Support AFR regional team on IDA18 FCV scale up implementation.

• Monitor regional situation and inform CMUs, FCV CCSA and AFR leadership about latest FCV specific developments and mobilize expertise and knowledge on FCV issues across the WBG and beyond, and contribute to the FCV knowledge agenda by ensuring that country experiences are available and shared among CMUs and with AFR and FCV CoP.

• Lead the development of implementation plans to significantly enhance the WBG’s engagement, effectiveness and results for key IDA18 FCV strategic priorities in West and Central Africa through knowledge products, financial and operational innovations, and a differentiated risk-based approach to FCV based regional and local contexts.

• Ensure the integration of FCV lens into the analytical underpinning of the strategic country diagnosis as well as in the programming of Country Partnership Frameworks, and advise (including through oral and written briefs, as necessary), on integration of conflict sensitive and FCV smart features into CMUs portfolio (pipeline, active and ASA).

• Provide frontline implementation support in the most difficult environments. This will include finding solutions for surge capacity, rapid responses and just-in time internal problem solving in cross cutting FCV operational areas.

• Liaise with the Legal Vice Presidency, OPCS and other parts of the Bank on ongoing initiatives in selected aspects of the Bank group’s operational policy framework for FCV (including clarifying the limits of the Bank’s mandate on security, peacebuilding, and other FCV issues); and on strengthening delivery solutions in FCV contexts (e.g. working with non-state actors, contracting UN agencies under Bank-financed operations).

• Support CMUs to strengthen effective strategic partnerships with relevant international, regional and domestic stakeholders, including multilateral and bilateral agencies, regional organizations, civil society and the private sector.

• Provide cross-sector and cross-region operational support for Risk and Resilience Assessments, Recovery and Peace Building Assessments, and Forced Displacement Country Diagnostics.

• Carry out other tasks as requested by the West and Central Africa CMUs and FCV/CCSA Leadership team.

The FCV Regional Advisor will work under the supervision of the Country Director based in Dakar and the Manager, FCV Nairobi Hub.

Selection Criteria:

• Advanced degree in a relevant discipline (Masters or PhD), and at least 12 years of relevant operational experience.
• Solid understanding of fragility and forced displacement issues. Demonstrated capacity to understand the political economy and local context of fragility and forced displacement situations. Familiarity with FCV policies, tools, and instruments.
• Strong operational experience in FCV context is essential, preferably in LICs, MICs and active conflict.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or contribute to high-level analytical work and investment operations.
• Ability to deliver in a dynamic environment with multiple demands and quick turnaround of outputs. Ability to work under pressure while retaining perspective and professionalism.
• Results oriented, with an ability to work independently as well as devise and produce results in collaboration with departments across the WBG.
• Excellent report writing and communications skills in English and French.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and team management skills, with demonstrated ability to build strong networks and teams to achieve results.
• Excellent client orientation and results focus; pragmatism and effectiveness.
• Integrity, tact and discretion.
• Exemplary track record of working effectively with other development partners.

For Corporate Information and to apply to the position, please visit www.worldbank.org/careers, vacancy number 170574 . Deadline is April 10, 2017.