Description
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. Visit www.worldbank.org.
Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Global Practice Context
The central contribution of the HNP Global Practice (GP) to the World Bank’s twin goals is to enable the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), in which all people are effectively covered by essential health services, and nobody suffers undue financial hardship because of illnesses. The HNP Global Practice includes staff members in Washington, DC and many country offices. The HNP Global Practice works with and across multiple sectors, in recognition of the fact that HNP outcomes often depend on actions that lie outside the HNP sector. The HNP Global Practice supports country and regional efforts to: (i) improve health outcomes, especially for the poor and most vulnerable; (ii) expand access to high-quality HNP services, interventions and technologies that give the most value for money; (iii) strengthen health systems for results; (iv) establish and improve health financing mechanisms that promote efficiency, equity and sustainability of investments; (v) strengthen health-relevant institutions within and outside the health sector; (vi) harness multisectoral policies and investments for better health outcomes; and (vii) develop and learn from rigorous impact evaluations.
Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region Context
The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises 30 extremely diverse countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. Although 10 of our clients have joined the EU and 7 of these have graduated, most continue to remain active recipients of knowledge and/or lending services. Furthermore, amidst a crisis like the pandemic that we are experiencing now, some of the advanced countries re-engage with the World Bank for additional support, including financial. ECA has a strong lending pipeline as well as a large and growing portfolio of Reimbursable Advisory Services. Knowledge is critical to the World Bank’s value proposition to client countries in the ECA region in both lending and advisory services. . Despite being a predominantly middle-income region, ECA continues to experience a weak recovery from the 2009 crisis and has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Slow growth and persistently high unemployment threaten to reverse the region’s achievements in reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity. Aside from facing projected low growth rates in 2021, the pandemic has exacerbated lingering structural weaknesses, including high public debt burden, tight fiscal space, low investment, and financial sector vulnerabilities. The region also faces longer-term challenges, most notably rapid population aging (especially in Europe), with implications for labor productivity and fiscal sustainability of social spending, including health.
In view of these challenges, the ECA region’s strategy is based on two pillars: (i) competitiveness and shared prosperity through jobs; and (ii) environmental, social, and fiscal sustainability. These, together with the goals of the Health Nutrition and Population Global Practice, constitute the framework for WBG engagement in the health sector in the region.
GEORGIA HD CONTEXT AND PORTFOLIO
Over the past decade, Georgia has implemented key reforms in the human development sectors. Introduced in 2018, the New School program introduced a highly progressive European style competence-based curriculum. Implementation has already begun for the primary and basic levels (grades 1 to 9) and will be extended to the upper secondary level. The introduction of the Universal Health Care Program in 2013 provided a benefits package to cover primary and secondary care services, including planned ambulatory care, emergency outpatient and inpatient services, elective surgery, oncological services, obstetric care, and some essential drugs. Social protection includes a universal old-age social pension (for women 60 years and older and for men 65 years and older). Launched in 2006, the Targeted Social Assistance program was expanded in 2015 to include benefits for children, internally displaced persons, war veterans, job intermediation services and active labor market programs, and social rehabilitation for persons with disabilities. Health and education benefits for vulnerable children are also offered by local governments.
The World Bank’s current HD portfolio in Georgia comprises:
• The Georgia Human Capital Program. The Program aims to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Georgia with fair and equal access to high quality education, better targeted social benefits, and strong preventive healthcare with lower cost of treatments and medicine. The World Bank’s Program for Results (PforR) in Georgia is the first financing instrument of its kind anywhere that comprehensively aims to improve education, health, and social protection outcomes. It became effective on June 17, 2022, and it is expected to close on December 31, 2028. The Program amount is US$ 400 million.
• The Emergency COVID-19 Response Project. The project, jointly financed by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, aims to help the government’s efforts to mitigate and address the health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It became effective on May 28, 2020, and its closing date is April 30, 2023. The Project amount is US$ 214.5 million.
• The Georgia I2Q - Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project. The Project aims to expand access to quality preschool education and foster quality teaching and learning in general education through innovative sustainable infrastructure design, scaling up the ongoing whole-school improvement pilot, building capacity of teachers and school leaders and developing a national assessment framework. It became effective on November 27, 2019, and its closing date is March 31, 2026. The Project amount is US$ 102.7 million.
The South Caucasus Country Unit includes Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with the Country Director based in the Regional Office in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The selected Sr. HD Specialist will be based in Tbilisi and report to the Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition, and Population.
DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
The selected Sr. HD Specialist will support policy dialogue with the client on key issues in HD, provide daily implementation support to key institutions (Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs; National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, etc.) on ongoing operations, and support the preparation of new lending operations. S/he will also be expected to contribute to analytical work to inform policy discussions. Her/his main responsibilities will include:
Policy Dialogue and Building Client Capacity. S/he will: (a) contribute to policy dialogue with the Government of Georgia on a range of sector issues at different levels of the health, education, and social protection & jobs sectors; (b) identify and nurture opportunities for participating in the broader policy dialogue in the country especially in so far as they impact the HD sectors or where the sectors can contribute to; (c) build client capacity to use findings of policy research/analytical work for developing new policies and undertaking sector reforms; and (d) provide technical advice on key issues and strategic directions for the country’s development in HD sectors, by bringing relevant international experience and research to assist in developing local solutions.
Operations. S/he will: (a) contribute to the development of new lending operations, both in HD sectors and multi-sectoral, tapping into the World Bank’s full range of instruments (including Program-for-Results, investment project financing, policy-based lending, reimbursable advisory services, etc.); (b) identify and analyze country experience based on country data; (c) contribute to preparing operational documents, coordinating across sectors/practices and project components with other team members; and (d) provide day to day operational support and advise the government on technical and operational aspects of implementation for ongoing operations.
Analytical Work and Non-Lending Services. S/he will (a) contribute to the design, preparation, and dissemination of analytical products (e.g., sector assessments, policy notes, public expenditure reviews, country diagnostics, service delivery surveys, etc.); (b) provide inputs on a range of issues; and (c) respond to critical policy questions identified by the client and which have an impact on policy and operational design.
Partnerships: S/he will (a) contribute to partnership activities on a regular basis, supporting alignment and coordination among multilateral and bilateral development partners, non-profit organizations, academia, and civil society, around country-led priorities. S/he will also be expected to work in close collaboration with the other members of the WB HD team and colleagues in other GPs.
Selection Criteria
• Education: Advanced university degree in economics, education, medicine, public administration, public health, public policy, social policy, or related fields.• Relevant Experience: At least 12 years of experience in the design, implementation and assessment of health, social assistance, and social protection activities, preferably in the areas of health systems, health financing, service provision, health policy analysis, social safety nets, poverty reduction, labor, education systems, distant learning or other related fields and employment programs. Prior experience in middle-income countries and/or the ECA Region is desirable. Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working in the Georgian health system will be an advantage.• Teamwork: Ability to (a) work in a multi-cultural team environment; (b) operate independently with minimal direct supervision and support; (c) work effectively and independently as a team member and as a leader alike, including in multi-sectoral teams; and (d) identify and develop new and creative partnerships with a wide variety of agencies and organizations.• Communications skills: Ability to (a) share and disseminate relevant information with colleagues, clients, and managers; and (b) interact effectively with a range of stakeholders within and outside the World Bank, with a strong client orientation. Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills in English and Georgian is required.• Knowledge and Experience in Development: Understand policy making process and distil operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients.• Policy Dialogue Skills: Identify and assess policy issues and play an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders.• Demonstrated ability in time management and to work under pressure: Handle multiple tasks effectively, meet deadlines, manage uncertainty, and adjust to a changing work program.
S/he will also be expected to have the following competencies:• Integrative Skills -- Understands core issues and knows where to get additional expertise when needed. Task team member in integrative products and provides analytical written inputs.• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena -- Understands policy making process and role of the health sector in that process. Is able to find relevant information and examine similar policy questions in multiple regions and to distill operationally relevant recommendations and lessons from this analysis for clients.• Policy Dialogue Skills -- Identifies and assesses policy issues and communicates findings/points of view verbally and through economic reports and papers. Plays an active role in the dialogue with the government and/or other stakeholders as part of Bank teams.• 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.• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion -- Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
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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This vacancy is archived.