Program Assistant Job #: req32599 Organization: World Bank Sector: Administration/Office Support Grade: GC Term Duration: 2 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Tokyo,Japan Required Language(s): English, Japanese Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 4/21/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.
Infrastructure Vice Presidency
Globally, one billion people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 685 million people lack electricity, and nearly 4 billion people lack internet access. Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor. The Infrastructure (INF) Vice Presidency within the World Bank is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. It currently consists of four global departments: Energy & Extractives (EEX); Transport (TRA); Urban, Resilience and Land (URL), and Global Infrastructure Finance Department. It oversees the Bank's work across energy and transport sectors, urban development, as well as efforts to promote energy transition, low-carbon transportation, livable cities, disaster risk resilience, land management, and quality infrastructure services through public-private partnerships. Infrastructure represents around $110 billion of the Bank’s portfolio. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/infrastructure.
The Urban, Resilience and Land Global Department (URL) covers a range of issues including: (i) supporting the development of green, inclusive, resilient and productive cities, including harnessing urbanization to contribute to growth and poverty reduction, and strengthening local governments’ capacity to plan, finance and deliver services and infrastructure investments; (ii) promoting efficient, well-coordinated spatial and territorial development processes including strengthening rural-urban linkages and developing lagging regions; (iii) strengthening disaster risk management policies, institutions and regulations and mainstreaming resilience across development sectors including risk assessment and mapping, risk reduction, disaster preparedness and risk financing; (iv) post-conflict reconstruction and recovery; (v) strengthening land tenure, management and information systems; and (vi) supporting the development of national and sub-national spatial data infrastructure and supporting the development of geospatial information.
The URL Global Programs Unit also hosts several strategic programs such as the City Resilience Program, the Global Program for Sustainable Cities, the Smart Cities Program, among others. Trust Funds and partnerships, including the Global Partnership for Results-Based Approaches (GPRBA) and Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) and working with bilateral donors, multilateral agencies as well as non-funding partners such as academic institutions, non- governmental organizations and civil society are a cornerstone of GPURL’s work and outreach efforts.
REGIONAL/COUNTRY/GLOBAL UNIT CONTEXT
The Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) program is a partnership of the Government of Japan and the Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land (GPURL) of World Bank based in Tokyo, Japan. TDLC supports and facilitates strategic WBG and client country collaboration with select Japanese cities, agencies and partners for joint research, knowledge exchange, capacity building and other activities that develop opportunities to link Japanese and global expertise with specific project-level engagements in developing countries to maximize development impact. The program is global in reach and thematically focused on urban planning, urban service provision, urban management, social development, land management, territorial development, sustainable tourism, local economic development, competitiveness, and municipal finance.
TDLC also serves as a platform for the dissemination of development knowledge and activities with the Japanese public sector, private sector and public. Activities that favorably present the development efforts of Japan with the World Bank are encouraged by the donor. Engaging directly with municipal officials, academia, and private sector entities in Japan to broaden stakeholder engagement has been a particular focus of this phase of the partnership.
TDLC supports an active portfolio and a growing lending and analytical activities relating to climate change, urban infrastructure, municipal finance, resilience, urban transport, urban governance and waste management. Given the increasing vulnerability of IDA and IBRD countries to climate change, TDLC is integrating climate resilience into its knowledge programs.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Provides administrative support for preparation and implementation of the TDLC activities according to Bank procedures;
A. Transaction Processing• Process transactions in accordance with World Bank procedures. This includes but not limited to processing of contracts using the Admin Portal, creating and/or adjusting Purchase Orders (POs), creating UPIs and opening/adjusting consultant contacts, processing payments and any other transaction as required by the TTL.• Create travel requests and enter the SOEs of consultants, visitors, and others into the system in a timely manner, ensuring all necessary documentation complies with the Bank's travel policy. • Assist in the monitoring of the unit’s budget, ensuring accurate recording of expenses and adherence to policies, identifying problems and discrepancies and actively pursuing solutions.• Assists with end-of-year closing requirements that include reviews and follow-ups to ensure that consultant commitments and balances are paid and contracts are closed accordingly, particularly during the last quarter of the fiscal year.
B. Office Administrative Support • Support the design, adherence and supervision of general office administrative procedures. • Coordinates schedules taking priorities into account, monitors changes and communicates the information to the task teams.• Assists the team in drafting routine correspondences and documents and proofreading material using proper grammar, punctuation, and style in English and Japanese. • Maintains a good filing system using SharePoint and other Bank repositories, for hard and soft copies of documents, and shares with other team members. • Maintains current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distributes documents for the team. • Support TTL in recruiting and on-boarding processes for new staff, including coordination of panel members, interview scheduling, filing of documents, and coordinating with HR on COMPASS-related tasks.• Solves non-routine general issues (e.g., responds to requests requiring file search, etc.) • Serves as a back-up to other staff (Program / Team Assistants) on TDLC activities and administrative tasks, when needed. • Carries out other assignments, as required.
C. Administrative support for events, workshops, and conferences• Provides direct support to preparation, supervision, completion of TDLC events/activities without delay, including assisting with arranging meetings, preparing missions travel and logistics including flights, visas, and mission briefs, as needed, for staff, consultants, and reminding the team of travel requirements. • Assists in the logistical planning for various events, e.g. conferences, workshops including but not limited to venue selection, coordination with vendors for services such as catering, transportation, and technical support if necessary; preparation and distribution of event-related documents, including invitation, agenda and participant handouts.• Assists in post-event activities such as payments, ensuring that vendors, suppliers and contractors are paid in a timely manner; preparing financial report post-event including an analysis of costs versus the event budget.• Respond to last-minute requests from event attendees, speakers, or organizers.• Ensure that attendee information and other sensitive data are handled securely and in compliance with the Bank’s Data Privacy regulations.
Selection Criteria
• A Bachelor’s degree with 2-3 years of relevant office administration experience, preferably with a large multinational or international development organization.• Knowledge of/ability to perform diverse and intricate administrative tasks.• Experience in transaction processing (payments, processing contracts) • Excellent command of the English and Japanese language, both written and oral. • Computer proficiency and full conversance with MS office programs. • Effective organizational skills and ability to prioritize assignments. • Demonstrated resourcefulness to develop practical approaches that improve office support work.
Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to work in a team-oriented, multi-cultural environment.
Required Competencies – from Bank guidelines:• Technology and systems knowledge - Demonstrates advanced knowledge and experience working with Microsoft office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.). Has the ability and willingness to maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology. • Project and task management- Exhibits good organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to work competently with minimal supervision. Demonstrates attention to detail and quality. Has the ability to manage multiple tasks and complete tasks within the agreed schedule. • Institutional policies, processes, and procedures- Demonstrates knowledge of own department's programs and products, knows key players, understands own role. Displays understanding of WB policies and procedures relevant to the assigned responsibilities and can apply/implement them. • Versatility and adaptability- Demonstrates flexibility and is receptive to the implementation of new solutions. Is willing to stretch own capability. Demonstrates motivation to avail and adapt oneself to effecting change. • Deliver Results for Clients- Proactively responds to and completes client requests. • Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries- Contributes collaboratively to one’s own team• Knowledge, Learning, and Communication - Has good knowledge of the official unit's language(s).• Able to write clearly, edit and proofread draft communications. Able to learn and share knowledge/information across the unit. • Client Orientation - Exhibits positive and professional client service attitude; is able to understand clients' needs and complete them professionally.
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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