Urban Specialist Job #: req34989 Organization: World Bank Sector: Urban Grade: GF Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Dakar,Senegal Required Language(s): English, French Preferred Language(s): English, French Closing Date: 12/4/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
CONTEXT
Western and Central Africa (AFW) Region
We need the best and brightest talent focused on Sub-Saharan African countries in order to harness the potential and innovation happening across the continent. Africa is a continent on the move, with a young population and a growing market of nearly 1.2bn people. Yet, these vast opportunities are tempered by persistent gaps in education, health, and skills, constraining Africa to only reaching forty percent of its estimated potential. This is further exacerbated by conflict, food insecurity, rapid population growth, and the disruptive forces of climate change, threatening to curtail or even reverse the progress that has been achieved over the past decades.In Western and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 315 projects totaling more than $62.4 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation, urban development all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, it is estimated that about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved. For more information, please visit
https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/western-and-central-africa
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 Vice Presidency within the World Bank is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. The Vice Presidency currently consists of four global practices (GPs): Energy & Extractives (EEX); Transport (TRA); Urban, Resilience and Land (URL), and Infrastructure Finance Practice (IFP). It oversees the World 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.
The “Urban, Resilience and Land” (URL) Global Practice
Urbanization is occurring at an unprecedented pace. Cities generate 80% of global GDP and are key to job creation and the pursuit of shared prosperity. Yet one billion city residents live in slums today, and by 2030 one billion new migrants will arrive in cities. This concentration of people and assets will exacerbate risk exposure to adverse natural events and climate change, which affects the poor disproportionately. The absence of secure land tenure underpins deprivation and is a major source of conflict in the urban and rural space. One and a half billion people live in countries affected by repeated cycles of violence. In the absence of services, participative planning and responsive institutions, these trends will result in increased poverty, social exclusion, vulnerability and violence. Finally, avoiding a 4-degree warmer world requires drastically reducing the carbon footprint of cities.
The URL Global Practice covers a wide gamut 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 (including urban flood management, stormwater drainage, coastal management, and retrofitting of infrastructure), disaster preparedness (including hydromet services, early warning systems, and civil defense), risk financing (including Cat DDO), and resilient reconstruction and recovery (including post-disaster damage and needs assessment); (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 position in Senegal
The URL unit in West Africa (IAWU1) has a large work program encompassing project loans and grants, advisory and analytical services, and active partnerships supporting a wide range of engagements. In Senegal, IAWU1 is supporting, among others: (i) integrated flood and coastal risk management, (ii) preventative resettlement for populations in areas of high hazard exposure and vulnerability, (iii) systemic and institutional improvements of urban planning , disaster risk management (DRM) and resilience (across sectors) through policy actions and reforms, (iv) solid waste management in support of the circular economy to reduce waste and create local jobs, (v) decentralization reforms to enhance the intergovernmental fiscal transfer system to local governments and strengthen their capacity, (vi) nationwide land administration and tenure improvement for inclusive development, (vii) disaster preparedness (including early warning systems and civil protection) and disaster risk financing.
IAWU1 seeks to recruit an Urban Specialist to support the Bank’s program in the region, with a focus on urban development and resilience. The selected candidate will play a dual role as a technical specialist covering urban and DRM issues and will bring strong infrastructure development skills and experience. The candidate will also support management in crafting coherent interventions for Bank support. Effective program supervision and implementation will be central to the role, with Senegal and neighboring countries as the main focus, though responsibilities may extend to other countries in the AFW region.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The selected candidate will be based in Dakar, Senegal, reporting to the Practice Manager, IAWU1. (S)he will be expected to work closely with country units in Senegal and task teams across the region. In particular, (s)he will focus on the following specific areas:
• Support or co-lead the preparation and implementation of projects and programs related to the URL agenda in Senegal. This includes drafting, reviewing, and processing operational documents and coordinating with other team members (procurement, financial management, disbursement, safeguards, and legal), as required.• Participate in missions and supervise Bank-financed projects as a technical expert and/or co-Task Team Leader; interact with clients at operational and policy levels. This includes: (i) coordinating mission preparation and supervision documents (announcement letters, contributions to aide-mémoires, back-to-office reports, and implementation status and completion reports), and planning meetings with client and donor counterparts; and (ii) actively engaging with Project Implementation Units to closely monitor activity preparation and implementation, identify risks and delays, and advise on solutions to improve outcomes as needed.
• Contribute to selected analytical studies or Trust Funds, particularly on topics such as the provision of urban infrastructure and services, urban planning, territorial development and geospatial analysis, asset maintenance and operations, climate resilience and disaster risk management, impact evaluation, and best practices in the investment and management of urban infrastructure and services.• Under the direction of the URL GP Practice Manager, contribute to sector policy dialogue, institutional reforms, and capacity building programs, focusing on strengthening client country capacity and exploring opportunities for private sector engagement. This should incorporate cross-cutting issues such as social and environmental impacts, gender equality, health and safety, and climate change.
• Participate in cross-practice teams preparing policy notes, Systematic Country Diagnostics, Country Partnership Frameworks, CCDRs, sector briefs, studies, and research and policy development activities across the full range of URL topics.
• Support the development of URL strategies and foster cross-Practice Group collaboration, with particular emphasis on climate resilience, gender considerations, and expanding private sector participation in financing and/or providing urban infrastructure and services.• Assist/manage Trust Fund activities, including developing proposals, terms of reference for consultancy services, consultant procurement, monitoring contract management, ensuring deliverables meet TOR requirements, and trust fund reporting.
• Supervise consultants and technical specialists to ensure consistency and conformity with Bank operational policies.• Facilitate knowledge sharing, dissemination, and awareness-raising activities among Bank staff and clients, and participate in corporate and sector training, retreats, and learning events; contribute to the Bank-wide professional URL community of practice.
• Work independently under the general direction of the Practice Manager and Task Team Leaders, seeking guidance on complex projects and issues from lead specialists.
Selection Criteria
• Advanced degree (Masters level or higher) in engineering, urban development, economics, finance or a related discipline relevant to the urban development sector.
• Minimum 5 years of specific professional experience in one or more of infrastructure sectors, including urban development, transport or water and sanitation, with demonstrated ability to work on at least three of the following areas: (a) development of urban policy and planning instruments, and territorial development; (b) policy, institutional and financing aspects of urban services and strategies to encourage private sector participation in the delivery and management of urban infrastructure and services; (c) flood risk management policies and investments; (d) decentralization reforms and support to local governments; and (e) procurement and contract management.• Operational experience in the preparation and implementation of investment projects.
• Experience working on complex urban risk programs involving multi-stakeholder coordination.• Demonstrated ability to engage and effectively lead dialogues with both local communities and city leaders/decision-makers responsible for risk reduction actions.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to rapidly synthesize information from diverse sources into clear conclusions and recommendations.• Knowledge of World Bank operational policies, practices, and procedures is an asset.
• Personal ownership, responsibility, and accountability for timely responses to requests; ability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed results, and to proactively remove obstacles to execution and success.• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritize work among competing demands.
• Outstanding interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills in both English and French; strong problem-solving abilities; and strategic, innovative thinking for balanced solutions to complex development challenges, with a client-focused approach.• Strong teamwork spirit and demonstrated ability to work across practices and in cross-thematic teams.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
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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