Job Description

Job #: req28265


Organization: World Bank


Sector: Water/Sanitation


Grade: EC2


Term Duration: 1 year 0 months


Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment


Location: New Delhi,India


Required Language(s): English


Preferred Language(s):


Closing Date: 8/2/2024 (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 South Asia Region

In the South Asia Region (SAR), the World Bank Group serves eight client countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), home to nearly 1.8 billion people. Clients range from large, rapidly growing, sophisticated middle-income countries to low-income (IDA) countries to fragile and small island and landlocked states. In FY24, the region delivered $10 billion in financing for client countries and a wide range of Advisory and Analytical Services (ASAs).

For more information on SAR see: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar The Sustainable Development (Planet) Practice Group

The Sustainable Development (SD) or Planet Practice Group (PG) helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water. Water in the Global Development Context

Water touches every aspect of development, and it links to nearly every Sustainable Development Goal. In its positive aspects, it drives economic growth, supports healthy ecosystems, and is essential for life itself. Water availability and the quality of water management impact whether poor girls are educated, whether cities are livable places, and whether growing industries or poor villages can withstand the impacts of floods or droughts.

But water resources globally are under unprecedented and increasing pressures, driven by population and economic growth, urbanization, land-use changes, declining quantities and qualities of ground and surface waters, and greater climate variability. With cross-cutting impacts on agriculture, education, energy, health, gender equity, and livelihood, water is at the center of economic and social development. Climate change impacts often manifest themselves through water, and sound water management lies at the heart of the resilience agenda. Successful water management requires accurate knowledge of the resource availability and an assessment of competing demands for its usage. Making optimal use of available water resources requires complex and sensitive economic, environmental and socio-political trade-offs. The need to plan for a more uncertain and more water-constrained future only increases the challenge of sustainable development of water resources. The world will not be able to meet the great development challenges of the 21st century - human development, livable cities, climate change, food security, energy security, and universal access to services - unless we ensure a water-secure world for all. The Water Program in SAR and SSAW1

The SAR water program is delivered through two units, each led by a Practice Manager (PM). The two units, teams and PMs work closely together to deliver on the Water agenda in SAR; this includes deployment of staff across unit boundaries.

SAR Water Unit 1 (SSAW1), the hiring unit, has a 30-member team and covers the Water program in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and India. SSAW1's operations consist of an active portfolio of 15 projects with $3.08 billion in WB financing and a strong pipeline to be delivered in FY25 and FY 26.

The water strategy in SAR aligns with the World Bank's proposed Global Challenge Program on "Fast Tracking Water Security and Climate Adaptation." Accordingly, the SAR Water Program includes national as well as state programs in three major thematic pillars: i) universal access to safely managed water supply and sanitation; ii) climate-resilient irrigation and agriculture modernization; and iii) healthy rivers and water resource management for resilience.

India is the Bank's biggest IBRD client. The water program in India is the among Bank's largest country-level water programs globally. The current India water portfolio consists of 11 projects with commitments of $2.5 billion and a strong pipeline (of about $ 2 bill) for FY25 and FY26. The India program includes support for ambitious national level projects and programs such the National Groundwater Program, Dam Safety Improvement Program, the National Hydrology Project, and the Namami Gange Programme. It also includes State level projects on: a) urban and rural WSS (eg. Shimla utility reform, Uttarakhand peri-urban service delivery, Karnataka 24x7 urban water) and a Chennai City Partnership Program; b) irrigation (eg. major and minor irrigation projects in states such as West Bengal; and c) and flood and river basin management projects (in states such as Assam and Karnataka).

Bangladesh is and has been the Bank's biggest IDA client for several years; it is poised for graduation to IBRD. The Bank's water program is the Bangladesh is important and growing. The current Bangladesh water portfolio consists of three WSS projects and one WRM project, with commitments of $570 million. The FY25-27 pipeline includes three urban WSS projects with commitments of $900 million. In addition to WSS, the portfolio and pipeline include important multi-sectoral initiatives on managing the Jamuna River, transforming Dhaka City and its rivers, and supporting climate-smart irrigation and agriculture. The pipeline projects will strengthen water security and WSS services in the country and support implementation of Bangladesh's ambitious Delta 2100 Plan. Duties and Accountabilities:

Overall, this position of Extended Term Consultant, based in Delhi, requires a water specialist with ability to: a) contribute to preparation and implementation of water projects; b) engage with sophisticated government clients at the Utility, State, and National levels; c) co-lead or lead analytical work in water; and d) work well and effectively in teams that are diverse, large and often multi-sectoral.

The Water Specialist is expected to work independently on several tasks and, in the case of complex projects/issues, with guidance from lead/senior technical specialists. The selected candidate will work on a range of projects and analytics seeking to promote water security and sustainable development, through improved management of water resources and services, and enhanced climate resilience/adaptation. The selected candidate will participate in activities throughout SAR, with a special emphasis on work in India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

The selected candidate will work with and in Bank task teams to support both lending and analytical activities in water (ie. water supply and sanitation, water resources management, irrigation, and water security) in SAR, with the following duties:• Provide technical support to Bank Task Teams in the identification, preparation, and implementation of projects as well as analytical activities, including in formulation of background documents, monitoring progress of projects, and undertaking regular field visits.
• Co-lead or lead the supervision of project subcomponents and provide technical advice to Government implementation units.
• Lead, co-lead, and participate in Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs) activities in the country and/or at regional level, for the Water Global Practice (GP) and or other GPs, as agreed with the Practice Manager.
• Maintain liaison and dialogue with government agencies and development partners, research institutions, non-government organizations, the private sector, and other sector-related institutions.
• Co-supervise consultants (individual and firms), ensuring consistency and conformity to Bank standards; and evaluating studies and sector-related project documentation.
• Learn about, and eventually support, adherence to World Bank's operational policies and quality requirements in technical and fiduciary due diligence.
• Other activities as agreed with the Practice Manager.



The duties and accountabilities will be refined at the outset of employment and annually thereafter. Selection Criteria

• A Master's level degree, in a field relevant to water, including water supply and sanitation, water resources, hydrology, hydraulics, environment, civil/environmental engineering, economics, urban development, or related discipline from an accredited university.
• A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in the government, bilateral or multilateral development organizations, private sector, or non-government organizations.
• Strong technical skills and expertise in water supply and sanitation, and/or water resources management, and/or irrigation and drainage.
• Familiarity with and understanding of policy, institutional, regulatory, and management frameworks for water services and resources management in SAR.
• High level of energy, initiative, self-motivation, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements.
• Excellent team skills and ability to work well in large and diverse teams.
• Ability to effectively dialogue with and relate to clients and stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal, analytical and written communication skills in English, and a demonstrated ability to produce high-quality documents and analytical report.
• Prior experience in coordinating and/or managing projects, especially in the water sector, is desirable.
• Experience working with international institutions/companies is a plus.
• Ability to bring innovative thinking, technology, and tools into water programs would be a plus.


World Bank Group Core Competencies

•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.•

•Learn more about working at the• •World Bank• •and• •IFC , including our values and inspiring stories.•

•Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.•