Job Description

Junior Professional Associate


Job #: req28460


Organization: World Bank


Grade: Ungraded


Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment


Location: Chennai, India


Required Language(s): English





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, please visit www.worldbank.org


Junior Professional Associates - Program Description


The Junior Professionals Associate Program (JPA) offers an exceptional opportunity for recent graduates to embark on a professional journey, providing a three-year contract with valuable work experience within a diverse and dynamic environment and the potential of field work experience. The program is an excellent platform to sharpen your existing skills and to develop new ones, all while gaining a profound understanding of the challenges associated with reducing poverty and fostering shared prosperity on a livable planet.


We will provide you with the opportunity to gain entry-level professional experience in a premier development institution, on an Extended Term Consultant (ETC) contract with benefits. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/careers/jpa


The following are minimum requirements to be eligible for the JPA program:


• Be 32 years of age or younger
• Hold a bachelor's degree
• Be fluent in English

The JPA program at the World Bank is a highly competitive initiative. Candidates who are being actively considered for positions may be required to present academic transcripts and professional references. The World Bank's Human Resources team and hiring team will reach out exclusively to individuals selected for assessment and interviews.


Positions may be in any of the World Bank's offices worldwide.


Specific Unit Description - GCSPA

Global Corporate Solutions


Reporting to the Managing Director and World Bank Group Chief Administrative Officer, Global Corporate Solutions (GCS) brings together the functions of Corporate Security, Corporate Real Estate, and Corporate Services.


About the Unit


The Corporate Services (GCSCS) division within GCS provides services to the WBG in the areas of Travel and Visa Services; Food and Conference Services; Staff Services, including Commuter Services, Child Care, and Fitness Center; Mail and Shipping Services; the Art Program; Translation and Interpretation; Customer Service; Design and Publications; Printing; and Interactive Media. GCSCS also provides administrative oversight to the WBG Family Network and 1818 Society and is responsible for setting the policy framework and service standards, and for delivering services through a combination of staff and vendors at WBG headquarters (HQ) in Washington, DC and in Country Offices. GCSCS has about 130 staff and about 500 contractors.


To achieve its purpose, GCSCS is structured into two main units: (i) Travel and Client Services (GCSTC), and (ii) Business Services (GCSBA). GCSCS also has the GCS Service Desk and GCS Processing & Analytics in Chennai, India.


Because GCS accounts for a large share of the Bank's SAP transactions - purchases as well as payments - there is a dedicated team (Processing & Analytics team) in Chennai that provides central support to GCS business units as well as some other VPUs and MIGA. The team is also responsible for all related transaction support work, including coordination between accounting, quality assurance, or any other departments and GCS business units for any clarifications and resolution of workflow items. The PA team at Chennai carries out a range of work programs, including transactions, reports & MIS, transaction assessment, and analysis.


The centralized and offshore model of transaction processing for GCS results in (i) consistent high ratings in the Bank's Quality Assurance and compliance tests done by WFA, (ii) consistent application of the Bank's rules and policies, GCS' internal procedures and practices, and a standard turn-around time and; (ii) standard processes and procedures applied to GCS hubs located in some country offices.


The selected candidate(s) will have a line reporting to the Headquarters Based Team Leader, who reports to the Senior Manager of GCS Corporate Services.


This position requires work on the night shift (4 pm to 12:30 am IST).


Duties and Responsibilities


The Business Analyst is a dynamic individual with a wide range of skills and techniques in their extensive toolbox. The role requires strategic and operational thinking, focusing on the big picture (such as corporate vision and business strategy), and attention to detail, including data gathering, analysis, and reporting skills. The Analyst will also be able to effectively identify process improvement opportunities, creatively develop business problem-solving approaches, and critically evaluate the trade-offs between business value drivers and costs.


The Business Analyst position will work directly with GCSCS and Program Managers in GCS. She/he will work closely with colleagues and vendors counterparts across the World Bank Group (at HQ and in Country Offices) to provide streamlined and cost-effective transactions and business unit support services as needed.


This position requires work on the night shift.


Duties and Accountabilities:


• Understand the various business lines of GCSCS. Gather data related to volumes and costs across all business lines. Analyze trends in sales volumes, production volumes, and any other relevant metrics across different business lines. Based on the insights gained, develop actionable recommendations to improve the performance of each business line. These recommendations should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Collaborate with GCS Program managers and vendors to gain a deep understanding of the operational model, scrutinize costs against contractual terms, and suggest efficiency improvements and enhancements to the Sr. Program Manager.
• Work closely with stakeholders from various departments to determine their reporting requirements. Create and maintain data reporting systems for stakeholders.
• Engage with business partners to identify issues and suggest data-driven solutions for informed decision-making.
• Partner with the Lease accounting team to reconcile journal entries with landlord operating statements, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Interact with GCSCS managers to guarantee that business support requirements for transactions, periodic reports, and ad-hoc tasks are satisfactorily met.
• Work with the GCSCS Management team to evaluate vendor financial statements and annual expenditures, identifying potential efficiencies across business units.
• Oversee the chargeback process to ensure consistency and that recovery rates meet business requirements, advising Senior Program Managers on necessary process modifications.
• Undertake additional duties as needed to address the evolving needs of GCSCS.
• Utilize extensive data analysis to benchmark against market standards for similar services, advising management on competitive pricing strategies.
• Provide comprehensive vendor cost analysis and historical spend data to support RFP evaluations and management reviews.
• Ensure clear, coherent verbal and written communication to accurately comprehend business needs and effectively communicate analytical results.

Selection Criteria


• Master's degree in a relevant discipline (i.e., Business Management; Accounting; Economics, etc.) and at least 5 years of professional experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong ability to collect, organize, analyze, and present data.
• Prior work experience in data analytics and reporting, as well as transaction processing, analysis, and reporting for Business Units, will be preferred.
• Proactive, self-starter with the ability to work autonomously and as a team member.
• Willingness to work under pressure and through the whole spectrum of business units within GCSCS.
• Attention to detail and demonstrated ability in interpreting data and developing reports for decision-making.
• Strong client focus.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across boundaries and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.

Diversity and Inclusion


The World Bank continually searches for qualified individuals with a diverse set of backgrounds from around the globe. 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, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Individuals with different abilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions and support in receiving other workplace accommodations.



Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe.