Jobs at World Bank Group

The HNP team in Africa is divided into four units, each covering threes CMUs. HAEH2 covers the DRC, Kenya, and South Africa CMUs, which collectively comprise of thirteen countries, and is responsible for a large program of operational and analytic work. The unit is looking for a Health Economist/Health Specialist to be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The WBG is seeking a Health Economist/Health Specialist (on a locally recruited Extended Term Consultant (ETC) appointment for one year, subject to renewal for an additional one year. The Health Economist/Health Specialist will make intellectually sound and operationally relevant contributions to the WBG work support on health in Kenya. S/he will have the following main responsibilities:

• Support Bank operations and under preparation or implementation at national and county level
• Play a critical role in the evolving work program of analytical and advisory services related to health financing and universal health coverage, linking health to broader human development topics, and/or related topics in Kenya
• Help ensure close coordination with government; a variety of international and local development partners; and the CMU and Bank teams across other sectors
• Support policy dialogue with the Ministry of Health, counties and other stakeholders
• Represent the World Bank at consultation meetings and other activities relevant for the sector
• Contribute to sector-specific or cross-sectoral inputs for various operational products/outputs (e.g. sector/country briefings, background reports, portfolio performance reviews, etc.);
• Carry out such tasks as the Practice Manager assigns to support the development of the Bank’s work in health in Kenya
• Specifically, the Health Economist/Health Specialist will be expected to support the following ongoing engagements and contribute to the design of new operations as required:

Advisory Services and Analytics

• Contribute to the design and implementation of analytical work in Kenya, particularly on topics related to Universal health Coverage, health financing and pandemic preparedness and response
• Facilitate and coordinate the analytics activities and technical assistance, and the dissemination of key findings to the government and other partners
• Conduct analytical work, including data analysis and report writing
• Prepare briefs and technical notes and contribute to the writing of sections in analytical reports
• Support in policy dialogue with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders at national and county level
• Kenya COVID-19 Health Emergency Project
• Provide technical and implementation support to the Ministry of Health
• Plan, conduct and provide timely reports on program supervision
• Provide health financing inputs to World Bank reports and key operational documents including Implementation Status Results reports
• The Health Economist/Health Specialist will report to the Practice Manager (Health Nutrition and Population) (HAEH2) and will be subject to all World Bank regulations and guidelines applicable to staff.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must have:

• An advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in Health Economics, Economics, Public Health or any other relevant discipline. Candidates with combined degrees (e.g., medicine and health economics) will have an added advantage
• A minimum of 5 years of experience years of experience.
• Wide recognition and track record of technical expertise and operational leadership in health, health economics and financing.
• Deep experience working with the Government of Kenya at both national and county level
• Experience working with the development partners in Kenya
• Demonstrated ability to lead and function within and across teams in operational and analytical work.
• Excellent written and oral communication. Able to synthesize, analyze, and effectively present material from a wide range of sources.
• Ability to function well independently and handle multiple tasks, meet changing priorities and deliver high-quality analysis and work on-time.

Required Competencies

• Integrative Skills -- Understands core issues and knows where to get additional expertise when needed.
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena -- Understands policy making process and role of the health sector in that process.  Can 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.

Closing Date:10/24/2022

go to method of application »

Duties and Accountabilities:

Officers working in Upstream activities are responsible for:

• Coordinating with key stakeholders to create the enabling environment to mobilize private sector investment through regulatory and policy reforms.
• Developing business models and platforms that can be scaled across regions, countries, and sectors, and facilitating transformational projects.
• The timeline for these activities to progress from concept launch to final investment is 2-3 years or longer and, as such, staff in these roles have multi-year objectives with concrete deliverables (i.e., milestones) for each fiscal year.  The overall objective is to create enabling environments and advance sector markets across Africa, especially in LIC / FCS countries.

The specific roles and responsibilities of the position will include but not be limited to the following:

Program Management:

• Work with IFC and other World Bank Group (WBG) stakeholders to prioritize Upstream projects and initiatives and ensure they are incorporated in relevant sector, country, and regional strategies.
• Scope and prioritize work program based on these agreed upon strategies and stakeholder engagements.
• Create development metrics and monitoring approaches to ensure continuous progress in all aspects of the team's work.

Programmatic Approaches:

• Identify and harness technologies, business models, and opportunities for new approaches that can accelerate development impact within a region or across countries and sectors.
• Work across IFC and WBG to facilitate standardization and wholesale approaches to increase scale and efficiencies as well as innovate, including through warehousing and blending to de-risk projects and diversify the investor base.
• Disseminate knowledge and experience across the industry group to support adoption of new approaches and best practices.

Transformational Project Facilitation:

• Source projects and initiatives by engaging with senior officials in WBG, governments, other development organizations, and the private sector and by uncovering needs through strategic analysis, including WBG Country Private Sector Diagnostics, Country Strategies and similar initiatives.
• Connect expertise from investment and advisory staff, and external partners to projects and initiatives.

Sector Engagement:

• Participate in the identification of needed market and regulatory reforms and design of sector interventions to create enabling environments in new markets.
• Partner with sister organizations in the WBG and others to provide input to the development of sector-specific development strategies, from diagnostics to implementation.
• Provide input and guidance to the development of IFC's country strategy and provide substantive input to country diagnostics and WBG strategy documents.
• Coordinate a network of staff working on Upstream activities across their sectors to ensure efficiency and collaboration of efforts.

 
General:

• Develop innovative, scalable approaches for creating enabling environments for private sector investment.
• Manage individual initiatives that support Upstream priorities.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders related to initiatives and disseminate knowledge across teams.
• Ensure coordination and integration of approaches with mainstream Investment colleagues.
• Draw on investment and advisory staff, industry specialists, and external consultants as needed.
• Supervise, mentor and coach junior staff and share experiences.

Selection Criteria

• At least a Master's degree, or equivalent professional qualification, in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or Law.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in the developing world on non-routine financing or development of private or PPP infrastructure projects in challenging environments.  Familiarity with project development, management, documentation and negotiations (PPAs, concessions, EPC and O&M contracts, etc.) and limited recourse project financing.  Deep understanding of bankability constraints for greenfield projects, and a track record of resolving them, is a must.
• Excellent analytical, investment, business development, networking, integration, negotiation, and relationship management skills to facilitate working successfully across IFC/WBG, industry sectors, regions, business lines, and external stakeholder groups (both public and private sector).
• Commitment to the mission, strategy and values of IFC and the wider WBG.
• Good understanding of IFC's strategies, systems, functions and abilities.
• Experience in IFC (or other DFI) 'mainstream' investment operations a distinct advantage.
• Mastery of IFC/WBG's products (including de-risking products) and services as well as approaches for mobilizing private sector funding.
• Track-record of engaging with client companies, shareholders, and government officials to encourage pioneering business and market development.
• Strong capacity for innovation and challenging the status quo to build the business.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.  Strong inter-personal skills, ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to mentor and coach junior staff, share experiences and ensure quality.
• Willingness to travel extensively.

Closing Date:10/21/2022