Job Title: Senior Operations Officer
Job Description
Local Term 2 year renewable Appointment
Location: Kampala, Uganda
The World Bank’s Country Office in Uganda is seeking a high caliber locally-recruited Senior Operations Officer for the Uganda program to be based in Kampala. Uganda is among the seven largest country programs in Africa and has an active portfolio consisting of both projects and analytical activities. In order to support the management of this diverse program, the Operations Officer will assist the Country Manager, working closely with the Fiduciary Team at the Country Office and the Country Program Coordinator, based in Washington DC.
Duties and Accountabilities
(i) Portfolio Coordination/Monitoring:
• Play a key role in coordinating, monitoring and reporting on the Uganda Portfolio to ensure quality and documented results.
• Manage existing portfolio monitoring systems effectively to follow-up programs and activities across sectors, in close liaison with the Task Teams and client implementation teams.
• Monitor the implementation of various activities financed through grants, outside the main lending program, including the Analytical and Advisory Assistance/Economic Sector Work and Trust Funds supported activities.
• Provide both the Country Director and the Country Manager with regular assessments of portfolio performance status, with recommendations on necessary follow-up actions to improve performance.
(ii) Quality Assurance:
• Work with task teams in ensuring Quality at Entry, Supervision and Exit for the Bank supported program.
• Provide leadership and advisory support in all phases of operations, including problem solving on complex issues of implementation.
• Identify the major implementation issues which may affect portfolio quality and highlight them for the Country Manager in a timely manner and with proposed remedies or appropriate actions on how to address them.
• Chair the quarterly Project Coordinators’ Forum which links Bank and client teams on matters of program implementation and performance monitoring.
• Play a lead role in preparing, organizing and managing the process for Country Portfolio Performance Reviews, internally and with Government. Prepare the issues paper and action plans for such reviews, in consultation with the Fiduciary team and the task teams in the Bank and in Government.
• Play an active role in overseeing quality by reviewing documents (including ISR, ICRs, ESW/AAA, TF proposals and Board packages) and correspondence for Country Manager and/or Country Director’s action.
• Inform the task teams on emerging Bank instruments and changes to the Bank’s operational policies.
• Respond or contribute to information requests by Bank management and or external clients relating to the portfolio and related activities.
• Provide inputs to and/or prepare diverse operational products/outputs (e.g. sector and country briefings, including for Spring and Annual Meetings, background reports, case studies, portfolio performance reviews, etc.).
Selection Criteria:
• A minimum of a Masters Degree from a recognized institution in a relevant field/discipline (such as economics, development planning, finance, business administration, engineering, or equivalent) and 8 years of relevant professional and operational support experience;
• Familiarity with analytical tools and ability to translate theoretical concepts into practical approaches for Bank operational work;
• Familiarity with macroeconomic and/or operational issues and broad understanding of links to sector policies.
• Capability to assess policy issues and interrelationships of sector, macroeconomic and country strategies;
• Task and project management skills, including Monitoring and Evaluation;
• Broad understanding of Uganda’s political economy, the country’s development issues and cultural factors;
• A good understanding of Bank operational policies, practices and procedures will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated strategic skills and ability to link macro and sectoral issues in an integrated way;
• A drive and commitment for results through team work and consultation and good work ethics;
• Ability to take initiative and work independently without much supervision;
• Ability to operate in a mature manner and sensitively in multi-cultural and in multi-disciplinary teams environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
• Strong report writing and communication skills. A proven ability to write brief and clear analytical reports and concise discussion notes requiring strong written and oral communication skills in English;
How to Apply
For the full position description and complete selection criteria, qualified candidates are requested to visit and submit an on-line application at www.worldbank.org/careers. Click on >employment opportunities >professional/ technical staff opportunities – current vacancies > job # 121364. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Closing date is 17th June 2012.
The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
