JOB OPPORTUNITY

Transport Specialist

Job #: req26658
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Transportation
Grade: GF
Term Duration: 2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Required Language(s): English, Nepali
Preferred Language(s):

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 over 130 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

The World Bank’s Infrastructure Vice Presidency (INF VPU) is keen to increase recruitment of highly qualified staff for careers in transport, energy, digital development, infrastructure finance and infrastructure economics. To this end, the INF VPU is committed to achieving diversity in race, gender, nationality, culture, and educational background.

The South Asia Region Context

The South Asia Region comprises eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) that range in size from India (with a population of over 1 billion) to Maldives (with 0.3 million people). The region has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6% a year over the past 20 years. It was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis. This strong growth has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements in human development. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell in South Asia from 56% to 16% between 1981 and 2013. Still, the region remains home to a third of the world’s poorest, with 216 million people living below $1.9/day.

The South Asia Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar

The Infrastructure Practice Group

The Infrastructure Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. It comprises Energy and Extractives (EEX), Transport, Digital Development, and Infrastructure Finance, Public Private Partnerships and Guarantees (IPG). The core values guiding our work include our passion for sustainable poverty reduction, our willingness to put the needs of the client at the center of all our activities, and our honesty and integrity as a common currency.

The Global Transport Practice is advancing the global dialogue on the future of transportation through influential programs such as the Sustainable Mobility for All initiative and the Global Road Safety Facility. The Practice hosts very active Global Solution Groups on the following cross-cutting topics: Urban Mobility; Transport Connectivity and Regional Integration; Transport Infrastructure Management and Finance; Transport Economics, Policy and Data; and Green, Inclusive and Safe Transport. To execute its work program, the Transport Global Practice has established important partnerships inside and outside the WBG, including with other international organizations, the private sector, and civil society.

The SAR Transport Units

The World Bank is the largest provider of development financing for transport globally, with a strong focus on climate-smart transport systems. With the commitment to support the client countries in providing safe, clean, efficient, and inclusive mobility—everywhere, for everyone, the Bank’s transport portfolio currently includes 172 active projects with $34.1 billion in commitments, representing about 11% of World Bank lending. The two SAR Transport Units combined have an active portfolio of 28 lending operations with total commitments of about USD 8.2 billion, 5 ongoing Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) and an average of 5-8 new lending deliveries per FY. SAR Transport team focuses on green, resilient, inclusive, efficient, and safe development of the transport sector in SAR. The portfolio is evolving to match the high urbanization of the region, and includes trade and logistics, rural roads and highways, urban mobility, rail and waterways, and road safety. It focuses increasingly on leveraging private capital to bring additional resources to SAR clients, working with IFC and MIGA and providing Bank Guarantees.

SAR Transport is also a key contributor to engagements led by other Global Practices, most recently in response to policy reform Development Policy Operations and disaster response operations. It has a large regional integration agenda and works closely with the Regional Integration team in SAR to deliver connectivity, trade, and logistics services. It contributes to, and learns from, the global knowledge and best practices in the Global Transport Department and other regional transport units.

The hiring unit ISAT1 is one of the two units of SAR Transport primarily focusing on operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka. In Nepal alone, the Bank has four ongoing Projects under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) and the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) consisting of more than US$900 million total financing, which is around 40% of the Bank’s portfolio in Nepal. The unit has about 21 Staff and is largely decentralized in the country offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

ISAT1 seeks a Transport Specialist to provide a full range of technical and operational support on assigned projects under the Nepal Transport portfolio and pipeline. The selected candidate will be expected to:

Support the implementation of ongoing transport investment projects in Nepal with a priority focus on roads and bridges on the Strategic Road Network, Provincial and Local Roads, Urban roads, and activities under Civil Aviation. This entails the person to work for direct day to day management of the preparation and/or implementation of the Bank financed projects, providing technical inputs, and maintaining relationships with the government authorities as Task Team Leader (TTL) or Co-TTL or as a task team member;
Work as TTL/ co-TTL and or support the respective TTLs in preparation of new projects and implementation of projects related to Provincial and local roads, urban transport, road safety, regional integration/ connectivity with objective of integrating both trade and transport, and or any other transport sector which may come in the transport portfolio. This would include coordination with the relevant Client, Consultant and Project team, and providing technical inputs on planning, designs, preparation of procurement strategies and bidding document specifications, and sectoral issues including general institutional setup and planning and monitoring systems. Day to day tasks shall include preparation of letters, briefs, presentations; reviewing project reports submitted by the Government or consultants; review of bidding documents; participation in implementation support and preparation missions including visiting project sites; collecting secondary data; desk analysis of various reports; and participation at meetings; drafting and coordination of Aide-Memoires preparation;
Provide technical and strategic assistance to the Task Team Leader/s during project implementation. Activities include – review of projects’ implementation progress reports, following up on contract management issues; monitoring the implementation of works including quality and providing technical advice on procurement, conducting sector and project-related desk reviews, reviewing and producing analytical documents; ensure compliance with Bank guidelines and the provisions of credit/loan agreements, prepare comments and follow up correspondence for the task team leader/s; make recommendations on remedial and follow up actions to resolve emerging or outstanding problems; support task team leaders in analytical and operational work as needed with minimal guidance;
Participate in coordination meetings with government as requested; and participate in country team activities, including portfolio reviews, formulation of country assistance strategy, analytical and advisory services, and response to priorities in the country poverty reduction strategies including regional connectivity;
Keep abreast of key developments in related sectors and regarding cross-cutting issues affecting the performance of the transport sector, such as: environment and social impacts, HIV/AIDS, , road safety, gender and gender based violence, and poverty reduction.
Provide cross-support to other sector units in the design, implementation and supervision of civil works and other related project components;
Encourage the development and active engagement of the private sector, including domestic construction industry; and
Participate in professional development and knowledge sharing activities in the transport sector and take a role in contributing specific knowledge both within the assigned countries and within the Bank.

Selection Criteria

Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in relevant field (transport engineering/planning/economics, or related subject).
Prior work experience (minimum 5 years) in in the transport sector project planning, implementation would be preferred.
Minimum five years of relevant professional experience in the transport sector with a focus on at least two of the following areas: (a) highway/roads engineering; (b) transport planning, design, and operations; (c) urban mobility; (d) management/implementation of transport infrastructure investments and operational services; (e) public procurement and contract management; and (e) Logistics services.
Practical experience in the engineering design, implementation, management, maintenance or operation of transport infrastructure projects or initiatives, and an understanding and the ability to work on policy, institutional, financing, procurement and contract management, social and environmental requirements.
Demonstrated good research and analytical skills and prior experience with economic /financial analysis / GHG accounting/ climate change and advanced knowledge of Excel.
Knowledge of standardized transport analysis tools such as HDM/RONET/TransCAD would be desirable.
Comprehension of typical sectoral issues in transport, including sector policy reforms, road asset management, road safety, and management & financing of transport infrastructure.
Organizational skills, ability to see the big picture as well as attention to detail and ability to prioritize work among multiple competing demands and tight deadlines.
High degree of initiative, problem-solving skills, flexibility, and ability to work independently.
Strong inter-personal skills; experience working effectively in large and multi-disciplinary teams of specialists; with the capacity to interact in a multi-cultural environment.
Strong work relation and communication with the Client team including ability to coordinate effectively between the Bank team and Client team is desirable.
Excellent communications skills, specifically in writing briefs, reports and preparing power point presentations.
Capacity to work simultaneously on a variety of issues and tasks, independently adjusting to priorities.
Excellent oral and written communications skills in English, including the ability to write short reports and briefing notes.

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.

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

Closing Date: 4/5/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC