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.
EXTERNAL AND CORPORATE RELATIONS VICE-PRESIDENCY (ECR)
ECR is an expert team of communication and external engagement advisors working with the WBG leadership to secure political and financial support, as well as strengthen its role as a global leader in development.
Our team manages the WBG's reputation and brand, focusing on relations with donors, clients, partners, key stakeholders, our senior management and staff. We promote an integrated WBG story and protect our license to operate.
ECR DEPARTMENT OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT (ECRGE)
The Department of Global Engagement leads on strategic advocacy and global engagement across stakeholder groups including foundations, think tanks, academia, international CSOs, and faith-based organizations, WBG alumni, and the private sector. It also leads on the WBG engagement with local community groups, on major campaigns, for its Development Finance unit, and on the implementation of its Access to Information policy.
ECR Global Engagement and Partnerships (ECREP)
The Global Engagement & Partnerships team (ECREP) provides strategic advice and guidance to senior management and teams across the Bank to sustain and nurture relationships for the long-term. Our goal is to ensure a consistent approach on how to engage, anticipate and manage critical communication and reputational issues, and create and sustain more effective partnerships with greater impact.
ECREP manages relationships and builds innovative partnerships with our key external stakeholders—making connections, strengthening engagement, and mobilizing support to advance the work of the WBG. As we step up our ambition, we are transforming how we engage across key constituencies: civil society, faith-based organizations, youth, think tanks, academia and universities, philanthropy, the private sector, and WBG alumni.
ECREP is seeking a Senior External Affairs Officer with experience and expertise in building successful engagements across these key constituencies: academia and universities (including through the Speakers’ Bureau), think tanks, alumni, and youth. The Senior External Affairs Officer must have a proven track record in mobilizing and sustaining innovative partnerships which mobilize new ideas and new audiences and drive support for development priorities.
The Senior External Affairs Officer – Engagement with Academia, Think Tanks, Alumni and Youth -- will report to the Manager, ECREP.
Duties & Accountabilities
The key functions and accountabilities include:
• Develop and implement an ambitious strategy to strengthen the WBG’s engagement and partnership-building efforts with academia, universities, alumni, think tanks, and with youth, including through the Speakers’ Bureau.
• Build, manage and deepen relationships with these constituencies and create partnerships that result in knowledge sharing and drive support for institutional goals, including through shared events, communications products and academic research. Broaden and deepen outreach to include stakeholders beyond those with whom we have traditionally engaged, in particular in emerging economies.
o For Academia: Drive more ambitious and strategic engagement with universities; build partnerships with a core group of universities to enhance knowledge exchange, develop strategies for sharing research and expertise and create channels for leveraging WBG expertise in curricula; build engagement plans for the president and senior management to ensure greater visibility and understanding of the mission of the WBG.
o For Alumni: Build network of alumni across CSOs, think tanks, universities and government, to leverage expertise and deep knowledge of the WBG and to enhance opportunities for positive advocacy.
o For think tanks: deepen and broaden engagement with think tanks to drive support for the WBG’s key priorities, mitigate risk and shift opinions; build robust engagement plan for senior management.
o Youth: Educate, inform, and motivate a network of youth leaders to rally behind WBG development priorities as advocates and allies; Facilitate meaningful youth engagement in key development dialogues and policy spaces, consultations and WBG events; Foster intergenerational collaboration that can overcome old paradigms and drive innovative approaches and solutions for today’s intertwined challenges.
o Speakers’ Bureau: Engage proactively with targeted constituency groups to inform and interact with audiences, reaching universities, schools, country delegations and family networks to raise the visibility and grow support for the WBG’s mission and work.
• Risk management: Work with the corporate risk and issue management team to build an effective and dynamic “sword and shield approach” to risk management, together with leads for other constituencies, including CSOs. Specifically, develop and maintain stakeholder relationships within this TOR’s remit, seeking intel ahead of report releases or events and moving proactively to mitigate potential damage.
• Act as a trusted advisor to management and senior leadership, and identify opportunities to strengthen relationships between the WBG and partners.
• Through data, research and intelligence, ensure up-to-date expertise and knowledge across all of these constituencies, including trends, positioning, and levers of influence.
• Represent the WBG at external events and convey the institution’s mission and vision and key objectives.
• Devise and plan impactful engagements for representatives from these constituencies with the WBG and facilitate their participation in the WBG’s main convenings and platforms, including the Spring and Annual Meetings.
• Lead, mentor and inspire a small team tasked with delivering on the strategy.
• Work across the department, ECR and other units to ensure coordination and productive collaboration.
