Description
Are you a passionate advocate for education? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of children in the world’s poorest countries? The Global Partnership for Education Secretariat (GPE) would like to hear from you.
Who we are
GPE is a shared commitment to end the world’s learning crisis. It is the only global partnership and fund dedicated entirely to helping children in lower-income countries get a quality education, so they can unlock their potential and contribute to building a better world.
We bring together governments, teachers, civil society, donors, United Nations agencies, development banks, businesses and private foundations to achieve our shared vision that every child deserves to learn.
What we do
GPE currently supports 76 low- and lower-middle-income countries to transform their education systems so that all children can get the education they need to thrive. We work where the needs are greatest and focus on reaching the children who are the most vulnerable, including girls, children with disabilities and those who live in countries characterized by extreme poverty or conflict.
How we work
Transforming education is about creating lasting changes and achieving impact at scale. GPE’s new strategic plan, GPE 2025, sets out to deliver this transformative change by convening partners, mobilizing funds and catalyzing reforms to help partner countries get more girls and boys in school, improve teaching and learning, and build equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. Our unique approach works. Since 2002, 160 million more children in GPE partner countries have set foot in classrooms for the first time, more than half of them girls. In 2020, GPE was also the largest provider of education grants in the global COVID-19 response, rapidly providing partner countries with vital resources to ensure that learning could safely continue.
Raise Your Hand
In July 2021, the Global Education Summit raised a record US$4 billion from donors for GPE’s Raise Your Hand campaign. This put GPE firmly on the path to achieving its fundraising target of at least $5 billion over the next five years to transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories. At the Summit, Heads of State and Government from partner countries made historic commitments to domestic education financing and GPE also mobilized an unprecedented number of pledges from businesses, private foundations and development banks.
A fully funded GPE would enable up to 175 million children to learn and help get 88 million more girls and boys in school by 2025. In the longer term, this investment could add $164 billion to economies in GPE partner countries, lift 18 million people out of poverty, and protect 2 million girls from early marriage.
Governance and organizational arrangements
The GPE Board of Directors includes ministerial-level Board members and alternates representing 20 constituencies that reflect the Partnership’s breadth. The Board Chair is HE President Jakaya Kikwete and the Board Vice Chair is Dr Susan Liautaud. The Board of Directors, with its three standing committees, provides policy and strategic oversight and approves or delegates funding decisions.
The GPE Secretariat, with over 120 employees and hosted by the World Bank, is responsible for translating the policies and strategies set by the Board into practical support for partner countries, coordinating with diverse stakeholders and galvanizing global support for SDG4. The Secretariat’s headquarters are in the World Bank’s offices in Washington, D.C. and the European office is in Paris with a satellite office in Brussels. This is an international recruitment subject to compensation on the local pay scale for the selected duty station, and global mobility benefits may apply as per World Bank Group policy. The position will be based in Washington, DC or Paris, France.
Job Description
Reporting to the head of governance, the Board Operations Officer will support the work of the Board, its Standing Committees and the Secretariat on governance activities, partner engagement and related internal and external communications.
The role requires application of technical expertise with respect to core governance documents, policies and recommendations/decisions of the Board and its Standing Committees.
Duties and Accountabilities
• The officer will support the overall governance related activities and engagement in the following areas:
• Lead focal point for one of the Standing Committees including facilitating the strategic preparation, delivery of meetings, recommendations, decisions, agenda and workplan in coordination with committee leadership and in close collaboration with internal relevant internal teams.
• As lead focal point for one of the Standing Committees, supervise the full life cycle of technical, strategic, operational and governance items as they move and evolve from the assigned Standing Board Committee(s) to the full Board including development, drafting talking points and presentations to translate Committee deliberations and outcomes for Board approval, as needed.
• Provide technical support to work of the Board of Directors and to the substantive preparation and servicing of Board meetings.
• Guide and support members of the Board in their understanding and effective performance to facilitate broad engagement and participation in governance activities, through onboarding and positive relationship management.
• Provision of advisory and technical support on governance related matters to internal and external parties, including development, updating and monitoring of compliance with governance related policies and procedures.
• Governance operational and team coordination activities including identifying ways to increase team efficiency and effectiveness through improved ways of working, processes and tools and communications around governance-related matters.
• Lead selected governance strengthening projects as assigned.
Selection Criteria
• University degree in social sciences, law, international development, international relations or other relevant field of study.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience, preferably in an international environment.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and forging multistakeholder partnerships and working with a range of partners (donors, country partners, civil society and multilateral organizations).
• Experience in working in governance or intergovernmental bodies and building relationships in politically-sensitive environments.
• Experience in drafting and producing time-sensitive documents, including corporate governance policies and documentation.
• Proficiency in English is required, working knowledge of French or Spanish would be considered an asset.
Competencies
• Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders.
• Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches displaying a sense of mutuality and respect.
• Integrates WBG perspective into work.
Staff Mobility
Term appointments include, but are not limited to, medical benefits, including dental and vision, Staff Retirement Plan, financial assistance program, life & disability insurance, comprehensive leave policy (minimum 26 days/annum) and parental leave policy (50-100 days).
Diversity and Inclusion
Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence.
This is why we continually search 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, creed, race, color,
ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability.
GPE has a
zero-tolerance policy against all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse and
harassment in line with its PSEAH policy.
Individuals with disabilities may be provided
reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions of the role and
support in receiving other workplace accommodations. Please contact the
DAF-Disability Accommodation Fund at disabilityfund@worldbank.org for further
information and support.
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.