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 (WBG) is one of the world’s largest sources of
development assistance and global expertise for developing countries. WBG
consists of five institutions that specialize in different aspects of
development: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD),
the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World
Bank: the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of
Investment Disputes (ICSID). For additional information, please visit  http://www.worldbank.org

With twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared
prosperity, the WBG works in more than 100 developing economies to improve
living standards and to fight poverty. For each of its clients, the WBG works
with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private
sector to formulate assistance strategies. A network of offices worldwide
delivers the programs in countries, liaises with governments and civil
society, and works to increase understanding of development issues. The World
Bank is owned by 189 member countries whose views and interests are
represented by a Board of Governors and a Washington, DC-based Board of
Directors. With more than 150 offices worldwide, the WBG works 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.

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of
funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources
and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty,
increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that
countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge
knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it
works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting
openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development
information and data.

Legal Vice Presidency. In the context of the
World Bank’s broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under
the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel (SVP-GC), is responsible
for providing legal advice and support to internal and external Bank clients
on operational, advisory, financial, administration, and institutional
matters.

LEGAM provides operational legal support to three regions: (i) Africa
East and Southern (AFE), (ii) Africa West and Central (AFW); and (iii) Middle
East and North Africa (MENA). AFE, AFW and MENA include a mix of low-income,
lower- middle-income, and upper-middle income countries, and several fragile
states. The World Bank work program across Africa is the largest among all
the Regions. The Africa and MENA Regions together represent about 38% of the
World Bank’s net commitments and about 41% of its number of projects in
addition to a robust and complex trust fund portfolio.

LEGAM
invites qualified candidates to apply for a Counsel position based
in Accra Ghana, Pretoria South Africa and Washington, D.C. Please specify
which location you are applying for.

Selected
candidates will work under the general supervision of the Chief Counsel. The
Counsels will be lawyers who can operate independently to handle legal and
policy issues related to the Bank’s work while working collaboratively with
other lawyers within LEGAM and LEG as a whole.

Responsibilities
and Accountabilities

The
Counsel positions require demonstrated ability of rigorous analytical skills,
to work harmoniously in a team, and to exercise good judgment. The level and
quality of these skills will be a determining factor in the selection for the
position, and references will be given consideration in this determination.

The
Counsel will be expected to handle the following areas of responsibility:

– Draft, review, negotiate and
finalize legal agreements under the Counsel’s portfolio.

– Cover a broad portfolio of countries,
providing risk-based advice to clients on legal and policy issues in
operations.

– Identify, assess and provide advice to management and staff under the legal risk management framework being developed, including rating and reporting of legal risks, and serve as a champion as that framework is developed and fully implemented.

– Participate in or lead on initiatives or teams, through coordination of portfolios or programs, management of client relationships, participating in dialogue on corporate priorities and other areas relevant to the assigned functional scope.

– Provide
legal advice to ongoing projects and programs, including reviewing
project and program documents, for adherence to World Bank Group
policies, procedures and business objectives.

– Conduct
comparative legal analyses on a range of issues in operations, identify
legal and policy issues, research for relevant precedents, and propose
appropriate solutions to colleagues and clients.

– Engage in
policy discussions and negotiations with officials internally and
externally, developing relationships with members of the legal
profession and lawyers working in development partner agencies.

– Protect the
World Bank’s interests and promote its goals and values.

– Write and
review policy papers, undertake legal research on topics in an area of
concentration and contribute to dissemination of policy and best practices
in a given field.

– Prepare legal
briefs on diverse topics, as required.

– Work to
advance the LEG VPU’s knowledge management agenda and use of technology;
and

– Perform ad hoc
assignments as requested by the Chief Counsel or designated Lead
Counsel.

Selection Criteria

An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction is required.

Competencies

General Competencies Required

* Excellent legal research,
writing, drafting, analytical and communications skills.

* Excellent
interpersonal skills.

* Experience in
international, commercial or contract law, in transactional legal work
and the preparation and negotiation of legal agreements.

* Excellent
legal drafting skills, including of agreements and legal memos.

* Familiarity in
the use of varied legal research sources (including electronic sources
on the internet) and other databases.

* Proven ability
to operate effectively as a member of one or more teams; must be a
self-starter and collaborate well with others; ability to exercise sound
judgment in recognizing what issues to bring to the attention of the
Chief Counsel and/or another supervising Lead Counsel, and which to
handle autonomously.

* Proven ability
to identify and help manage legal risk, through sound judgment,
determining and escalating risk appropriately, providing risk-based
advice, and guide more junior staff on the same.

* Proven ability
to deal sensitively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments and
build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.

* Ability to
supervise and work with local counsel in a collaborative and collegial
way.

* Ability to
work under time pressure and to manage multiple tasks within tight
deadlines.

* Ability and
willingness to move to a field position in a World Bank country office
within a few years of joining the World Bank based on business needs.

Other
Competencies Required

– Legal
Drafting, Research and Communication:  Proven ability to draft transactional
documentation (e.g., loan agreements or other financial agreements),
briefings and a variety of legal instruments and related documents
independently.  Conducts research
as necessary to acquire insight and information.  Is aware of the need for precision and
focus on quality.  Uses a writing
style that is clear and precise.

– Independence:
Carries out work with due care, preparing accurate documents and
reports, ensuring that pertinent facts are fairly presented without
seeking to obfuscate (either through too much information or withholding
relevant information).  Interprets
information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism
when required.

– Professional
Maturity: Understands others and the reasons for
their behavior. Takes the time to clarifying others’ points of view so
that progress can be made particularly in situations of stress or
conflict. Proven ability to deal sensitively and effectively across
organizational boundaries, as a team member, in multi-cultural
environments and build effective working relations with clients and
colleagues.  Accepts and
implements decisions made by management.

– Legal
Reasoning: Breaks down problems into their component parts.  Articulates the implications of situations
in a step-by-step way.  Remains
objective when reviewing problems or situations to understand the
issues.  Makes sure to seek or
possess all relevant facts.

– Recommends
and takes decisive action:  Applies critical thinking and seeks
inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action
consistent with the WBG’s strategy. Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long-term
implications of decisions. Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been
reached.

– Delivers Results for Clients: Contributes to delivery of results for clients on
complex issues. Sets challenging goals that align with the WBG mission
and is always looking to improve. Understands clients’ most pressing
challenges and contributes to solutions. Takes personal responsibility
for producing high quality work, identifying and informing of risks, and
delivering results for clients.

– Collaborates within Teams and Across Boundaries: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely
response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove
obstacles that may impede execution or overall success. Shares
information and frames thinking/actions with a corporate perspective in
mind.

– Leads and Innovates: Brings new and different insights. Applies critical
thinking to current approaches, identifies areas for improvement, and
tries new solutions that drive results. Considers own behavior in
context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact one has on
others. Operates in ambiguity and changing needs and supports others to
do the same.

– Creates, Applies and Shares Knowledge: Actively contributes to and
readily applies WBG’s body of knowledge for internal and/or external
client solutions. Contributes to the department’s and WBG’s body of
knowledge by applying lessons learned and expertise. Actively invests in
own knowledge and seeks feedback. Builds personal and professional
networks within and beyond the work group.

– Makes Smart
Decisions: Leverages available data
and makes timely decisions. Seeks and analyzes facts, data and lessons
of past experience to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and
others’ work. Applies cost/benefit analysis to meet work program
objectives. Contributes to decision making by providing relevant
risk-analysis. Shows initiative when necessary and makes decisions in a
timely manner within own area of responsibility.

Values, Leadership Potential

– Demonstrated commitment to the World Bank Core Values for WBG and a proven track record of fostering a strong and healthy culture of diversity, inclusion, teamwork, honesty, trust, openness, integrity, and accountability.

– Demonstrated ability to be sensitive to issues around race, gender, ethnicity, inclusion, and intersectionality.

– Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and foster a positive working environment.

– Demonstrated commitment to the Bank’s mission, and ability to work towards WBG’s corporate targets for successful outcomes.

– A strong results-oriented mindset.

Employment Value Proposition

The World Bank Group (WBG) offers comprehensive benefits including a
retirement plan; health (medical dental, pharmacy, vision), life and
disability insurance; generous annual leave, including parental leave, as
well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Please
note that certain benefits may vary based on appointment type (Term or
Extended-Term Consultant/Temporary; HQ or Country Office appointment). 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.

The WBG aspires to remain competitive in all markets by
providing compensation that attracts and retains top talent to deliver on the
WBG mission of reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting
sustainable development.

WBG entry salaries are determined based on the grade, years of
relevant experience and internal comparators. Consistent with our entry
salary methodology, new hires are likely to be offered a salary between the
minimum and midpoint of the salary scale for the advertised grade In addition to the
base-line salary, international staff posted to a field assignment receive
generous field benefits and those at HQ receive expatriate benefits for five
years, provided they are not US citizens or permanent residents.

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

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.