IFC recruits 01 Senior External Affairs Officer
World Bank
Pretoria, South Africa
Senior External Affairs Officer
Job #: req16942Organization: World BankSector: CommunicationsGrade: GGTerm Duration: 4 years 0 monthsRecruitment Type: Local RecruitmentLocation: Pretoria,South AfricaRequired Language(s): ENGLISHPreferred Language(s): Closing Date: 4/27/2022 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC 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 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)
The mission of External and Corporate Relations (ECR) is to help deliver financial and political support for the World Bank Group, strengthen the Bank Group’s role as a global thought leader in development by enhancing and safeguarding its reputation, and supporting operational teams to achieve country outcomes. ECR manages corporate communications and global engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, foundations, private sector, donor countries, and international organizations, as well as employee engagement. ECR also manages strategic communications for the World Bank’s Regions and Global Practices and leads the management of reputation risk.
External and Corporate Relations Africa East (ECRAE):
The East Africa External and Corporate Relations Department (ECRAE) manages strategic communications in support of the Bank’s work in East and Southern Africa. In particular, the communications program is directed at building understanding and support for the work of the World Bank and ensuring the full spectrum of views and information is brought into the Bank’s decision-making. The mission of ECRAE is to connect and engage with diverse stakeholders to communicate about the World Bank’s mission to end poverty and boost shared prosperity, promote an informed and evidence-based debate about development in the region, and enhance the Bank’s reputation as an effective development partner for the countries in the region. ECRAE’s key audiences include government officials, think tanks and researchers, business leaders, civil society organizations, development partners, journalists, and internal decision makers within the World Bank.
In East and Southern Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 301 projects totaling around $51.9 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade, and transport, digital, energy, education, health, water, and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved. Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better after COVID.
South Africa Context:
South Africa has made considerable strides toward improving the wellbeing of its citizens since its transition to democracy in the mid-1990s, but progress is slowing. Public institutions have served South Africa well. The country has a vibrant democratic system, a capable civil service, and a strong and independent judiciary and central bank—as well as a robust media. Nonetheless, South Africa remains a dual economy with one of the highest inequality rates in the world. Progress towards poverty reduction has slowed in recent years, with the $1.90 per day poverty rate increasing from 16.8% to 19.4% between 2011 and 2019. This is partly due to structural challenges and weak growth over the last decade, but increasingly too by labor market developments that demand skills that the country’s poor currently lack. The global COVID-19 health and economic shock has exacerbated South Africa’s long-term structural challenges and made the need for reforms more urgent.
World Bank Group (WBG) engagement in the South Africa is guided by a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2022-2026 , aimed at supporting cooperation with South Africa in its efforts to stimulate investment and job creation as the country recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on lives, livelihoods, and the economy. The CPF is aligned with the Government of South Africa’s priorities as contained in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP), and the country’s long-term vision in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. It is also informed by consultations with a broad range of stakeholders and the findings of both the World Bank Group’s Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD).The South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and ESwatini Country Management Unit (CMU) of the World Bank provides a wide range of financial, knowledge, advisory and convening services to support the countries in addressing complex development challenges in a broad range of sectors including health, education, agriculture, urban development, water and social protection. Engagement in this group of countries is led by the Country Director, based in Pretoria, South Africa, Resident Representatives for Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini.
ECRAE is recruiting a dynamic and seasoned professional to lead the World Bank’s communications in these countries, based in Pretoria, South Africa. This position will report to the ECRAE communications manager in Washington D.C. and will have a dotted line to the Country Director in Pretoria.
Responsibilities
With advanced ability to understand political economy trends, leads in risk identification and mitigation activities in the context of World Bank Group operations and initiatives in the South Africa CMU countries; advises on engagement with specific internal and external stakeholders.As part of the ECRAE regional leadership team, advises management unit and project/program leaders on trends, news developments, or changing/unexpected circumstances that may impact the WBG and its work, and determines appropriate strategic responses. Works closely with the Governance team to develop and share political economy analysis including regular monitoring of the media.Leads development and implementation of communication strategies. Responsible for planning, design and implementation of strategies to promote effective communications with external and internal audiences on World Bank-financed operations, research products, and campaigns. Help determine the most effective content and communications interventions to address challenges.Identifies opportunities for and forges strategic partnerships both inside and outside the WBG to improve dialogue and outreach and to strengthen the WBG’s overall effectiveness and image in the South Africa CMU countries. This includes identifying stakeholders, opinion leaders and influential organizations and guide a strategy of engagement with these stakeholders, Responsible for convening stakeholder groups for consultations and structured dialogues around projects and WBG knowledge outputs. Serves as principal liaison for key stakeholders and media engagement.Oversees planning, coordination, and logistics, often across multiple teams, for press briefings and executive missions, and speeches or broadcast appearances, and other communications-related activities involving external and/or internal audiences.Leads in issue management, risk identification and mitigation activities in the context of WBG operations and initiatives in the five CMU countries. This includes risk and issues management on high-risk operations, monitoring perceptions, tracking shifts in opinion, and responding to inquiries, publishing, and packaging facts about project goals and milestones.Supports the Head of the ECRAE unit in maintaining alignment between the global, regional, and country narratives and messaging.Provides communication guidance to CMU operational teams and government implementing agencies.Supports the preparation of major communications products, including (but not limited to): briefings and speeches for senior management, news releases, background documents, web stories, talking points, Powerpoint presentations, Op-Eds, blogs and audio-video products.Designs campaign-style media and stakeholder engagement plans, coalition building strategies and key messages to position the World Bank on major issues/projects/initiatives and maintains effective relationships with key national and international media audiences. Also manages and provides support to major outreach efforts and launches in the region.Coordinates a team of 3 external affairs staff members and consultants in the CMU, and provides coaching, oversight and review of work of communications outputs.
Selection Criteria
Master’s degree and 8 years of experience in a relevant discipline (communication, journalism, international affairs or other related fields).Excellent written and spoken command of English, and the ability to convey complex ideas in a creative, clear and direct (non-academic) style.Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills, with the ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.Thorough knowledge of and practical experience in full range of communications approaches, tools and methodologies essential to planning, executing, and monitoring communications strategies – e.g., campaign management, media operations, social marketing, opinion research, audience outreach, message targeting, and so on. Ability to plan and successfully implement a comprehensive communications program in support of defined objectives.In-depth knowledge of South Africa’s social, political and development issues with strong current knowledge of key constituencies, their operations, policies, practices and priorities, particularly as they relate to and work with the Bank;Well established network of contacts in both media (global and regional) and among other key constituencies in the region;Good understanding of the Bank, its policies and operations; up-to-date knowledge of current development topics and issues in the region, and ability to identify communications-related risks and opportunities in an international environment.Proven planning and organizational skills. Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills, with the ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.Effective interpersonal skills; proven experience in working as both a leader and a member of team.Demonstrated political awareness and ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and to otherwise cultivate effective, productive client relationships/partnerships and ability to work effectively with internal/external partners in a multicultural environment.Strong understanding and experience with digital content and social media analytics.Strong diplomatic, interpersonal, and teamwork skills; sensitivity to working in a multicultural environment.
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.
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