Senior Evaluation Officer

Description

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  Incorporating evaluation assessments and findings into recommendations designed to help improve the development effectiveness of the World Bank Group’s programs and activities, and their responsiveness to member countries’ needs and concerns.
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  Appraising the Institutions’ self-evaluations of strategies and projects and attesting to their adequacy to the Boards.
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  Reporting periodically to the Boards on actions taken by the Institution(s) in response to evaluation findings, and on the measures being taken to improve the overall operations evaluation system including dissemination and outreach activities.
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  Identifying and disseminating evaluation findings and lessons to maximize contributions to the World Bank Group’s learning and knowledge framework and reinforce learning and accountability within the World Bank Group in service of achieving its corporate goals.
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  Encouraging and assisting developing member countries to build effective monitoring and evaluation associations, capacities and systems.
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  Working closely with development partners among donors and developing countries in order to foster international evaluation harmonization, to develop evaluation capacity in developing countries, and to encourage best practice in international development evaluation.

Internal and external contexts

IEG’s work is aligned with the changing internal and external contexts.

Internally, the WBG’s twin goals launched in 2013 for eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner, the organizational change process launched in 2014, the 2016 Forward Look, and the recently launched Maximizing Finance for Development approach are profound changes designed to transform the WBG. Externally, the global community has reached consensus on ambitious post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, and client countries and development partners are demanding increased focus on development impact and results. In this context, as the large IDA 18 replenishment and the recent capital increase for IBRD and IFC afford the WBG the capacity to do more, independent evaluation can play an important role in helping the WBG achieve greater development effectiveness by assessing what works, and why.

Key strategic directions in IEG

Over the past five years IEG has increasingly moved to a strategic selection process for its major evaluations to ensure greater influence of each individual evaluation, and of all of them collectively. IEG continues to pursue two objectives:

1. Achieving the Twin Goals- What Works and Why? Deepening evidence about the results of WBG programs and activities and their contribution to WBG’s strategic priorities and ultimately its twin goals. This objective is addressed mostly through thematic evaluations covering IEG’s three Strategic Engagement Areas (SEAs) which are aligned with the Forward Look, namely: (i) Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth; (ii) Investing in People, especially through Sustained Service Delivery to the poor and bottom 40%; and (iii) Fostering Resilience to Global Shocks and Threats.

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  Scale up of IEG learning and knowledge sharing
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  Continued improvements in evaluation methodology and quality assurance; and
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  Enhanced cost-effectiveness, including productivity improvements, and investment in staff professional development.

Organizational structure

IEG is led by the Director General, Evaluation (DGE), who reports directly to the Board of Executive Directors through the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE). IEG’s organizational structure comprises:

• The Office of the Director General, Evaluation (IEGDG)
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  The Human Development and Economic Management Department (IEGHE)
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  The Finance, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Department (IEGSP)
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  The Knowledge and Communications Department (IEGKC).

Through the VP and Director-General of Evaluation (DGE), IEG reports directly to the Board of Executive Directors.

IEG Sustainable Development (IEGSD)

IEGSD is under the leadership of the Director of Finance, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development (IEGSP) and is responsible for a work program that covers finance, infrastructure, and sustainable development. This includes field evaluations, evaluation insight notes and the validation of micro review reports.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate is required to have the following minimum qualifications, skills, motivation, and personal attributes:

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  Advanced degree in relevant areas of expertise; including transport, energy, water, environment, agriculture or another sustainable development or infrastructure sector discipline; and/or an advanced degree in evaluation methods. Experience in private sector and finance work would be a plus.
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  The successful candidate will have a minimum of 8 years of relevant operational experience in World Bank, other International Finance Institutions, Government, International Non-Government Organizations or the private sector working in developing country contexts, preferably with experience that can be applied to evaluation work. Some experience and/or an aptitude for designing, conducting and leading evaluations.
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  Outstanding analytical aptitude, as evidenced by a strong track record of solid contributions to development project design, implementation and review of projects in the infrastructure and/or sustainable development portfolios.
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  Sound knowledge and understanding of the operational strategies, processes, and instruments.
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  Excellent communication, diplomatic and negotiating skills, with demonstrated strong personal maturity, balanced judgment, and a track record of building and maintaining partnerships with colleagues and clients.
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  Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, capacity to motivate and develop teams, and the ability to operate collaboratively across organizational boundaries.
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  Proactive, inclusive, and innovative, with an open and collegial work style and ability to listen and integrate ideas from diverse points of view.
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  Ability to coach, mentor, develop and empower more junior staff, provide seasoned advice to more senior staff and managers, and work collaboratively with peers.

Job-Specific Competencies:

Evaluation practice: the ability to quickly grasp an understanding and application of evaluation principles to ensure an effective transition to the design and delivery of complex evaluations. Strong practical understanding of how bank operations and sector knowledge can be translated to evaluative judgements of bank projects.

Infrastructure/Sustainable Development Sectoral Operations knowledge: Advanced knowledge of infrastructure and/or sustainable development sectors and their application to development bank operations. Awareness of, and technical skills in a range of Infrastructure and/or sustainable development sectors would be an advantage. Demonstrated capacity to provide intellectual leadership on relevant sectors and on methodological issues and apply these to IEGSD’s evaluation work.

Outstanding writing skills: Demonstrated capacity to write strong evaluation reports under time constraints.

Required G level IEG competencies:

Leading, Managing and Delivering Evaluations - Builds and maintains constructive relationships with the evaluation team, including staff, consultants, advisers, and partners, as relevant, and with other stakeholders. Motivates the evaluation team by sharing information and knowledge, by supporting agreed issues, assisting in problem solving, and by facilitating all stages of the evaluation process. Demonstrates well-developed skills in listening, influencing, meeting facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution with both individuals and groups. Manages and monitors evaluation resources efficiently and effectively, including staff resources, and displays strong leadership and project management skills to deliver timely quality evaluations. Solves problems, using negotiation, conflict resolution skills, and motivational techniques, and develops contingency plans to mitigate risks throughout the conduct of the evaluation. Has a reputation within the Bank for professional expertise and impact on Bank activities. Is in high demand for providing cross-support inputs, providing peer reviews, leading preparation of flagship reports, serving on corporate task forces, and providing training on topics of expertise to staff and clients. Is recognized as an important contributor to the collective intellectual life of the evaluation community within the Bank Group, as evidenced by (for example) active participation in team projects, seminars, recruiting efforts, mentoring younger colleagues, bringing in visiting staff and generally helping colleagues with their research and contacts outside the group.

Lead and Motivate - Encourages and works with others to identify, incubate and implement relevant solutions. Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG's values and mission. Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.

Deliver Results for Clients - Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally and socially sustainable. Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients. Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes. Contributes to enhancing the outcome-orientation of the World Bank Group.

Innovate – Applies evaluation expertise to develop innovative approaches that enhances the quality, credibility, rigor, and utility of IEG evaluations. Keeps abreast of the latest development in the field of development evaluations to continuously improve the rigor of evaluation within IEG.

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect. Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due. Leverages expertise of all team members to ensure successful outcomes. Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG, clients, and partners. Is known across WBG and beyond for their evaluation knowledge and is sought out by colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products. Seeks mentoring opportunities with more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and mentors junior staff. Builds networks across the WBG and as part of external professional groups/networks.

Make Smart Decisions - 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.

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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