WORLD BANK GROUP context
Established in 1944, the WBG is the one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for development solutions. In fiscal year 2014, the WBG committed $61.0 million in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to its members and private businesses, of which $22.2 million was concessional financing to its poorest members. It is governed by 188 member countries and delivers services out of 120 offices with nearly 15,000 staff globally.
The vision of the World Bank Group (WBG) is the eradication of extreme poverty by reducing the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day to 3 percent by 2030, and the promotion of shared prosperity by fostering income growth of the bottom 40 percent in each country. To achieve that vision, in 2013 the WBG Board of Governors approved a strategy for the organization. The strategy leverages the combined strength of the WBG institutions and their ability to partner with the public and private sectors to deliver customized development solutions backed by finance, world class knowledge and convening services. It has three components: (1) maximizing development impact by engaging country clients in identifying and tackling the most difficult development challenges; (2) promoting scaled-up partnerships that are strategically aligned with the goals; and (3) crowding in public and private resources, expertise and ideas.
On July 1, 2014, the WBG launched the architecture underpinning the strategy and instrumental to its success: the new fourteen Global Practices and five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas that, in concert with the WBG regions, will design solutions to address clients’ most pressing developmental challenges, and ultimately, enable the WBG to meet its twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.
The vision of the World Bank Group (WBG) is the eradication of extreme poverty by reducing the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day to 3 percent by 2030, and the promotion of shared prosperity by fostering income growth of the bottom 40 percent in each country. To achieve that vision, in 2013 the WBG Board of Governors approved a strategy for the organization. The strategy leverages the combined strength of the WBG institutions and their ability to partner with the public and private sectors to deliver customized development solutions backed by finance, world class knowledge and convening services. It has three components: (1) maximizing development impact by engaging country clients in identifying and tackling the most difficult development challenges; (2) promoting scaled-up partnerships that are strategically aligned with the goals; and (3) crowding in public and private resources, expertise and ideas.
On July 1, 2014, the WBG launched the architecture underpinning the strategy and instrumental to its success: the new fourteen Global Practices and five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas that, in concert with the WBG regions, will design solutions to address clients’ most pressing developmental challenges, and ultimately, enable the WBG to meet its twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.
COUNTRY Context
Our work program in Mozambique includes a suite of analytical and advisory services, as well as lending operations, covering: service delivery (with its multiple determinants), analysis of the demographic dividend, supply chain management, health financing, nutrition, quality improvement and impact evaluation. Through this package of work, in collaboration with development partners, the World Bank is assisting the country to develop and implement country-led strategies and programs to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
The Bank’s current portfolio in the health sector has one active operation, namely the Health Service Delivery Project (HSDP). The Health Commodity Security Project (HCSP) just closed on June 30, 2014. The HSDP aims to increase access to and utilization of maternal and child health and nutrition services in the three provinces in the North of the country. Jointly financed by the Government of Canada, The Government of the Russian Federation, and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation through Trust Funds, the project supports the government of Mozambique to improve the delivery of essential package of health and nutrition services, through community-based, outreach, population-based and facility-based interventions. The HSDP funding supports training of new and existing health professionals (nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technicians and nutritionists) and community health workers, as well as rehabilitation and construction of health facilities. The HSDP also supports the design of health sector strategic plans as well as studies in the area of human resources, infrastructure, and nutrition. The HCSP was designed to secure the availability of essential medicines, bed nets, and vaccines in the context of the Crisis Response Window funding created by the Bank to protect the social sector from potential disruptions that could originate from the financial crisis. The HCSP has helped to improve the supply of commodities for HIV and AIDS, TB, malaria and reproductive health and helped strengthen the supply chain management.
The HNP team in Mozambique also works with other Global Practices and Cross Cutting Solutions Areas. In this context, the HNP team provides technical support to operations and analytical work led by other practices. The Public Financial Management for Results Program is a new initiative that uses the Program for Results instrument to assist the Government to improve public financial management in the public sector. The PFM for results program supports the ministries of education and health to better plan and utilize resources to improve the quality of health and education services.
The HNP team also works with the Climate Change Cross Cutting Solution Area, which is implementing a Development Policy Operation intended to build climate change resilience in key sectors of the economy including health. The HNP team contributes to this operation by working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to develop and strengthen environmental health policies and programs including climate change in Mozambique. Mainstreaming climate change in the health sector's policy, planning and programming is key to put in place measures and resources to adequately address the health consequences of climate change.
Duties and Accountabilities:
The World Bank’s health team for Mozambique includes one person based in the Mozambique Country Office in Maputo, in addition to staff in Washington, DC. The World Bank seeks to hire Health Specialist with emphasis on the future directions outlined above. The Health Specialist will make intellectually sound and operationally relevant contributions to the World Bank’s work in and support to Mozambique. S/he will have the following main responsibilities as a member of the World Bank’s health team:
•Contribute to improved implementation of the HSDP. Help identify implementation bottlenecks and propose solutions on a regular basis for smooth implementation of the HSDP;
•Work closely with MOH counterparts to follow up actions and activities agreed upon with the Bank;
•Contribute to discussions and liaise with development partners on shared priorities;
•Work with members of the World Bank team for Mozambique, including specialists in procurement and financial management, to resolve issues related to project implementation;
•Prepare and provide support during supervision missions;
•Regularly visit the field at both provincial and district level;
•Write briefs and reports on the status of the implementation of the project.
The work will be substantive in nature, requiring frequent interaction with counterparts in government, as well as Bank colleagues within both the HNP Global Practice and Country Management Unit, and across operational units and sectors.
The Health Specialist will report to the Practice Manager of Health Nutrition and Population for Eastern and Southern Africa. For day-to-day work, on analytical or operational programs, the Health Specialist will be guided by the respective Task Team Leader.
Selection criteria:
•Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, health economics or social sciences.
•Minimum of two years of experience as analyst, coordinator, or specialist in one or more of the following areas: public health program management, public administration in health, monitoring and evaluation, and or operational research.
•Prior experience in an international development institution (public, NGO, or private) is preferred.
•Excellent command of Portuguese, ability to communicate and write in English.
•Integrative skills: Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas and how they are interrelated, able to undertake cross-sectoral approach in project management.
•Health, Nutrition and Population Knowledge and Experience: possesses expertise in health systems, public health nutrition and/or population.
•Teamwork: Proven ability to work in a team and intercultural environment, with minimal supervision.
•Willing to travel to remote areas in Mozambique.
•Field experience in developing countries is a plus.
COMPETENCIES (REQUIRED):
In addition to the above, the successful candidate is expected to demonstrate the following competencies:
•Knowledge and experience in development arena: understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients
•Policy dialogue skills: identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role, under supervision, in the dialogue with the government/ or other stakeholders.
•Knowledge, Learning and Communication: Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignment and shares the knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner, Strong organizational, research, and oral presentation skills.
•Business judgment and analytical decision making: analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work.
•Client orientation: takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
•Drive for results: Takes personal ownership and accountability through hands-on and action-oriented approach to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results.
•Minimum of two years of experience as analyst, coordinator, or specialist in one or more of the following areas: public health program management, public administration in health, monitoring and evaluation, and or operational research.
•Prior experience in an international development institution (public, NGO, or private) is preferred.
•Excellent command of Portuguese, ability to communicate and write in English.
•Integrative skills: Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas and how they are interrelated, able to undertake cross-sectoral approach in project management.
•Health, Nutrition and Population Knowledge and Experience: possesses expertise in health systems, public health nutrition and/or population.
•Teamwork: Proven ability to work in a team and intercultural environment, with minimal supervision.
•Willing to travel to remote areas in Mozambique.
•Field experience in developing countries is a plus.
COMPETENCIES (REQUIRED):
In addition to the above, the successful candidate is expected to demonstrate the following competencies:
•Knowledge and experience in development arena: understands policy making process; distills operationally relevant recommendations/lessons for clients
•Policy dialogue skills: identifies and assesses policy issues and plays an active role, under supervision, in the dialogue with the government/ or other stakeholders.
•Knowledge, Learning and Communication: Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignment and shares the knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner, Strong organizational, research, and oral presentation skills.
•Business judgment and analytical decision making: analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others’ work.
•Client orientation: takes personal responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success.
•Drive for results: Takes personal ownership and accountability through hands-on and action-oriented approach to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results.
Interested candidates are invited to apply to vacancy # 141189 on www.worldbank.org/careers. This vacancy closes on November 17, 2014. Only online applications submitted through our careers site will be admitted. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
