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

The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB GP) is located within the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Practice Group. We provide expertise, technical assistance and financing to help low- and middle-income countries manage land, sea and freshwater natural resources in a sustainable way to help create jobs, improve livelihoods, enhance ecosystem services, decrease pollution and increase resilience to climate change! Over 360 ENB staff working across the globe help set developing countries on a clean, green growth trajectory for resilient economies and healthy communities.

ENB has five key business lines consisting of lending and non-lending services in (1) Forests, Landscapes and Biodiversity; (2) Blue Economy; (3) Pollution Management, Environmental Health and Circular Economy; (4) Environmental Economics, Policies and Institutions; and (5) Environmental Risk Management.

ENB has three broad and distinct functions:

• Provide clients with lending and non-lending services aimed to support the GP’s key business lines
• Support effective environmental risk management and sustainability by managing risk at the project level and creating opportunities to advance sustainable development, in part through the implementation of the World Bank’s environmental risk management policies; and 
• Work closely with other sectors to mainstream environmental considerations into their policies, strategies, and operations.

The SEAE1 unit, covers three country units (China & Mongolia, Indonesia & Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea & Pacific Islands). We are one of two ENB units in the East Asia and Pacific Region (EAP) and comprise around 40 staff, with 70 percent based in Country Offices. The rest of the team is based in Washington DC. This position would be based in the Suva, Fiji office, working as part of the Papua New Guinea and Pacific Island ENB team.

Country Context

The World Bank member countries of the Pacific Region are the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Five of these countries are considered to be fragile states. The World Bank’s existing portfolio in the Pacific is about 95 projects with a value of US$3.0 billion. New lending is about 14 projects in FY24 with a value of US$428 million. The portfolio is heavily focused on infrastructure development, particularly ports, roads, hydropower, solar power, coastal reinforcement; human resource development, particularly health and education; and natural resource management in such areas as fisheries, forestry and climate change. This candidate would work on the fisheries, biodiversity and climate agendas.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The World Bank Group (WBG) is seeking to recruit a Senior Fisheries Specialist, to be stationed in Suva, Fiji, to support the growing blue economy engagement in the Pacific.

• The selected candidate will report to the EAP SEAE1 Practice Manager based in Singapore and the Country ENB Focal Point based in Sydney, in close collaboration with the Pacific ENB team.

• You will work on projects in a range of Pacific nations, as well as support the Government of Fiji activities, policies, and capacity development to improve fisheries and coastal/aquatic habitat management, strengthen coastal resilience, control aquatic pollution, and to better manage marine resources.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Carry out in-depth technical assessments of fisheries and marine resource management issues in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). 

• Lead or contribute to policy dialogue, staying abreast of policy developments related to fisheries, oceans, and climate change. 

• Communicate and coordinate with government and other partners (regional agencies including fisheries management organizations, NGOs, private sector, international financial institutions and development partners, and more) related to the World Bank’s fisheries, natural resources and environment portfolio with view to achieving impactful results for PIC client countries. This includes coordination with counterparts at technical and policy level, other financiers, to identify and develop innovative solutions to complex sector and development objectives and challenges. 

• Lead and/or support the development and implementation of fisheries and blue economy strategy, operations, technical assistance or analytical work, including participation in design and implementation support missions, and associated fundraising. 

• Develop a personal training program to stay on top of World Bank procedures, and environment and natural resources/climate change research and knowledge. 

• Lead and/or participate in training or knowledge sharing events.

• Lead and/or contribute to analytical reports, including the supervision, coordination and quality control of consultant reports. 

• Work independently under the general direction of the ENB Sector Coordinator. 

• Supply knowledge sharing, dissemination and awareness raising activities with key clients.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) in fisheries/natural resources management, fisheries/natural resource economics, fisheries/natural resources policy or related field.

• Minimum of 8 years of full-time direct professional experience with management, policies and institutions related to fisheries and/or coastal zone management? 

• A consistent track record in strategic engagement experience with multidisciplinary teams, and with senior-level NGOs, international organizations, development partners and/or government. 

• Sound knowledge of policy, technical, institutional and political economy issues in the fisheries, oceans and natural resource management sub-sectors, good understanding of, and prior experience with international agreements and financing instruments.

• Strong operational track record with demonstrated ability to undertake analytical work, review sector policies, and proven track record of ability to integrate analytical work with operations. 

• Demonstrated project management and team leadership experience. Experience with World Bank or other development finance institutions would be an advantage. 

• Collaborative, experienced in working in a broad range of cultural contexts, with multi-disciplinary teams, and with the ability to work independently with limited supervision.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Willingness to travel extensively in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea and possibly to other countries is necessary, including to remote rural areas.

• Other assignments as and when required.

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.