VPU Context:

The WBG Planet Vice Presidency is leading WBG’s efforts to make the planet livable, as a necessary condition for job creation and poverty elimination. It is responsible for getting the right public and private sector solutions to our operational teams and to our clients, and to produce scalable impact.  Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact and business to enable and support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission and specifically: providing guidance on creating more and better jobs, focusing on agribusiness, tourism (nature-based tourism), infrastructure (water) and health (sanitation, nutrition); supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, policy environment, and private sector mobilization; and supporting and accelerating specific targets and commitments such as Mission AgriConnect, Mission Water, Climate Change Action Plan. The VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams.

Farming and Agribusiness Department

The Planet’s Farming and Agribusiness Department works with regions to accelerate the transformation of the food systems through thought leadership and scalable solutions geared toward national and sub-national governments, private sector operators, investors, and financial institutions. This includes strengthening food and nutrition security to reverse rising hunger and malnutrition (healthy people), scaling up development solutions and policies for climate-smart and sustainable food systems (healthy planet), and shaping the food system to deliver better jobs, leveraging innovation and agribusiness investments (healthy economy).

Unit Context: 

WBG Manager Farming and Agribusiness:

The WBG Manager, Solutions and Impact, Farming and Agribusiness, will report to the WBG Director, Farming and Agribusiness, who is accountable to the WBG Vice President, Planet.  The Manager will be accountable for about 30-40 staff. The Department comprises around 85 staff.

Duties and accountabilities:

Solutions and impact

• Ensures quality of WBG lending pipeline and portfolio

• Replicates/ scales high-impact projects & innovations across all WBG products relevant for Farming and Agribusiness;

• Leads roll out of scalable solutions in the regions;

• Shares best practices via WBG Communities of Practice;

• Provides operational support to WBG Regions for accelerating the transformation of the food system, including in the rollout of corporate initiatives such as AgriConnect;

• Curates knowledge generated through WBG operations in the regions to feed into the development of global knowledge products;

• Manages relationships with IFC global corporate clients.

People/Talent Management:

• Models exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforces these qualities in own team and staff;

• Leads, drives and inspires technical excellence within the team and the Department by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients;

• Closely supports and advises staff on their performance, skills development and career planning.

Strategy and Knowledge Management:

• Working closely with the Knowledge Bank Manager, Farming and Agribusiness for Policies and Institutions, mobilizes and leads Solutions and Impact teams and ensures alignment between the two functions of the department: (1) produce, curate, validate, and share knowledge with operational teams, clients, and partners, and (2) capture, scale, and replicate innovations. Monitors the impact of solutions.

• Supports WBG country teams to apply global knowledge and adapt them to local contexts, incorporating complexities of local political economy.

• Promotes innovative and cross-cutting research, as well as the dissemination of technical and experiential knowledge and learning.

• Leads efforts to collect, curate, validate and disseminate agriculture and food data, including contributions to the Data360; and work with partners (e.g. UN agencies) to support data for policy making in farming and agribusiness.

• Helps clients scale proven solutions, and design, implement and deliver training, learning and capacity building programs for staff and clients, including through the WBG Academy.

Resource Management:

• In consultation with relevant stakeholders within the WBG, decides on the best use of internal and external resources for maximum client and developmental impact.

• Is accountable for delivering the agreed-upon work program through cost-effective use of resources (human and budget) within the agreed parameters and in compliance with internal controls and policies, and ensures timely delivery and overall quality of the unit outputs

• Advanced degree (PhD or Master’s degree) in a relevant field including agriculture sciences, agriculture economics, agribusiness or related field and with at least 12 years of relevant experience in the sector.

• Proven operational and development experience, including investment lending, with a strong record of delivering complex operations and policy dialogue across multiple regions and institutional settings.

• Demonstrated leadership and people management skills, including experience managing multi-location and virtual teams, and operating effectively with both formal and matrixed authority.

• Strong strategic orientation and ability to prioritize, streamline, and rationalize activities to maximize impact.

• Adaptability, flexibility, and ability to lead teams for success during periods of change.

• Extensive experience collaborating across boundaries, working across practices, disciplines, and sectors, and in building partnerships with governments, the private sector, civil society, donors, and research institutions to achieve development results.

• Knowledge and experience in one or more relevant thematic areas is desirable, though strong managerial, coordination, and influencing skills are paramount.

• Excellent communication and representational skills, including proven experience engaging with senior stakeholders, media, and external constituencies.

WBG Managerial Competencies