Lead Evaluation Officer
| Job #: | req36456 |
| Organization: | World Bank Group |
| Sector: | Other |
| Grade: | GH |
| Term Duration: | 3 years 0 months |
| Recruitment Type: | International Recruitment |
| Location: | Washington, DC,United States |
| Required Language(s): | English |
| Preferred Language(s): | French, Spanish |
| Closing Date: | 5/3/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC |
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? 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 and promoting shared prosperity. 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. IEG’s Role:The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is responsible for the assessment of the relevance, efficacy, and efficiency of World Bank Group operational policies, programs and activities, and their contribution to development effectiveness. IEG’s evaluations aim to enhance accountability and learning to inform the formulation of new directions, policies and procedures, country and sector strategies, and programs for the World Bank Group’s work.IEG is directly responsible for:• Assessing whether the World Bank Group Institutions’ operational policies, programs and activities are producing the expected results, including global, regional, and other programs in which the Institution(s) is a participant.• 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.• Appraising the Institutions’ self-evaluations of strategies and projects and attesting to their adequacy to the Boards.• 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.• 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.• Encouraging and assisting developing member countries to build effective monitoring and evaluation associations, capacities and systems. • 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.IEG 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:• Office of the DGE (IEGDG);• Human Development and Economic Management Department (IEGHE);• Financial, Private Sector, and Sustainable Development Department (IEGSP); and• Knowledge and Communications Unit (IEGKC).Economic Management and Country Program Evaluation Unit (IEGEC):Within the Human Development and Economic Management Department (IEGHE), the Economic Management and Country Program Evaluation (IEGEC) unit covers four main areas of work:• Thematic Evaluations of the WBG’s Prosperity engagement (comprising the Global Practices of: Economic Policy, Poverty and Equity, Governance, and the FCV Cross-Cutting Solution Area, CCSA): evaluating the relevance and effectiveness of sector and thematic strategies and programs of the WBG in the above-mentioned thematic areas. • WBG Country Program Evaluations: evaluating the relevance and effectiveness of WBG country programs across all regions.• Evaluations and validation of self-evaluations of the WBG’s Prosperity operations (across all regions of the WBG).• Evaluations and validation of self-evaluations of WBG Country Partnership Frameworks (across all regions of the WBG). Duties and Accountabilities:The Lead Evaluation Officer reports to the Manager of IEGEC. They will lead jointly with the unit’s Lead Economist IEG’s work program on Prosperity and Country Programs and Corporate topics and will be directly responsible for Thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations. They will advise the IEGEC manager, IEGHE director and other members of IEG leadership team on Thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations. They will provide guidance to the IEGEC teams working on Tematic, Country Program and Corporate topics and will coordinate closely with the unit’s Lead Economist.The successful candidate will provide quality control for the validation of Implementation Completion Reports (from Prosperity Global Practices) and of Country Learning Reviews. They will lead in Country Program Evaluations and thematic evaluations on topics falling under the Prosperity Practice Group and other Practice Groups. They will be called upon to lead and contribute to IEG corporate level tasks as needed, including reviewing and commenting on other evaluation work.Under the direction of the Unit Manager, the Lead Evaluation Officer will have the following primary responsibilities: Leads – and provides technical advice to staff working on – evaluations of IEGEC and supports the IEGEC manager in supervising evaluation work. • As TTL, leads the design, implementation and dissemination of IEGEC evaluations, including thematic evaluations and other evaluation products, such as Evaluation Insight Notes (EINs), Learning Engagements (LEs) and other IEG products. • Provides strategic advice and technical insight on IEGEC evaluation work led by other colleagues.• Engages on issues such as strategic directions and work program; collaboration with other units in and outside IEG and with development partners.• Leads or participates in evaluations mapped to other IEG units. Provides technical and strategic advice to the IEGEC manager on thematic, Country Program and Corporate evaluations. • Provides advice on evaluation quality, work program, and collaboration.• Supports the strategic dialogue with World Bank Group counterparts and with development partners. Keeps abreast – and informs the IEGEC manager – of strategic developments which are relevant to the work of IEGEC. • Provides technical stewardship and keeps IEGEC staff informed of WBG’s initiatives, including through presentations at IEG staff meetings on the WBG’s strategic direction in these areas and organization of Brown Bag Lunches. • Facilitates generation and exchange of information in the department, to promote cross-unit collaboration and learning. • Reviews and provides comments on thematic evaluations of other IEG units, on behalf of the IEGEC.• Advises on outreach strategies for the unit’s evaluations. • Mentors IEGEC staff by providing technical, professional and career development guidance. • Advises IEG Extended Leadership Team (ELT) on policy developments and emerging issues, including the review of WBG corporate strategies and policy documents requiring feedback based on IEG evaluations.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate is required to have the following minimum qualifications, skills, motivation, and personal attributes: Operational and Analytical Skills:• Master’s or PhD degree in directly relevant area of expertise. Typically, the successful candidate will have 12-15+ years of relevant experience.• Prior experience, both operational and policy-related, ideally in Country Programs, Prosperity, and related sectors and substantial background in analytical work. • Strong familiarity with World Bank, IFC and MIGA operations and ideally in-depth knowledge of Prosperity operations and Country Program products in one or two of the three institutions. Evaluation Skills:• Deep evaluation knowledge and management: awareness and experience in understanding the design and delivery of evaluations, preferably in a multilateral development bank context; or solid experience in overseeing or leading the successful preparation and effective dissemination of highly complex analytical products for maximum impact, combined with familiarity with evaluation principles, criteria and methods. • Personal maturity and balanced judgment: Has an independent mind set, common sense judgement, and the ability to conduct critical, evidence-based assessments. • Experience in engaging on evaluations with operational teams: strong practical understanding of how to engage with operational teams effectively in the design and delivery of evaluations, protecting independence and credibility while promoting learning and ownership from operational staff.Team Leadership and Communication Skills:• Prior experience in successfully supervising a diverse group of highly skilled professionals; demonstrated capacity to motivate and develop teams. Ability to coach, mentor, develop and empower more junior staff, to provide seasoned advice to more senior staff and managers, and to work collaboratively with peers.• Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, and ability to operate collaboratively across organizational boundaries. Proactive, inclusive and innovative, with an open and collegial work style and ability to listen and integrate ideas from diverse points of view.• 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.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
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.
