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Home > Jobs > Employment Opportuni... > Professional/Technical

Job #	082142
Job Title	Environmental Spec. in an ECA Country Office
Job Family	Environment
Location	To Be Determined
Appointment	Local Hire
Job Posted	16-Oct-2008
Closing Date	16-Nov-2008
Language Requirements	English [Essential]; Russian [Desired]; Turkish [Desired]
Appointment Type

Background / General description

NOTE:  WE ARE LOOKING TO RECRUIT UP TO TWO STAFF AGAINST THIS JOB POSITION, DEPENDING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE CANDIDATE POOL.  WE INTEND TO DO AN ECA-WIDE SEARCH, AND THE SELECTED CANDIDATE(S) WILL BE HIRED ON LOCAL APPOINTMENT [2-YEAR TERM] AND LOCATED IN A COUNTRY OFFICE IN THE ECA REGION.

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) staff shares a vision and a set of values that are at the core of their work. In order to meet demands in a rapidly changing Region, the World Bank partners with governments and other stakeholders to: 

•	promote growth and create jobs, 
•	encourage social inclusion and fight poverty, 
•	foster good governance, and 
•	address global needs  

The ECA Region offers customized knowledge and innovative financial products to address these challenges in a timely manner.  

Our Guiding Principles are:

•	 Client centered
•	 Working in partnership
•	 Accountable for quality results
•	 Dedicated to financial integrity and cost-effectiveness
•	 Inspired and innovative

Our Core Values include:

•	 Personal honesty, integrity, commitment
•	 Working together in teams -- with openness and trust
•	 Empowering others and respecting differences
•	 Encouraging risk-taking and responsibility
•	 Enjoying our work and our families 

Mainstreaming environmental safeguards throughout the ECA region

The ECA region has an active program in investment as well as policy based lending, of over US$ 3 billion per year. Particular features include a large infrastructure and energy development program, to help make up for nearly two decades of neglect in maintenance and modernization, and support to incorporating environmental considerations in industrial and urban development, coastal zone management and disaster mitigation. Brownfield remediation, land cleanup and hazardous materials management are also emerging as new focal areas in the region.  Half of the countries of the region are also working towards harmonizing their environmental policies and standards with those of the European Union, within fiscal constraints. Carbon finance is also a growing business area for several of the ECA countries. 

Staff working on environmental safeguards due diligence are fully mainstreamed into the operational work of the department helping integrate sustainable environmental aspects throughout the World Bank’s region lending and AAA program. They spend much of their time working as environment specialists on projects across a range of sectors contributing to develop sustainable environmental lending as well as AAA work in the region under the guidance of the relevant sector managers. They also carry out the safeguards review and related due diligence for various operations, working under the guidance of the Regional Safeguards Coordinator.

The World Bank is seeking to recruit an Environmental Specialist, to be based in a World Bank Country Office in the ECA region, to oversee compliance with World Bank environmental safeguards while building environmental sustainability into project design.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Environmental Specialist under the supervision of the Country Manager and the Environment & NRM Sector Manager will have the following key responsibilities:

•	Ensure the effective integration of environmental due diligence as defined by World Bank safeguards policies as well as international good practice documents (e.g. Equator Principles) into the design, appraisal and implementation of Bank supported projects (environmental lending portfolio, AAA work);
•	Resolve issues with clients and SMU related to the interpretation of the Bank safeguards policies, specially the OP 4.01 on Environmental Assessment under the guidance of the ECA Regional Safeguards Coordinator; 
•	Provide expertise and assistance in conducting projects and programs environmental assessment, review and provide comments on environmental technical reports, participate in preliminary field assessments and supervision of the implementation of project Environmental Management Plans, and ensure the proper implementation of Bank and country/region rules and procedures with regard to environmental management;
•	Provide environmental input in project documents in accordance with the Bank operational policies including PCN, PAD and Decision/Negotiations Packages (including preparation of environmental safeguard policy related documents and providing assistance with proper EA disclosure procedures and requirements);
•	Actively support mainstreaming of environmental issues into technical project designs of engineering projects (e.g. infrastructure, transport, energy, water) in an effective and implementation-oriented manner;
•	Facilitate and maintain effective communication with the local partners, NGOs, civil society, the private sector as well as specialized international organizations in concert with the Bank’s Disclosure Policy and need to harmonize with clients and other IFIs;
•	Substantively contribute to ECA safeguards review meetings and represent ECA on safeguards initiatives as needed;
•	Participate in reviews of country’s environmental management systems and institutions, frequently as part of country systems work, but also as part of broader country analytical work. This would include sectoral assessments (e.g. for the transport sector) as well as assessments of broad programs (e.g. industrial privatization).

Selection Criteria

The candidate should have the following qualifications:

•	Advanced university degree in environmental engineering, physical or biological sciences or related field, preferably with major in one or more of the following areas: environmental protection, water management, natural resources management, and solid waste management; 
•	Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in the environment sector or closely associated sectors and a solid background on technical and scientific methods, skills and information sources of environmental engineering;
•	Understanding of public administrations and their environmental management systems (at central and local level), and how these relate to private sector and public sector led investments with impact on the environment;
•	Demonstrated relevant experience in conducting and reviewing environmental impact assessments and producing environmental management plans for transport,  energy, urban, sanitation, water resources management, and/or pollution management investments in a variety of settings;
•	Field experience in both assessing project site vulnerabilities/risks, as well as supervising/  inspecting/monitoring projects during implementation to mitigate and monitor environmental impacts 
•	Understanding of environmental assessment systems in place in the European Union, other regions of ECA and/or comparable middle-income and developed countries;
•	Experience in coordinating and implementing projects/activities with a wide range of stakeholders, international organizations, development agencies, and NGOs;
•	Strong interpersonal skills relevant to the context of project policy dialogue with governmental officials;
•	Integrative skills to work in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams and ability to build effective working relations with local government, clients and colleagues;
•	Knowledge of Bank safeguard policies would be an advantage;
•	Excellent report writing and communications skills in English; 
•	Language capability in Russian and/or Turkish would be desirable

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