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

Job #	091870
Job Title	Sr Natural Resources Management Specialist
Job Family	Agriculture & Rural Development
Location	Washington, DC
Appointment	International Hire
Job Posted	16-Oct-2009
Closing Date	13-Nov-2009
Language Requirements	English [Essential]
Appointment Type	See Job Description Below

Background / General description

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 5 year renewable term appointment.

The World Bank group is committed to working with member countries to achieve poverty reduction and inclusive and sustainable development. Recognizing the inter-linkages between economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development, the Bank is increasing taking an integrated approach to achieving these goals. A sustainable development network responsible for corporate policy and knowledge sharing was formed  in 2007,  bringing under one vice-presidency the infrastructure, energy, urban development, agriculture and rural development., social and post-conflict, water resources, and environment and natural resource management programs of the Bank. The increasing urgency of addressing the climate change challenge has reinforced the need for an integrated approach. 

The key role that agriculture and rural development plays in achieving the goals of sustainable development and poverty reduction is recognized as a corporate priority, and the Bank is sharply scaling up its work in this area. Bank strategy is grouped around five major themes: raising agricultural productivity; linking farmers to market and strengthening value added; reducing risk and vulnerability; facilitating agricultural entry and exit and rural non-farm incomes; and enhancing environmental services and sustainability.   The Agriculture and Rural Development Department works  as an integrated team, undertaking a mix of innovative work, knowledge development and sharing; outreach both within the institution and with other key research, development and private sector organizations, and cross support to the Bank operational regions. Staff working on the fifth of these pillars include forestry, fisheries, natural resources and livestock staff, who work particularly closely with colleagues in the Water and Environment Departments to advance the natural resources agenda. 

Scaling up our work on natural resources management presents particular challenges, given the public goods nature of the work and the spatial, cross-sectoral, inter-temporal, social and institutional challenges as well as the technical issues.

Duties and Accountabilities

ARD is seeking to recruit a senior natural resources specialist with the following responsibilities 

• Take over technical leadership of ARD’s  watershed and natural resource management program , especially in the context of climate change;
•  Provide technical support to regional operational programs in these areas ;
•  Advance understanding of the role that sound land and water management play in sustainable development and poverty reduction ;
•  Provide technical guidance on the role of soils and soil/moisture management in long term agricultural productivity and sustainability, and on best practices in improved soil/moisture management; 
•  Advance understanding of the linkages between sound ecosystem management and longer term agricultural, livestock, fisheries and woodland/forestry management; 
• Contribute to development of the debate on the role of sustainable land, water and forest management in climate adaptation and mitigation, as part of broader climate resilient growth, and together; 
• Work with organizations within and outside the Bank to advance knowledge and knowledge sharing in these areas.

Selection Criteria

•  Graduate degree (or equivalent) in soil sciences or other relevant agricultural or environmental sciences, and at least eight years relevant experience; 
Recognized as a technical leader as evidenced by peer reviewed publications and professional assignments in an area of land and water management, including the interlinkages between climate variability and sound soil/water management practices; • Knowledge of and experience with biomass and soil carbon assessment methodologies would be a plus;
• Practical experience in watershed, natural resource management, cropping systems, agroforestry  systems and soil fertility enhancement programs; 
•  Experience of working at watershed scale natural resource management and/or cropping systems alongside developing country communities would be a significant plus;
• Familiarity with organizations working on these areas internationally, and with the latest advances in applied research and development, and their applicability to range of ecosystems and country circumstances; 
• Understanding of public administrations and public policy and the role of public institutions at both central and local level in supporting natural resource management. 
• Understanding of political economy and also of the range of stakeholders, including civil society, with an interest in sustainable natural resource management 
•  Strong interpersonal and leadership skills; 
• Proactive, able to handle multiple tasks and work in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams with ease; 
• Interest and experience in knowledge management, in outreach and communications; 
• Excellent report writing and communications skills in English, knowledge of another major Bank language desirable. 


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.

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