Job Description

E T Consultant

Job #:
req37570
Organization:
World Bank
Sector:
Private Sector Development
Grade:
EC2
Term Duration: 1 year 0 months
Recruitment Type:
Local Recruitment
Location:
Bujumbura,Burundi
Required Language(s):
English, French
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date:
7/17/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

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 World Bank Group’s Finance, Competition and Investment Global Practice (FCI) combines expertise in the financial sector with expertise in private sector development to foster private sector-led growth and help create markets in client countries. Within countries, FCI works with governments to create an enabling environment where financial stability, access to finance and risk management provide a foundation to crowd-in private sector investment, create capital markets, and accelerate equitable growth. FCI comprises close to 800 staff working across more than 120 countries; about one third of FCI professional staff are decentralized to the field working closely with the Country Management Units and in proximity to clients. The Practice focuses on six thematic areas:
•Financial Stability & Integrity (ensuring countries’ financial systems are stable, sound and transparent)
•Financial Inclusion, Infrastructure & Access (strengthening market infrastructures, and ensuring households and firms have access to financial services)
•Firm Capabilities & Innovation (creating the enabling environment for businesses to be competitive, efficient and cutting-edge)
•Long-Term Finance (helping countries deepen and diversify their financial sectors, facilitating long term finance through capital markets, and strengthening the role of institutional investors)
•Climate & Risk Management (supporting countries to become more resilient and able to mitigate the impact of natural disasters combining financial and insurance tools)

In engaging with client countries, the FCI GP focus on the elements of an enabling environment in which financial stability, efficiency and firm-level solutions exist in an integrated way to crowd in private sector resources, support the creation of markets and jobs and accelerate equitable growth. For more information, please visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/fci.

Burundi FCI program

The FCI program in Burundi combines lending and non-lending advisory services and analytics and includes support to activities implemented by other World Bank Global Practices with financial and private sector development thematic issues. The current program and pipeline include the Burundi Jobs and Economic Transformation project, the regional Great Lakes Trade Facilitation and Integration project, and the Regional Emergency Preparedness and Access to Inclusive Recovery MPA. In addition, FCI plays a component lead or co-TTL role with other GPs on private sector development components and activities in other projects and leads or contributes to ASA relevant to private and financial sectors development.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

The ETC Private Sector Development Specialist (based in Bujumbura) will focus primarily on the private sector development in Burundi — although it is expected that the position will also support financial sector operational and policy engagement. Relevant themes include SME development, entrepreneurship, investment climate, value chain//sector development, competitiveness, trade facilitation, job creation, and mobilization of private capital. Roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following main tasks:

Policy dialogue: Contribute to the policy dialogue on private and financial sector development and support the implementation of ongoing FCI analytical and advisory services work with a focus on strong country outcomes. This would be done in close coordination with FCI team colleagues, IFC, other Global Practices, and the CMU, and with guidance from the Practice manager.

Client relations: Help the FCI team to maintain strong strategic relationships with country clients and the CMU and contribute to building the FCI engagement further in line with the sectoral and country priorities.

Support to lending operations: Support the World Bank FCI team on preparation and implementation of lending operations: prepare workplans, prepare missions, support the client on the implementation of the activities and applications of World Bank standards, prepare the implementation and support mission reports, mobilize relevant technical assistance to respond to client’s concerns and address any implementation issues. Those tasks will be done under the supervision of the task team leaders for the relevant lending operations.
Analytical support. Support the development and implementation of high-quality analytical and advisory services, in coordination with the FCI experts. Support preparation and delivery of policy dissemination events with policy makers, stakeholders and private sector. Where applicable, develop technical assistance projects to follow on the analytics and support lending.

Support to Trust Fund implementation: Support implementation of Donor-funded programs and support coordination of implementation activities with donors and country stakeholder. Support the partnership with the donor community and facilitate/participate in formal and informal meetings with key development partners, civil society and other stakeholders.

Communication: Produce technical notes, briefings, presentations, etc. as requested by FCI colleagues and management. Provide written contributions for internal and external communications (in English and French).

Knowledge Management, and Teamwork: Promote synergies across product teams, providing support through trouble shooting, anticipating problems and solving them. Facilitate learning across projects, regions and best practices. Develop effective coordination mechanisms internally with the various Global Practices and externally with development partners and with IFC and contribute on behalf of FCI to activities/projects led by other GPs/units.

Selection Criteria

This ETC position requires a Private Sector Development (PSD) specialist with knowledge of private sector issues and strong client relationship management, technical and operational (lending and ASA) skills. He/she will have demonstrated an ability to manage tasks independently and deliver results on the ground. The following qualifications will be considered:
•Master’s degree and +5 years minimum of directly relevant professional experience in the areas of finance, business, management, economics or related discipline.
•Strong proven track record in at least three of the following areas: SME and entrepreneurship development, investment climate, value chain development, competitiveness, and trade facilitation. This should include expertise in policy reforms and legal/regulatory frameworks. Prior experience on MSME access to finance and financial inclusion will be desirable.
•Proven ability to contribute significantly to conceptualization, design and implementation of good quality projects, and to contribute significantly to major/complex reports or studies to a high standard.
•Possess strong internal and external client engagement skills and ability to collaborate and work across boundaries and learn and bring new ideas in a challenging policy environment
•Strong results focus, demonstrated ability to inspire confidence in senior country officials, and work in a culturally diverse environment.
•A track record of working on teams to deliver high impact projects and activities.
•Verbal and written proficiency in English and in French is required. Strong written communication skills for both policy dialogue and analysis.
•Work experience in Burundi and/or other countries in Southern Africa and an understanding of the broader Africa regional context would be an added advantage.
•Experience working with donors and familiarity with World Bank operations would also be an advantage.

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

As per WBG policy, an Extended Term (ET) appointment is subject to a lifetime maximum of three (3) years. Former and current ET staff who have completed or are in the process of completing their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.

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.