Job Description

Procurement Specialist

Job #: req39045 Organization: World Bank Sector: Procurement Grade: GF Term Duration: Open-Ended Staff (OPEN-OP) Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Brasilia,Brazil Required Language(s): Portuguese Preferred Language(s): Portuguese Closing Date: 11/24/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The Latin America and Caribbean Region (LAC) Procurement Unit (ELCRU) belongs to the Bank’s Prosperity Practice Group (“Prosperity”). ELCRU is under the authority of an Accredited Procurement Manager (APM) for LAC who directly reports to the Prosperity Director for the LAC region, and concurrently to the Bank Chief Procurement Officer (CPO).

The mission of the procurement unit in LAC (also called “PROLAC”) is essentially two-fold: (i) supervising all procurement operations carried by Borrowers and their implementing agencies in the 33 client-countries of the region and (ii) help Borrowers in their effort to reform their public procurement systems to achieve better value for money. The unit helps also to the dissemination and promotion of the overall agenda of the Bank, including for procurement, to implement the Bank procurement change program of March 2025.

The ELCRU unit is highly decentralized with staff in now 5 Country Management Units (CMUs) of the region. ELCRU staff are also present in Washington DC, with the front office of the Procurement Manager. With a total of close to 40 staff, the ELCRU unit supervises a portfolio of more than 18 billion dollars, ranging from infrastructure projects to vaccines. The procurement mission of the Bank is coordinated by a Procurement Coordinator at the level of the CMU, who responds to the APM.

The procurement team (i) works closely with clients to support the development of their public procurement systems and (ii) ensures that procurement under Bank-financed projects is conducted in accordance with loan agreements and fiduciary standards and obligations. For that purpose, the procurement team provides services to internal and external Clients and is responsible for procurement-related work concerning project preparation, implementation support and project supervision.

The Procurement Specialist will be a member of the team that provides support to the CMU of Brazil and will be based in Brasilia. Brazil has the largest Bank portfolio in the region with large infrastructure projects, mostly implemented at the state level, but covers also other sectors.

The Procurement Specialist will be working under the oversight of the World Bank’s Procurement Practice Manager (APM) for the Region, and the supervision and guidance of the Procurement Coordinator for Brazil, to whom the Practice Manager (APM) delegates coordination responsibilities for the CMU. The staff will work in close coordination with the other procurement team members working in the CMU.

Scope of Work:

• Provide technical fiduciary advice on procurement activities and engage in policy dialogue on procurement with client countries.
• Support Brazil in achieving value for money (VFM) in public procurement to enhance service delivery and development outcomes with integrity.
• Implement the procurement change program, including initiating and supervising early market engagement initiatives for incoming projects and contracts.
• Engage with the private sector on a regular basis, exploring new contract methods and models able to facilitate implementation with consideration for Value for Money, liaising with IFC/MIGA colleagues when needed.
• Communicate with the CMU and support portfolio reviews with all aspects related to procurement, enforcing a pro-active approach for complex and challenging projects.
• Develop relationships with government senior officials to advance policy dialogue in procurement.
• Reviewing complaints by bidders and contractors, ensuring complaints are properly addressed, organizing debriefings by the Bank if required.
• Transform policy dialogue into concrete proposals that enhance and strengthen countries’ national procurement system.
• Manage any contingent workforce needed for assisting the Bank in its procurement function including the selection and contracting of procurement auditors or independent procurement specialists.
• Help with the implementation of the procurement professionalization initiative for LAC, participating in the delivery of procurement modules, when required, identifying and following up with certified procurement professionals in the LC6 countries.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in law, procurement, engineering, business administration or equivalent qualification relevant to this position.
• Minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience in public procurement and project procurement with Multilateral Development Banks.
• Proven knowledge of public procurement principles, systems, process and planning, legal frameworks and institutions and approaches to international procurement.
• Experience with large IFI-financed contracts and other relevant model contracts
• Knowledge of all major facets of IFIs procurement policies and practices as applied across a wide range of lending operations at all phases of the project cycle, and ability to address broader issues at sector/country level.
• Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships among clients' business drivers, business operations and objectives and Procurement processes.
• Ability to deal sensitively in a country-specific and multi-cultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
• Languages: Portuguese required / Fluency in English.
• Prior Experience working in Brazil and in Latin America would be an asset.

This internal requisition is open to WBG and IMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/ temporaries). External candidates are requested not to apply. In case an external candidate applies, their application will not be considered.

Participants are advised that the submission of applications as well as the interviews will be in English, and that citizens and residents of Brazil will have priority.

As the World Bank Group continues to evolve, we value candidates who:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
• Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
• Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

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

WBG Five Managerial Competencies Include only for managerial positions

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.