JOB DESCRIPTION

Senior Transport Economist

Job #: req32760 Organization: World Bank Sector: Infrastructure Grade: GG Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English, French Preferred Language(s): Arabic Closing Date: 4/29/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

 

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

The Infrastructure Practice Group is responsible for developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. We, at the MENA Infrastructure Department (IMNDR) are responsible for project lending and policy advisory work in the energy and transport, and the delivery of global units (DD, IPG, Extractives) activities in the region. The department presently comprises three units: (i) an energy unit (IMNE1), (ii) a transport unit (IMNT1) and (iii) an urban, resilience and land unit (IMNU1). Our strategy advocates for smart, green, inclusive, and sustainable infrastructure development solutions to transform and leapfrog MENA economies. The strategy has three pillars: (i) national and regional connectivity; (ii) transition towards low carbon and digital economies and (iii) reforms and private capital mobilization. Our program is based on the MENA transport decarbonization strategy.

The MENA Transport portfolio stands at US$ 2 billion and consists of eight ongoing projects with other under preparation including three projects in FY25. The program also consists of a variety of operations and analytical work across topics such as emergency reconstruction (based on Build-Back-Better principle), economic corridor development, multi-modal transport (with emphasis on Bus Rapid Transit (BRTs), urban and freight rail transport infrastructure and services, and ports), road safety, climate resilience, short-term and sustainable jobs and private sector mobilization. In addition to a strong Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) program in Malta and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabic. The portfolio is complex and requires hands-on support by an additional seasoned senior economist to implement these projects; design new engagements including programmatic approaches and reform policies; and contribute to and expand analytical work such as on the Country Climate and Development Report, Country Partnership Framework, and public expenditure reviews.

Duties and Accountabilities:

1. Lead/co-lead a multi-national staff team in preparing and implementing transport sector operations, supporting the development of the transport program in the MENA region including in fragile, conflict and violent (FCV) country contexts.
2. Lead/co-lead the preparation of sector policies and economic notes, especially in transport connectivity, roads and urban mobility (including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT)) sub-sectors; and contribute to broader cross-cutting issues such as climate change, gender and road and rail safety in transport operations.
3. Lead/co-lead operations, and analytics, encompassing PPPs, SOE reforms, financing instruments, and collaborations with IFC and MIGA.
4. Lead economic analytical activities including modeling tools, corridors, climate, and resilience.
5. Manage complex transport/urban transport operation, including sensitive fiduciary and safeguards issues
6. Participate in strategic discussions with the World Bank country management teams on support to client countries.
7. Lead/co-lead and provide support to the teams in building and maintaining relationships with the client countries and donor community.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree or higher in civil/transport engineering, planning, economics, public policy, or finance with minimum 8 years of professional experience in transport economics, planning/engineering including experience in roads and economic corridor, urban and freight transport, as well as transport decarbonization and climate resilience, green mobility, transport safety and gender.
• Extensive expertise in policy dialogue, transport economics, operations, and analytics, encompassing PPPs, SOE reforms, financing instruments, and collaborations with IFC and MIGA.
• Strong technical and operational skills in the design, delivery and management of sophisticated transport operations and demonstrated capacity to advance and deliver analytical knowledge transport sector in complex environments.
• Proven track record leading activities and functioning effectively as team leader or member of multi-national and disciplinary teams and experience in resolving disputes constructively.
• Strong economic analytical skills working with modeling tools, corridors, climate, and resilience.
• Outstanding ability to engage with sophisticated clients and high-level counterparts to lead a policy dialogue and grow the business.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating with the international community and International Financing Institutions (IFIs).
• Keen interest in bringing innovation and further developing emerging cross-cutting themes such as decarbonization, air quality, private sector participation, and gender. Experience in FCV countries is a plus.
• Outstanding communications skills with proficiency in written and spoken English and French (Arabic is a plus).

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements