External Affairs Officer

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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region:

In Eastern and Southern Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 301 projects totaling around $51.9 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade, and transport, digital, energy, education, health, water, and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved. Are you ready to make an impact? We are looking for dedicated professionals to join our innovative and diverse team to improve people’s lives and help countries build back better after COVID. 

Uganda Context

Uganda has achieved remarkable results in reducing poverty over the past decades, however the  COVID19 pandemic has significantly affected economic developments and worsened the effects of poverty. It is estimated that up to three million people could fall into extreme poverty particularly in urban areas, above the estimated 8.7 million in FY17. 

World Bank Group (WBG) engagement in the Uganda is guided by a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) that is reassessed and renewed on average every five to six years. The Country Partnership Framework 2016 -2021 (extended to 2022) supports the government’s vision of a society transformed from a peasant economy to a modern, prosperous country by 2040. A new Uganda CPF is planned following the preparation of a 2021 Systematic Country Diagnostic. 

The WBG has an active IDA portfolio consisting of 26 operations (21 national and 5 regional) for net commitments of over $4.23 billion. The macroeconomics sector receives the largest share at 17%, followed by the urban sector at 15%. Other sectors include water, social protection, energy, health, education, and agriculture. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/uganda

External and Corporate Relations Vice-Presidency (ECR)

The mission of External and Corporate Relations (ECR) is to help deliver financial and political support for the World Bank Group, strengthen the Bank Group’s role as a global thought leader in development by enhancing and safeguarding its reputation, and supporting operational teams to achieve country outcomes. ECR manages corporate communications and global engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, foundations, private sector, donor countries, and international organizations, as well as employee engagement. ECR also manages strategic communications for the World Bank’s Regions and Global Practices and leads the management of reputation risk.

External and Corporate Relations Africa East (ECRAE)

 

The East Africa External and Corporate Relations Department (ECRAE) manages strategic communications in support of the Bank’s work in Eastern Africa. In particular, the communications program is directed at building understanding and support for the work of the World Bank and ensuring the full spectrum of views and information is brought into the Bank’s decision-making.  The mission of ECRAE is to connect and engage with diverse stakeholders to communicate about the World Bank’s mission to end poverty and boost shared prosperity, promote an informed and evidence-based debate about development in the region, and enhance the Bank’s reputation as an effective development partner for the countries in the region. ECRAE’s key audiences include government officials, think tanks and researchers, business leaders, civil society organizations, development partners, journalists, and internal decision makers within the World Bank.

 

The World Bank Office in Uganda is seeking an experienced, creative, and hands-on External Affairs Officer to steer the country communications program, with attention to providing strategic communications support to complex development projects the World Bank supports in Uganda. The Officer, who will be based in the Kampala, will work with the Uganda country team and the External and Corporate Relations (ECR) professionals in the Africa East (ECREA) region and in Washington DC. He/she will report directly to the ECRAE Manager.

Responsibilities:

The specific duties and accountabilities include:

• Development and implementation of communication strategies: Responsible for planning, design, and implementation of strategies to promote effective communications with external and internal audiences on World Bank-financed operations, research products, and campaigns. Help determine the most effective content and communications interventions to address challenges.
• Risk and issues management on high-risk operations in Uganda, monitor perceptions, track shifts in opinion, and respond to inquiries, publish, and package facts about project goals and milestones, provide political economy analysis including regular monitoring of the media.
• Partnership and stakeholder relations: Identify stakeholders, opinion leaders and influential organizations in Uganda and guide a strategy of engagement with these stakeholders, which may include civil society, parliamentarians, faith-based organizations and business associations. Responsible for convening stakeholder groups for consultations and structured dialogues around projects, knowledge outputs, and country development priorities.
• Production of communication products: Responsible for planning and delivering a range of dissemination products for World Bank’s operational goals, results, and knowledge – ranging from press releases, Op-Eds to web features, brochures, Q&As, briefing notes, speeches, and maintenance of country websites.
• Support operations – As a member of ECRAE business team focused on Advocacy and Stakeholder engagement, provide advice and support to operational teams, as well as input throughout projects cycle, including comments during ROC; and provide other services such as knowledge sharing, capacity building, dialogues, dissemination of research, press briefings, document success stories. As the Country Management Unit (CMU) focal person for issues related to the Infrastructure Practice Group (INF), provide issue management advice and support to support the delivery of related programs.

 

Selection Criteria

 

• Master’s degree with 5 years of relevant experience or bachelor’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience, in a relevant discipline (communication, journalism, international affairs or other related fields).
• Excellent written and spoken command of English, and the ability to convey complex ideas in a creative, clear, direct, and lively style.
• In-depth knowledge of international trends and political/economic issues related to development.
• Strong understanding and experience with digital content and social media analytics.
• Understanding of project management concepts sufficiently to propose and develop drafts of communications plans and strategies with minimal supervision
• Can apply standard project management tools, methodologies, and processes; able to identify and mitigate project risks as well as manage project issues.
• Experience working in an international organization and on development issues.
•  Strong diplomatic, interpersonal, and teamwork skills; sensitivity to working in a multicultural environment.

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