Program Assistant

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Program Assistant

senior · Operations

Program Assistant

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. Visit http://www.worldbank.org/.

Regional Context

The Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region serves twenty two countries across different income groups, of which fourteen are active/potentially active IBRD/IDA borrowers (Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Tunisia, and Yemen), with a total of 251 projects and over $51 bn in total commitment. Eight are users of the Region's non-lending services, mostly on a reimbursable basis (Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates).  The mission of the region is to foster sustainable growth with a focus on job creation and poverty reduction, economic and social inclusion, and good governance. The region attaches importance to creating a supportive work environment based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, and client service, underlined by professional excellence. The region places high value on diversity. The region is organized into seven Country Departments (CMUs), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, and the Development Effectiveness Unit (MNADE).
With an expanded regional strategy, the World Bank aims to help the region weather the current crises, move from stabilization to transformation, unlock its vast economic potential of youth and women, develop its human capital to adapt to global megatrends, and foster innovation (https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena).

Djibouti is one of the smallest countries in Africa, with an area of 23,200 square kilometers and a population estimated at about 990,000. The size of its economy limits its ability to diversify production and increases its reliance on foreign markets, making it more vulnerable to market downturns and hampering its access to external capital. With less than 1,000 square kilometers of arable land (0.04% of its total land area) and average annual rainfall of only 130 millimeters, Djibouti depends almost completely on imports to meet its food needs. As of June 2026, Djibouti’s active portfolio comprised  17 IDA projects worth about US$501 million. The portfolio is focused on energy, transport, digital transformation, education, health, social safety nets, energy, rural community development, slums upgrading and urban poverty reduction, governance, and private sector development, with an emphasis on women and youth. For more information on Djibouti, please visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/djibouti 
 
Joint Program Assistant - GC

Djibouti Country Office

The Djibouti Country Office is seeking to recruit a highly motivated Joint Program Assistant who will report to the WBG Joint Country Representation, Resident Representative. This is a local TERM (3 year) position based in the World Bank's office in Djibouti. 

Under the guidance of the Joint Resident Representative, the key roles and responsibilities include the following support to the Joint Representation Office and WBG teams:

The Program Assistant will be expected to handle a variety of concurrent activities and competing demands in a fluid and fast-paced environment, including the following duties:
 
• Perform with a high degree of efficiency, discretion, autonomy and professional judgment to provide a wide range of assistances to the RR and JRO teams, especially in the areas of managing priorities, and workflow; screening of all in-coming documents; screening, prioritizing and following up on emails, with a high degree of autonomy, as well as correspondences of WBG teams to ensure the smooth delivery of services. 

• Ensure all documents requiring signature are of high quality and adhere to administrative operational guidelines. Routinely prepare correspondence on a range of topics on behalf of the Operations Officer and/or RR and prepare minutes of meetings.

• Keep abreast of and maintain sufficient working knowledge of the tasks being performed in each WB GP / IFC unit with an ability to independently respond to inquiries and exercise strategic thinking and decision-making skills to address clients within and outside the Bank.

• Use judgment, tact, diplomacy, and discretion in answering and/or redirecting inquiries to appropriate sources and in dealing with sensitive or highly confidential matters; make decisions when multiple courses of action are possible.

• Gather and collate materials and prepare mission/event briefing materials and binders for the RR and Operations Officer as need be.

• Ensure smooth operation of office and administrative support by maintaining and coordinating general office procedures and guidelines with support of the program and team assistants and ensuring their dissemination to enable efficiencies and consistency across the front office. Identify potential areas for improvement of FO admin support to the CO and develop solutions, in coordination with the FO admin staff.

• Inspire trust by keeping others informed via timely dissemination of relevant information, reports, etc.

• Establish and maintain an effective network of contacts both within Djibouti, MNC03 and throughout the Bank Group to ensure effective liaison in support of business needs.

• Drafts, reviews, edits, provide quality control of internal and external documents; reviews documents for accuracy and adherence with World Bank guidelines and procedures;

• Coordinate schedules and agendas of operational teams taking priority into account, monitors changes, and communicates the information to staff inside and outside the immediate work unit, including officials outside the bank;

• Capacity to assist in logistical preparation of missions, conferences, seminars, workshops, review budgetary scope, build a database of participants and may be asked to draft event reports, if need be; support other logistics if need be;

• Maintain up-to-date work unit project and other files (both paper and electronic; current distribution lists; phone/addresses list of project/product contacts, and distributes documents for relevant task teams to the main data;

• Assist with any other administrative matters for Djibouti JRO

• Back-up other ACS in the office when needed.

Selection Criteria

Attention: Preference will be given to local talent, that is, applicants who are authorized to work in the duty station for any employer. Internal applicants may apply per existing guidelines.

• Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of seven years of relevant experience with demonstrated experience to supervise work of other admin staff, maturity and professionalism. Experience with international organizations highly valued. Externally recruited candidates must have demonstrated capacity to multitask in a fast-moving space, and the ability to quickly grasp the Bank's procedures/rules/processes, and a commensurate level of maturity/years of managing diverse work environments.
 
Required Competencies

• Technology and systems knowledge – Exhibits excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and proficiency of technology or/and systems relevant to functional area.  Able to coach less experienced staff on relevant technology and systems.
• Management of Tasks – Able to undertake diverse and complex assignments with minimal supervision and resolve competing demands.  Demonstrates good organizational skills, can plan and prioritize own work and work of internal clients (e.g. manage manager’s calendar).
• Institutional policies, processes, and procedures – Demonstrates relevant functional knowledge and understanding of institutional priorities, policies, operational and administrative procedures, and people.  Able to practically apply and guide others in policy application.
• Versatility and adaptability – Demonstrate initiative and motivation to proactively learn new developments in relevant policies, procedures and technology.  Is able proactively identify, prevent and/or solve problems.  Able to participate in change activities and initiatives.
• Demonstrates initiative, independence, and autonomy in addressing client needs in changing business contexts and environments
• Has knowledge of department strategy, vision, and goals and can link them to those of the larger organization. Allocates and prioritizes resources according to areas of most urgent need and greatest impact for the client
• Adopts a collaborative approach to improve overall effectiveness outside one’s department and displays an open, helpful attitude toward others
• Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved
• Demonstrates understanding of and acts to incorporate multiple perspectives
• Frames thinking/actions with a WBG corporate perspective in mind
• Applies creativity, flexibility, and persistence to develop new approaches
• Considers own behavior in context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact on others
• Frames problems and recommends solutions
• Takes ownership for organization of knowledge-sharing and learning activities
• Contributes to the knowledge of the work group and beyond
• Uses feedback to develop self and mentor others
• Build personal and professional networks within and beyond the work group.

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

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.