Program Assistant

Program Assistant

Job #: req32806
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Administration/Office Support
Grade: GC
Term Duration: 2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment
Location: Nepal
Required Language(s): English, Nepali
Preferred Language(s):
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. Please visit: https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/home

The South Asia Region Context The South Asia Region comprises eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) that range in size from India (with a population of over 1 billion) to Maldives (with 0.3 million people). The Region has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6% a year over the past 20 years. It was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis. This strong growth has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements in human development. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell in South Asia from 56% to 16% between 1981 and 2013. Still, the region remains home to a third of the world’s poorest, with 216 million people living below $1.9/day.

The South Asia Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar

Country Management Unit (CMU) Context Nepal is part of the SACSN Country Management Unit along with Maldives and Sri Lanka, with a Division Director and Operations Manager for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Nepal program has a portfolio value at about US$ 2 billion. Nepal is implementing the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with priority in three focus areas: (1) Public institutions and policies in a federalization context, (2) Growth and employment, and (3) Inclusion and resilience. The World Bank country program provides financial support and technical advisory services across a broad range of sectors, with focus in infrastructure, energy, human development services, climate, and disaster risk management. World Bank assistance is channeled through government system for agreed development priorities.

The World Bank in Nepal: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar

The World Bank in Sri Lanka: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/srilanka

The World Bank in the Maldives: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/maldives

This position is for a Program Assistant (PA) in the World Bank Nepal Country Office. Mapped to the Country Management Unit (CMU), Program Assistant will support Global Practices team/Country operations across the spectrum of activities supported by the World Bank in Nepal. This is a Country Office position in Nepal subject to local recruitment under the Nepal Compensation Plan.

Reporting Lines: The Program Assistant will report to the Operations Manager, Nepal.

Duties and Accountabilities:

Project support:

•  Assist TTL(s) with field visits and client interactions on projects; routine mission scheduling; tracking day to day activities for assigned projects; hiring of consultants and firms using appropriate office procedures and systems;
•  Assist team in preparing/drafting variety of standard documents needed for various stages of the project cycle, incorporate agreed comments into documents, quality enhancement for all mail and
  document editing and transmitting to the client including formatting/spell check, monitor and update activity milestones, monitor task budgets, etc.;
•  Carry out full range of office support work, including managing processes and monitoring schedules related to their team’s/unit’s products and tasks;
•  Maintains up-to-date project and other files in the official repository of the World Bank systems;
•  Draft routine correspondence materials, using proper grammar, punctuation and style. Attend meetings, draft minutes and ensures timely clearance and distribution.
•  Identify and resolve diverse issues/problems as they arise, which often requires interpretation of existing procedures and processes.
•  Suggest ways to enhance work organization and effectiveness. Client Interaction and coordination:
•  Coordinate extensively with service units and liaise frequently with team members both at headquarters and in the field, as well as external counterparts;
• Coordinate schedules taking priorities into account, monitors changes, and communicates the information to appropriate staff, inside and outside the immediate work unit, including officials outside the Bank Group;
• Maintains current distribution list, phone/address lists of projects/product contacts;
• Solves non-routine problems (e.g., responds to requests requiring file search, etc.);
• Logistical support for various events, e.g., conferences, workshops, negotiations, etc. Monitor task budget/trust funds for specific projects on behalf of the team.
•  Undertake ad hoc inquiries in standard and non-standard databases; retrieve, manipulate and present data.

Other duties:

• Provide back-up support for other staff and Task Team Assistants/Program assistants on project and administrative tasks in the assigned cluster and across the Kathmandu office, when required.
• Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

Internal:

• Other VP Units within WBG
• Other institutional units
•  Staff in all locations, locally and internationally
• Units providing cross-support

External:

•  Government Officials
•  Senior Executive Officers of other organizations
• External Counterparts
• Consultants

Selection Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree, and at least 5 years of relevant experience.
• Experience, exposure to / understanding of International Organization and their work-program will be preferred.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft and World Bank software applications: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Operations Workspace, etc.
•  Strong spoken and written communications skills in English and Nepali including the ability to speak and write persuasively and present ideas clearly and concisely.

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.