Deadline: August, 09/2024

The Junior Professionals Associate Program (JPA) offers an exceptional opportunity for recent graduates to embark on a professional journey, providing a three-year contract with valuable work experience within a diverse and dynamic environment and the potential of fieldwork experience. The program is an excellent platform to sharpen your existing skills and to develop new ones, all while gaining a profound understanding of the challenges associated with reducing poverty and fostering shared prosperity on a livable planet.

We will provide you with the opportunity to gain entry-level professional experience in a premier development institution, on an Extended Term Consultant (ETC) contract with benefits. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/careers/jpa 

The following are the minimum requirements to be eligible for the JPA program:

• Be 32 years of age or younger

• Hold a bachelor’s degree

• Be fluent in English

Specific Unit Description – Social Protection and Jobs (SPJ)

The Social Protection and Jobs (SPJ) Global Practice (GP) of the World Bank delivers operational approaches and evidence-based solutions to help individuals and families manage risk, cope with chronic/transitional poverty, and access better livelihoods and jobs. These include:

• Strategy, analysis, financing and design of programs delivering social safety nets/social assistance in the form of cash transfers, public works programs, and fee waivers.

• Advisory and analytical services on the design and delivery of contributory transfers (including old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, disability and survivor benefits), and their fiscal sustainability (including budget support for transitions).

• Analysis, design and delivery of labor market and youth employment programs (with a focus on supply-side interventions and intermediation policies), as well as policy advice on labor market regulations and interventions.

• Strategy, analysis, financing and design of integrated social protection delivery systems (e.g., payments, identification, registries, systems assessments) as underpinnings of effective social programs that can help cope with climatic shocks or underpin fiscal reforms. 

The SPJ GP has a large portfolio in Ethiopia, which includes flagship safety net and jobs programs in the form of the Strengthen Ethiopia’s Adaptive Safety Net Project (SEASN), and the Urban Productive Safety Net Project (UPSNP).

The SEASN and UPSNJP were created as social protection mechanisms with a strong focus on productive inclusion. Today, they support 9.7 million beneficiaries in cities and the poorest regions of the country. Their focus is increasingly on livelihood and micro-entrepreneurship development, as well as on jobs for youth, particularly in urban areas. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support Task Team Leaders /Co-Task Team Leaders with implementation support for the Ethiopia Strengthening Ethiopia’s Adaptive Safety Net (SEASN) and Urban Productive Safety Net and Jobs (UPSNJP) programs currently under implementation as well as the preparation of possible new operations. 

• Support the implementation of the livelihoods and economic inclusion agenda of both UPSNJP and SEASN. 

• Support the Jobs and Youth Employment agenda, enhancing linkages and integration across components and programs.

• Promote digital innovations in the rural and urban Productive Safety Net Programs and support the rollout of the national ID system through safety nets.

• Contribute to and promote the’ Climate smart livelihoods’ agenda in the projects. 

• Contribute to analytical work on key aspects of the livelihood and economic inclusion interventions of the programs as and when required, including drafting proposals and ToRs for additional support. 

• Engage in South-South learning and training as required.

• Support coordination and complementarity with the broader SPJ engagement in Africa and beyond.

Job Requirements

Selection Criteria

• Graduate degree and minimum of master’s level qualification in economics, social policy or related sector

• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience in jobs, skills, livelihoods programs and interventions

• Knowledge of the social protection and jobs agenda including productive inclusion and youth employment

• Strong analytical skills and proven ability to conduct and oversee policy-relevant research, translate theory into practical applications, and adapt professional knowledge and technical skills to analyze, diagnose and propose solutions to policy issues and challenges

• Ability to convey analysis in an easily communicable and compelling fashion, and on often short turnaround times. Demonstrated ability to capture knowledge and communicate main messages in knowledge briefs and policy notes, as well as power point presentations for high-level audiences

• Experience in delivering results in challenging and low-capacity contexts including in Africa would be an assetProven pro-active engagement, forward-looking and independent thinking, as well as initiative that leads to results

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants can apply online using THIS LINK