Manager, Climate Strategy, Learn. & Ops, Solutions & Impact

Manager, Climate Strategy, Learn. & Ops, Solutions & Impact

Description

The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions driven by a bold vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, we help solve the world’s greatest development challenges. When you join the World Bank Group, you become part of a dynamic, diverse organization with 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide. We work with public and private sector partners, invest in groundbreaking projects, and use data, research, and technology to bring tangible and transformative change around the globe. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

VPU Context:

The WBG Planet Vice Presidency is leading the WBG’s efforts to make the planet livable, as a necessary condition for job creation and poverty elimination. It is responsible for getting the right public and private sector solutions to our operational teams and to our clients, and to produce scalable impact. Its mandate is to deliver knowledge for impact and business to enable and support the WBG to achieve its goals in support of our mission, providing guidance on creating more and better jobs, focusing on agribusiness, tourism (nature-based tourism), infrastructure (water) and health (sanitation, nutrition); supporting foundational infrastructure and human capital, policy environment, and private sector mobilization; and supporting and accelerating specific targets and commitments such as Mission AgriConnect, Mission Water, and the WBG Climate Change Action Plan. The VPU’s objectives in driving outcomes include replicating and scaling effective solutions, enhancing thought leadership and innovation, and delivering timely knowledge to client teams.

Unit Context:

The Planet Vice Presidency’s Climate Department’s role is to accelerate, enable, equip and coordinate WBG teams across all sectors, regions, and functions to integrate climate smart finance for maximum development impact. The Department supports the delivery of the Climate Change Action Plan which, inter alia, commits the WBG to align all of its investments with the Paris Agreement and to have 45% of WBG investments deliver climate co-benefits to complement their targeted development impacts. The department is made up of 6 units, two focused on Policy and Regulation and four focused on Solutions and Impact.

Policy and Regulations units:

• Partnerships for Smart Development & Cross-Sector Expertise

• Analytics & Policy for Adaptation & Mitigation Finance

Solutions and Impacts units:

• Sustainable Finance & Transaction Solutions

• Strategy, Learning & Operations

• Carbon Finance Solutions

• Market Building with Tools & Certifications

Role Summary

The Manager for KTCSL holds a highly strategic role within the One Climate Leadership Team, working in close partnership with the Director on cross-departmental priorities, organizational integration, and operational execution across the World Bank Group. The role requires a senior professional with strong judgment, institutional credibility, and the ability to shape solutions and advance complex strategic agendas. Key responsibilities include leading and managing a multidisciplinary team, driving cross-cutting departmental integration efforts, overseeing strategic climate trust funds and donor engagement, and operationalizing the climate Knowledge Bank through learning, practitioner connectivity, and knowledge dissemination.

In this capacity, the Manager serves as a close strategic partner to the Director, helping manage sensitive cross-departmental issues and translating leadership priorities into coherent operational, staffing, and funding approaches in close coordination with the Director’s Advisor and Front Office.

Leadership and People Management

Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team across functions and locations, with responsibility for setting strategic direction, aligning staffing and work planning with departmental priorities, and sustaining a high-performing and collaborative team culture. The role requires strong people-management and organizational leadership to guide performance, support change, and ensure a newly formed team is equipped to deliver effectively in a complex and evolving institutional environment.

Departmental Integration and Knowledge Bank Operationalization

Lead the department’s integration and Knowledge Bank agenda as a core strategic priority, helping translate the One Climate model into practical operating mechanisms within the department and across the World Bank Group. The Manager plays a critical role in shaping the Department’s coordinated approach to linking global expertise, learning, technical support, and grant resources to regional and country operations.

Trust Funds, Partnerships and Fundraising

Lead and coordinate the department’s strategic trust fund, partnership, and fundraising agenda, strengthening coherence across the climate trust fund architecture within the department and across the WBG, and ensuring alignment between donor resources, operational demand, and departmental priorities.

The role also provides strategic oversight of key climate trust funds and partnership platforms, including the Climate Support Facility (CSF) and Canada-supported climate funds, with responsibility for donor engagement, governance, fundraising, and strengthening coherence across the broader climate trust fund architecture.

Knowledge, Learning and Climate Network Systems

Lead the department’s knowledge, learning, and climate network agenda as a strategic pillar of the Knowledge Bank, ensuring that expertise, operational lessons, and technical tools are more systematically shared and applied across the World Bank Group. The role oversees learning programs, practitioner exchanges, and network systems that strengthen connectivity across global teams, regional operations, and communities of practice, while improving consistency, reach, and operational relevance of climate knowledge and capability-building efforts.

Finance, Portfolio and Operational Management

Provide the Director and leadership team with visibility across budgets, trust-funded activities, delivery pipelines, and operational risks. The role oversees the development of management products, analytics, dashboards, and reporting tools that support decision-making, strengthen transparency and consistency across a complex portfolio, and improve the department’s ability to manage resources and delivery across climate programs and partnerships.

Selection Criteria

• In addition to meeting all Bank-wide Grade GH level position criteria, work in at least two world regions or a combination of regional and corporate assignments is required; field experience is preferred.
• Advanced degree (Master’s or PHD) in a relevant field with a minimum of 12 of years’ relevant experience.

• Experience in the fields of climate, environment and/or mitigation and adaptation considerations of relevant sectors: infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.

• Demonstrated team management skills and experience, managing and motivating staff, delivering program and managing budget.

• Demonstrated leadership experience in complex, cross-departmental and matrixed organizational environments, with proven ability to build consensus, influence senior stakeholders, and drive organizational alignment and change management initiatives.

• Strong strategic judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify institutional and operational challenges and develop practical, innovative solutions in complex environments.

• Extensive knowledge of World Bank Group instruments, operational policies, and procedures, with demonstrated ability to navigate complex institutional processes and apply corporate frameworks effectively.

• Strong track record in donor engagement, fundraising, and partnership management, including experience working with multilateral institutions, sovereign counterparts, philanthropic organizations, and trust fund structures.

• Proven ability to foster operational integration and collaboration across institutional boundaries, including aligning diverse teams, perspectives, and business priorities to deliver strategic and operational results.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex operational workstreams, portfolio oversight, and results monitoring in large and globally matrixed organizations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

WBG Leadership Values and Managerial Behaviors:

• Leadership of Self: Role model the change and values for WBG; Demonstrate courage of convictions, ownership and self-mastery within the organization in accordance to our values.

• People Leadership: Lead and inspire staff to perform and deliver for better results. Help others achieve their fullest potential through coaching and mentorship.

• Collaborative Leadership: Be mutually accountable for entire WBG’s corporate targets and success. Work across WBG and with clients and partners to achieve better results.

• Client Solutions Leadership: Be the leading provider of development solutions for country clients. Provide leadership in both knowledge generation and knowledge sharing.

• Decisive Leadership: Take informed risks and make decisions in a transparent manner resulting in transformative impact for clients. Commit to decision once they have been made.

WBG Managerial Competencies

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.