Junior Professional Associate – Education

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Junior Professional Associates – Program Description

The Junior Professionals Associate Program (JPA) at the World Bank offers recent graduates a three-year Extended Term Consultant contract to gain professional experience and develop skills in a diverse setting, with the possibility of field work. 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. Participants will engage with the institution’s core mission of addressing poverty and promoting shared prosperity and can find more information on the World Bank’s careers page – www.worldbank.org.

The following are minimum requirements to be eligible for the JPA program:
1.Be a national of Tanzania, 32 years of age or younger
2.Hold a bachelor’s degree
3.Be fluent in English

The JPA program at the World Bank is a highly competitive initiative. Candidates who are being actively considered for positions may be required to present academic transcripts and professional references. The World Bank’s Human Resources team and hiring team will reach out exclusively to individuals selected for assessment and interviews.

Specific Unit Description: Education AFR E1 (Eastern and Southern Africa, HAEE1)

The World Bank’s Junior Professional Associates (JPA) program is highly competitive, requiring candidates to submit academic and professional documentation for consideration. Only those selected will be contacted by the Human Resources and hiring teams for further assessment and interviews, with opportunities available across the Bank’s global offices.

The Education Sector Unit for Eastern and Southern Africa (HAEE1) is responsible for policy, analytical and operational work in the education sector in the sub-region. The Unit’s core goals are to (i) expand coverage of early childhood development; (ii) ensure universal completion of quality primary/basic education; (iii) improve learning outcomes, particularly in reading, mathematics, and science; and (iv) expand access to and quality of secondary, technical, vocational, and higher education, with a focus on applied sciences, engineering and technology and strengthening the links between post-basic education systems and labor markets. 

Tanzania has made significant progress in expanding access to basic education and reducing gender disparity at the national level at the primary education over the Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) for the period 2016/17-2020/21 period. However, the human capital index remains low at 0.40, meaning that only 40% of the Tanzanian children born today are expected to reach full potential by age 18 and learning poverty remains high. To support the Government of Tanzania, address the above-mentioned challenges the World Bank is actively engaged in policy dialogue, analytical and operational work using various funding instruments. With an estimated education program size of US$1.45 billion, the World Bank supported operations span pre-primary and primary education, secondary education, technical, vocational, and higher education, with national implementation coverage.
Duties and Responsibilities

HAEE1 is recruiting a Junior Professional Associate (JPA) to fill the role of Education Specialist based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The JPA program offers three-year, non-renewable, and non-extendable job placements throughout the Bank to young professionals (see eligibility requirements: note that candidates must be under the age of 32 before beginning the program). The World Bank offers the opportunity to learn from, and contribute to, global expertise in a range of development topics. 

The HAEE1 JPA will be primarily responsible for the following activities: 

1. Operational Support: The role involves aiding in the development and processing of projects, including drafting, and reviewing essential documents like Project/Program Concept Notes (PCNs) and Project/Program Appraisal Documents (PADs), and supporting project implementation and supervision. This involves assisting with the implementation and supervision of project activities, including the preparation and review of progress reports like Implementation Status Reports (ISRs), to ensure timely and effective project monitoring and evaluation. Special focus will be placed on the tertiary education subsector.

2. Research and Analytical Support: The role includes conducting research on educational sector issues to support operational projects and their documentation, providing analytical support for knowledge products like flagship reports, creating communication tools to summarize ongoing research and operational activities, and collecting and analyzing information on current events in the education sector. Administrative support is also provided, including planning conferences and workshops, organizing mission logistics, and ensuring the effective coordination of project-related events and activities.

3. Support for HAEE1 Practice Manager (PM) and task team leaders (TTLs) working on Tanzania. This involves representing the (PM) and TTLs in country level meetings and providing updates thereafter; participating in country level education events including monthly education development partners and other engagements that enable articulation of World Bank’s strategic objectives and status of ongoing World Bank supported projects and programs; contributing to talking points and other documentation needed to further the education agenda in Tanzania; contributing to country level documentation including the CPIA and other requisite material; and contributing to the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), education business plan and aiding new business development for trust funding. 

4. Dissemination Activities and Portfolio Support: Participation in dissemination activities is required, such as giving presentations to government and private sector organizations and aiding in external dissemination efforts. This also includes preparing materials for public outreach and engaging stakeholders. Additionally, support is provided to the Practice Manager by producing various documents in response to needs, which may include business plans, portfolio monitoring, and summaries of outcomes and impacts.

Selection Criteria

The position is well-suited for a national of Tanzania who is highly committed to improve the education and development status of the people. It offers a chance to engage with the complexities of developing inclusive and resilient educational systems, while providing exposure to aspects of educational development, including curriculum design, teacher training, and climate-related educational interventions. It also allows for the development of specialized expertise in areas such as foundational literacy and numeracy, digital learning tools, educational policy analysis, and project implementation. The ability to travel is a requirement, enabling hands-on experience and collaboration with international and local stakeholders. In addition to the general qualifications of the JPA program, the candidate should meet the following qualifications:

1.A university degree in Education, Development Studies, Public Policy, or a related field, with a preference for a master’s degree.
2.A minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in education or international development.
3.Technical expertise in the development and education sector, with field experience in Tanzania or any other African country.
4.Excellent interpersonal and organizational abilities, client-oriented approach, diplomatic skills, and mature judgment.
5.The capacity to work under pressure, meet strict deadlines, identify systemic issues, and lead the implementation of solutions.
6.The ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment, manage multiple tasks, and adapt to changing needs while staying motivated in a dynamic setting.
7.Research skills in educational sector issues to support operational projects, with excellent analytical abilities, both qualitative and quantitative, and strategic thinking.
8.Fluency in English and Swahili with strong writing and communication skills is desirable.

Diversity and Inclusion

The World Bank continually searches for qualified individuals with a diverse set of backgrounds from around the globe. 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, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Individuals with different abilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions and support in receiving other workplace accommodations.

Poverty has no borders, neither does excellence. We succeed because of our differences and we continuously search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe.