Business Development Officer

Job #:
req37216

Organization:
World Bank

Sector:
General Services

Grade:
GF

Term Duration:
3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:
Local Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
6/30/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Duties and Accountabilities

As part of the World Bank's regionalization and digital transformation agenda, Integrated Business Services (GCSBA) is evolving its delivery model to provide agile, high-quality services across HQ and country offices. The Business Development Officer will drive this effort - identifying business needs, strengthening local vendor networks, and ensuring regional hubs are equipped with the tools, skills, and systems needed to meet Bank standards in quality, branding, accessibility, sustainability, and confidentiality.

Reporting to the GCSBA Manager and working closely with Program Leads and the Outreach team, this role is pivotal in developing and executing a strategy to expand service reach and operational capacity. The Business Development Officer will align decentralized delivery with centralized standards to enable a more inclusive, responsive, and cost-effective service model.

This position may require travel to Country Offices.

Key Responsibilities

Needs Assessment
• Lead structured engagement with Country Offices to map service needs and identify capacity gaps.
• Compile preliminary vendor inventories in priority locations; highlight sourcing gaps.
• Develop regional rollout and capacity-building plans with measurable targets.
• Analyze data and prepare strategic briefs and presentations for GCS leadership.
• Establish baseline KPIs (e.g., cost, turnaround time, client satisfaction) to guide implementation and scaling.

Vendor Sourcing & Onboarding
• Identify and engage qualified local vendors across service lines.
• Negotiate terms, facilitate registration, and provide onboarding packages including training on branding, accessibility, sustainability, and WBG procurement policies.
• Maintain an up-to-date vendor database integrated with GCS systems for reporting and quality assurance.

Process Alignment & Quality Assurance
• Implement monitoring mechanisms and continuous improvement loops.
• Apply WBG quality frameworks to ensure institutional standards are upheld while leveraging regional delivery models.

Efficiency & Cost Management
• Drive efficiency by optimizing turnaround times and utilizing local market advantages.
• Produce periodic reports on vendor performance, spending, and client satisfaction.

Knowledge Sharing & Capacity Building
• Train regional staff on GCS systems, workflows, and procurement policies.
• Foster cross-regional learning and institutional consistency through knowledge exchange initiatives.

Client Engagement & Outreach
• Analyze the current reach of GCS services and identify unmet client needs.
• Cultivate partnerships with Country Office clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Outreach Team to develop a global plan for client outreach, engagement, and digital communication by region, service, or Organizational Unit; and to promote business services through regionally tailored materials, web content, and multilingual outreach campaigns.

Selection Criteria

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Business Administration, Communications, Economics, International Development, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in outreach, vendor management, or service delivery in an international or decentralized setting, with demonstrated success in building local capacity while maintaining global standards.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Proven ability to translate business needs into scalable strategies and operational solutions.
• Strong understanding of service workflows related to language, creative, and multimedia production (e.g., translation, interpretation, editing, graphic design, photo, video, and print).
• Familiarity with WBG systems, procurement procedures, branding, and accessibility standards.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills; ability to coordinate across cultures and functions.
• Data literacy and analytical skills to assess capacity, monitor performance, and drive informed decisions.
• Fluency in English required; working knowledge of another WBG language (Spanish, French, Arabic, or other) preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Collaborative and client-focused, with excellent interpersonal judgment, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to handle confidential or sensitive information with discretion.
• Adaptability, communication under pressure, and initiative.

WBG Culture Attributes

1. Sense of Urgency - Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking - Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability - Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.

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.