Senior Communications and External Affairs Officer
Job #:
req37608
Organization:
World Bank
Sector:
External Affairs & Corporate Relations
Grade:
GG
Term Duration:
4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment
Location:
Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s):
English
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date:
7/29/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Regional Context
The South Asia Region (SAR: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka) is at a crucial stage of development. Rapid economic growth, driven by urbanization and demographic dividend, has brought down poverty rates, but severe forms of exclusion and disparities based on ethnicity, caste, and gender remain. Rapid growth has also come with congestion and pollution in cities. South Asia is more than other regions affected by changes in temperature and extreme weather. South Asia is also underperforming in exports, has large informal sectors and low female labor force participation rates. Private sector led growth, focused on investments in infrastructure, energy, logistics and cities are essential to generate the jobs needed to employ South Asia's sizeable youth population. At the same time, the region needs to continue building human capital so that South Asia's population is well equipped for the jobs of the future. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar
Communications and External Relations (CER)
The mission of Communications and External Relations (CER) is to help deliver financial and political support for the World Bank Group, strengthen the Bank Group's role as a global thought leader in development by enhancing and safeguarding its reputation, and supporting operational teams to achieve country outcomes. CER manages corporate communications and global engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, foundations, private sector, donor countries, and international organizations, as well as employee engagement. CER also manages strategic communications for the World Bank Group's Regions and technical units and leads the management of reputation risk.
Regional Stakeholder Engagement in CER (CERRS)
The Regional Stakeholder Engagement team manages strategic communications across the seven regions of the World Bank Group driving engagement across regions and country offices to align local efforts with our global strategy.
The work aims to build support and understanding for World Bank Group (WBG) priorities across a range of stakeholders; enhance and protect the reputation of the WBG as a leading development organization; support operational effectiveness and social accountability by sharing development progress, knowledge, and results.
Recognizing that economic and social contexts evolve rapidly, and that communications technologies have revolutionized the ways that information travels, we are building a team of dynamic and innovative professionals prepared to use innovative engagement strategies, traditional and digital tools, including social media and artificial intelligence to shape the debate on development priorities and tradeoffs.
South Asia Regional Stakeholder Engagement Team (CERSA)
The South Asia Regional Stakeholder Engagement team (CERSA) manages strategic communications and external relations in support of the WBG strategic priorities in SAR. It includes communications and external relations professionals both in Washington, D.C. and WBG SAR Country Offices.
CERSA goal is to connect and engage with diverse stakeholders across SAR to communicate about the WBG mission to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet, promote an informed, evidence-based debate about development in the region, and enhance the WBG's reputation as an effective development partner for the countries of South Asia. CERSA's key audiences include government officials, think tanks and researchers, business leaders and associations, investors, development partners, civil society organizations, and journalists.
Senior Communications & External Relations Officer
The Senior Communications & External Relations Officer is a senior member of the Regional Stakeholder Engagement team and serves as a strategic advisor to regional management on stakeholder engagement, communications, advocacy, and reputational risk management.
The position plays a key role in advancing the World Bank Group's regional stakeholder engagement agenda and driving delivery across CER's four business lines: Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Business Marketing, Advocacy & Campaigns, and Risk & Issue Management. The role requires strong strategic judgment, political awareness, and the ability to anticipate risks, influence stakeholders, shape narratives, and mobilize support for development priorities.
Working closely with regional and country management, operational teams, and colleagues across IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA, the Senior Communications & External Relations Officer helps advance a coordinated One World Bank Group approach to external affairs. The position combines strategic advisory responsibilities with hands-on delivery and is expected to lead complex assignments, support priority initiatives, and contribute directly to execution across the regional portfolio.
The Senior Communications & External Relations Officer position is based in Washington, D.C. and reports to CER Manager, South Asia.
Key Responsibilities
1. Stakeholder Engagement
• Lead stakeholder engagement strategies that advance World Bank Group priorities, support country outcomes, and strengthen the institution's influence across the region.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society organizations, media, academia, and other influential actors.
• Lead stakeholder intelligence efforts, including stakeholder mapping, analysis, and monitoring of actors, coalitions, and trends that may affect World Bank Group priorities, reform efforts, or reputation.
• Advise management and operational teams on stakeholder dynamics, political economy considerations, coalition-building opportunities, and engagement approaches.
• Ensure stakeholder insights and external perspectives are incorporated into communications strategies, advocacy efforts, risk management, and operational decision-making.
2. Strategic Business Marketing
• Position the World Bank Group as a trusted development partner by articulating the value of integrated public-private solutions and the One World Bank Group approach.
• Develop strategic narratives, engagement approaches, and communications products that support regional priorities, operational objectives, and client engagement.
• Identify and elevate flagship operations, reform milestones, knowledge products, and success stories that demonstrate impact and generate demand for World Bank Group engagement.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen visibility and understanding of the World Bank Group's work among governments, investors, private sector partners, foundations, and development stakeholders.
3. Advocacy & Campaigns
• Lead advocacy and communications campaigns that support development priorities, reform efforts, and institutional objectives.
• Develop compelling messaging and narratives that translate complex development issues into clear, accessible, and persuasive communications.
• Coordinate regional contributions to corporate and global campaigns, adapting messages and approaches to regional and country contexts.
• Oversee the development of speeches, op-eds, press releases, talking points, digital content, and other communications products for senior management and key stakeholders.
• Help ensure consistent, targeted, and effective messaging across communications, stakeholder engagement, digital, and media channels.
4. Risk & Issue Management
• Serve as a senior advisor on reputational risk and issue management, helping management anticipate, assess, and respond to developments that could affect World Bank Group operations, stakeholder relationships, or reputation.
• Lead or coordinate risk assessments, stakeholder analyses, issue management efforts, and mitigation strategies for sensitive operations, reforms, and institutional priorities.
• Advise management and operational teams on positioning, stakeholder considerations, and communications approaches related to complex or high-profile issues.
• Develop issue briefs, risk assessments, scenario plans, leadership briefing materials, and response strategies to support informed decision-making.
• Monitor political, economic, and social developments and assess their implications for World Bank Group operations, reform efforts, stakeholder relationships, and institutional reputation.
5. Corporate Coordination & Innovation
• Advance One World Bank Group collaboration by promoting integrated communications and stakeholder engagement across IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA.
• Support the development and implementation of the regional stakeholder engagement strategy and help coordinate delivery across countries, institutions, and business lines.
• Drive innovation through creative communications approaches, strategic partnerships, digital engagement, and data-informed communications.
• Promote knowledge sharing and best practices across the regional stakeholder engagement network and contribute to strengthening the effectiveness of the function.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to building capacity across the regional communications network.
Selection Criteria
• Master's degree with at least 8 years of relevant professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, in communications, journalism, public affairs, international affairs, political science, or a related field.
• Experience working in an international environment and strong understanding of global development issues, political economy, and emerging trends affecting developing countries.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, or reputational risk management initiatives in complex institutional environments.
• Strong understanding of World Bank Group operations, development finance, and the opportunities and risks associated with communications and stakeholder engagement in a development context.
• Proven ability to provide strategic advice to senior management and to exercise sound judgment in politically sensitive and high-profile situations.
• Experience engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, development partners, private sector organizations, civil society, media, academia, and other influential actors.
• Demonstrated experience identifying, assessing, and managing reputational risks and issues, and developing effective stakeholder engagement and communications responses.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Proficiency in one or more additional languages relevant to the region is highly desirable and may be required for specific assignments.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to translate complex policy, economic, and development issues into clear, compelling, and audience-focused communications products.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to synthesize diverse information, identify emerging trends and risks, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise initiative, work under pressure, and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively across institutions, cultures, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Commitment to the World Bank Group's core values and culture attributes: Sense of Urgency, Thoughtful Risk-Taking, Empowerment, and Accountability.
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.
Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.
