Operations Analyst Job #: req35533 Organization: World Bank Sector: Operations Grade: GE Term Duration:ย 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Brasilia,Brazil Required Language(s): English, Portuguese Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 2/15/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org
VPU Context:ย
The World Bank Group serves 33 client countries in Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle-income clients to IDA countries to small Caribbean states to one fragile state, and to varying degrees face three key challenges โ low productivity and growth, low quality jobs and low resilience to shocks.ย The region is tackling these challenges with a strong WBG approach, underpinned by selectivity and complementarity between the value added of public and private arms, and in strong partnership with relevant regional development partners.
A. The challenge of low growth. After recovering lost output, the region is returning to pre-pandemic low growth and productivity scenario. After a solid post-pandemic rebound in economic activity (7.2% and 3.9% growth in 2021 and 2022 respectively), GDP growth returned to the pre-pandemic low growth around 2.2% in 2023 and 2024, with a medium-term outlook of 2.5%.ย With an average Gini co-efficient of [0.52] LAC remains also one of the most unequal regions in the world. It is a region where the bottom 50% earn 27 times less than the top 10%. It also represents stark differences in opportunity, a child born today in the poorest 20% quintile in LAC will on average be 17 percentage points less productive than a child born in the richest 20%.
B. The challenge of quality jobs: the need for better quality jobs is paramount, with 6.2% unemployment rates, these low levels mask a deeper issue of job quality. Reflecting stagnating living standards, labor earnings have only grown by 1% or less per year in most countries over the past decade, and some 19% of workers in the region are earning incomes below the poverty line.ย
โข Investing in foundational infrastructure critical to job creation, LAC needs to invest at least 3.1% of GDP in infrastructure investments per year, yet it only invests 2%, which is significantly lower than the world average of 5.4% of GDP. This underinvestment in physical infrastructure, including in key infrastructure sectors (including resilient transport, water, energy etc.) is holding back potential for better jobs. The region is supporting clients by supporting selective transformative infrastructure projects (e.g. urban mobility, regional transport and connectivity).ย ย On human infrastructure challenge, firms in the region continue to cite skills shortages (55% of firms in LAC vs 45% in MIC regions) as a key barrier to growth and job creation. A child born in LAC is expected to reach only 56 percent of their productive potential. Three out of four 15-year olds fail basic math proficiency and cannot read adequately the soft side involves supporting clients revamp their education and health sectors. The region is supporting clients to revamp their education and health care sectors.ย ย
โข The LAC region also needs to foster a predictable, business-enabling policy and regulatory environment. These include ensuring macro stability, eliminating restrictive business regulations in product and factor markets, and improving access to finance, especially long-term capital. Labor market regulations in LAC are noted to be on par with the most restrictive labor market regimes among OECD countries. Further, enforcement of competition policy needs to be supported due to high levels of market concentration in LAC markets: the 50 largest firms in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile have revenues greater than 30% of GDP.ย At 55% of GDP, domestic credit to the private sector remains much lower than EAP (178%).
โข Private capital needs to be appropriately incentivized to support the provision of public goods and investments in key sectors, especially those that have the highest potential to enable and/or create better quality jobs. However, at only 19.8% of GDP, gross capital formation remains lowest among all regions (EAP is at 38% and South Asia at 30%). Private capital mobilization in the region is being held back by shallow capital markets, lack of long-term finance, high cost of capital, regulatory and institutional barriers (including in PPP frameworks). Based on country contexts, the WBG will support investments in productive clusters (energy/mining, value added manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, etc) across the public-private spectrum.
C. The challenge of vulnerability to shocks.ย Building resilience of the countries to shocks, including natural disasters, through contingent financing and other innovative risk management platforms at country and regional levels is critical given the high exposure to climateโrelated disasters and natural hazards. The Central America and the Caribbean have recurrent hurricanes that have impacts on GDP significantly higher than the regional average of 1.7%. Several countries are experiencing deep, long droughts, increasingly intense storms, and floods that disrupt economic activities and affect livelihoods, with impacts on the most vulnerable populations.
Country Unit and Position Context
The WB has 53 active projects in Brazil, totaling $9.2 billion in commitment (including 3 RETFs, $120 million). The countryโs program continues to outperform expectations. In FY25, IBRD approved 16 operations totaling US$3.86 billion. In the first half of FY26, seven projects were approved by the Board, adding US$2.07 billion in new commitments. We expect to deliver an additional US$3.4 billion by the end of FY26. Looking ahead, for FY27 and beyond, teams are already preparing 26 projects worth US$4.8 billion.
Brazilโs GDP growth is projected to moderate to 2.3 percent in 2025, slow further in 2026, and bounce back to 2.3 percent in 2027. Private consumption and services sector growth are expected to slow, driven by moderating labor market gains, reduced government transfers, and rising household indebtedness. At the same time, elevated interest rates and ongoing global uncertainty are likely to constrain investment and exports, leading to a temporary slowdown of GDP growth to 2.0 percent in 2026. Inflation is expected to gradually decline, converging to 4.2 percent by 2027 as the delayed effects of tighter monetary policy take hold. Poverty reduction is expected to be moderate, reaching 19.9 percent in 2027, due to lack of fiscal space for increased social spending and slowing wage growth in services sector, where 80 percent of the poor are employed.
Role & Responsibilities:
The Country Management Unit (CMU) is looking for an energetic, high-performing candidate with substantial operational experience for an Operations Analyst assignment in the Brasรญlia Office. The candidate should be adaptable and flexible with the ability to take on strategic and operational assignments as the need arises.
The Operations Analyst will work in close collaboration with the Country Director, the Operations Manager, and other members of the CMU management and country teams on all aspects of the work program to ensure strategic focus, integration, and consistency across and within the portfolio and pipeline. The Operations Analyst is expected to have strong analytical skills, both quantitative and qualitative to conduct research as needed, analyze operational issues, prepare briefings and develop proposals. The Operations Analyst is also expected to work very closely with clients across sectors, deepening the engagement, responding to client requests, and support problem-solving. The selected candidate will be required to work in presence at the World Bank Brasilia office.
Key tasks include the following:
Country Strategy, Planning, and Program Management
โข Support the design and implementation of the Country Engagement products (CPF, PLR, SCD, Policy Notes, etc), and assess strategic, and thematic issues in relationship with the broader country developments and the WBGโs Jobs agenda and the 3-5-7 approach;
โข Participate as a key team member in providing data and analytical input to inform important strategic activities, including the operations management strategy, and the delivery of the Regionโs MoU;
โข Prepare briefings notes for management and review and contribute to other reports,
โข Assist in country program management, including business planning and work program preparation, WPA budget allocation, monitoring of work program and budget implementation,
โข Contribute to quarterly reviews, progress reporting, and responses to corporate and regional requests, and
โข Participate in the client dialogue with the Brazilian government, actively deepening the dialogue on the Bankโs strategic and operational work in Brazil to enhance business development.
Support to Pipeline, Portfolio management and program Implementation
โข Support the operational work for Brazil, under the leadership of the OM, in particular analyze and monitor portfolio, pipeline and operational performance as part of the operations team.
โข Support the Operations Team as a liaison, coordination, and integration point for the extended country teams on operational questions; provide guidance and advice on operational priorities and strategies as needed; help foster teamwork and cross-sectoral cooperation on program preparation and implementation and contribute to country team meetings and activities,
โข Ensure full compliance with corporate priorities, such as Paris alignment, climate co-benefits, gender tag, MFD and PCE, citizen engagement, and alignment with Corporate Scorecard, and act as focal point for operational teams.
โข Prepare regular analysis of the portfolio, including portfolio driver, trends and projections through the use of Microsoft Office, Standard Reports, Operations Workspace, Power BI and other digital instruments, as needed.
โข Support task teams by providing strategic input to the elaboration of agendas and joining key meetings and events to facilitate interaction and follow up with government counterparts and Bank teams, as needed.
โข Support the Portfolio Management by assisting and organizing portfolio reviews, including the organization and implementation of the Annual Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR), prepare portfolio monitoring reports, and provide follow-up of portfolio review recommendations.
โข Support the teamโs response to ad hoc information requests from internal and external parties (e.g. cooperation agencies and other international organizations).
โข Keep up-to-date information on projects, results, general overview of the portfolio that could be used to prepare other materials such as briefs for senior management, articles, interviews, etc.
โข Help prepare, as needed, country reports and briefings to management (e.g. Annual Meeting Briefs) and external agencies (e.g., minutes of meetings).
โข Able to travel when necessary, within Brazil to support the country and operational teams in the management and supervision of the Portfolio.
โข Support clients, on operational processes and requirements and/or portfolio/pipeline planning and respond to client requests,
โข Cross-support to task teams, including actively participating in missions related to the ongoing program providing guidance to the teams on implementation enhancement and facilitating internal processes.
โข Advise and support the OM on other strategic and operational issues.
Knowledge Program Monitoring
โข Monitor LC5 knowledge program delivery closely by working with OM, Senior Operation Officer, Operation Officer, TTLs and task teams in ensuring quality, timeliness and impact of tasks and take corrective action as needed.
โข Participate in review meetings and, if necessary, advise team on consistency of tasks with country programs, operational processing, quality assurance and providing advice to the CD and OM on strategic, operational and country-sensitive issues.
Trust Fund Monitoring
โข Ensure adequate processing and quality of new TFs proposals,
โข Monitor closely LC5 Trust Fund program implementation by working with OM and Tast Teams in ensuring quality and timeliness of tasks; and take corrective action as needed, and
โข Participate in review meetings and advise team on consistency of TF activities with country programs, operational processing, and quality assurance.
CMU Support
โข Support the CD and OM by preparing notes, briefings, and other communication products for clients.
โข Assist business planning and work program preparation, WPA budget allocation, monitoring of work program and budget implementation, quarterly reviews, and progress reporting in collaboration with the OM and RM.
โข Support the preparation and participate, if required, in high-level visits to the country, including support to South-South exchanges.
โข Support the CMU in responding to corporate requests, and support corporate and regional activities as needed.
โข Support the CMU internally in office management activities and externally in stakeholder engagement.
Client and Stakeholder Relations
โข Contribute to Country Office outreach activities and products (e.g. presentations, reports, briefs, talking points) requiring operational input and/or operational follow up action.
โข Interact with client representatives on issues identified by the CMU team.
โข Lead knowledge sharing with the country office staff on operational matters (policies, new guidelines).
โข Act as a focal point for stakeholders for operational inquiries.
Selection Criteria
โข Minimum Education/Experience: Master's degree in relevant fields (Economics or other Social Sciences, Business Studies, Finance, Law, Political Science, International Relations, or similar filed relevant to the Bank's mission.)
โข Minimum of two years of relevant operational experience with the World Bank or comparable institution, ideally in an operational or advisory role to management, ideally with both public and private experience.
โข In-depth understanding of Brazilโs country context, political economy and client needs.
โข Proven analytical (quantitative and qualitative) and problem-solving skills and proven ability to apply these in carrying out complex operational tasks, identifying issues, presenting findings and recommendations, and contributing to resolution of sector and country issues. Analyzes and identifies portfolio cross-cutting issues.
โข Familiarity with operations issues and broad understanding of links to sectoral policies.
โข Ability to focus on key issues, while not losing sight of the big picture.
โข Proven ability to think independently and demonstrated political sensitivity and mature judgement, with an ability to interpret challenging socio-economic trends.
โข Client oriented, ability to deliver timely and high-quality products in his/her areas of responsibility.
โข Advanced computer programs useful for operational analysis, such as spreadsheets, databases, and graphics. Statistical software knowledge a plus.
โข Excellent communications skills, both in oral presentations and in writing sections of papers, briefs, independent reports, etc. in both English and Portuguese.
โข Capacity to work simultaneously on a variety of issues and tasks, independently adjusting to priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines.
โข Proven ability to think strategically, and to apply this to the design and implementation of strategies, projects and analytical and advisory work, ability to focus on the big picture, with attention to detail.
โข Thorough understanding of operational policies, processes, and procedures, with strong knowledge of World Bank projects, analytical and advisory work, and trust fund operations.
โข Outstanding inter-personal, integrative, and problem-solving skills with proven ability to work effectively in a team and with stakeholders and clients.
Competencies
COS 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 theย World Bankย andย IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.