Senior Procurement Specialist Job #: req35292 Organization: World Bank Sector: Procurement Grade: GG Term Duration:ย 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Kingston,Jamaica Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Spanish, Portuguese, French Closing Date: 1/26/2026 (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. Please visitย www.worldbank.org.
Background / General description:
Our institution is organized around global practices (GP) grouped in sectors. The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region Procurement Unit (ELCRU) is part of the newly formed Global Procurement Practice of the Bank which itself belongs to the Bankโs Prosperity Department. ELCRU is under the authority of an Accredited Procurement Manager (โAPMโ) for LAC who directly reports to the Prosperity Director for the LAC region, although its unit serves all sectors of the Bank in the region.
Procurement
The Latin America and Caribbean Region (LAC) Procurement Unit seeks to recruit a full-time Senior Procurement Specialist (locally recruited). The position will be based in Kingston, Jamaica. The term of the respective contract is four (4) years, as per the Bank policy.ย
The mission of the procurement unit in LAC (also called โPROLACโ) is essentially two-fold: (i) supervising all procurement operations carried by Borrowers and their implementing agencies in the 33 client-countries of the region and (ii) help Borrowers in their effort to reform their public procurement systems to achieve better value for money. As part of its mission, the Bank is implementing an ambitious Operational Procurement Change Program, which requires more hands-on support to Borrowers and sustainable engagement with the private sector.
The ELCRU unit is highly decentralized with staff in all the 5 Country Management Units (CMUs) of the region. ELCRU staff is also present in Washington DC, with the front office of the Procurement Manager and most of the staff serving the Caribbean. With a total of 42 staff, the ELCRU unit supervises a portfolio of more than twenty (20) billion dollars, ranging from infrastructure to social projects.
The procurement team (i) works closely with clients to and ensure that procurement under Bank-financed projects is conducted in accordance with loan agreements and fiduciary standards and obligations and support the development of their public procurement systems. For that purpose, the procurement team provides services to internal and external clients and is responsible for procurement-related work concerning project preparation, implementation support, and project supervision.
The Senior Procurement Specialist(s) will be full members of the ELCRU team and will provide services to the Latin American and Caribbean Region. The position will support the Caribbean Region and specifically the Jamaica portfolio.
The Senior Procurement Specialist will directly report to the Practice Manager for the LAC region, who delegates coordination responsibilities to the Procurement Coordinators, who are Senior Procurement Specialists, decentralized in the field.ย
Scope of Work:
โข Work independently on procurement matters in the Bank's fiduciary and service functions' performance, seeking guidance on complex projects/issues from senior procurement staff and the Procurement Coordinator, as necessary.ย โข Employ appropriate methodologies for handling both simple and complex procurement tasks and/or issues.ย โข Support Borrowers in engaging early with potential suppliers or contractors, promoting the use of the new forms of collaborative contracts when possible.ย โข Assisting the unit with identification of procurement processes subject to early business engagement and of potential companies potentially interested in such processes.ย ย โข Working across sectors is responsible for reviewing and handling the technical, commercial, and legal aspects of procurement (in consultation with Legal and Policy departments as necessary) at all stages of the project cycle, including analysis of systemic and other procurement issues, procurement planning, design, implementation and management, and training.ย โข Provide operational advice to clients and Bank staff on concepts, policies, and procedures for international and national procurement.ย โข Participate in missions as sole procurement expert on large projects; assesses procurement implications of project design, evaluates the institutional capacity of the Borrower, and develop suitable procurement plans.ย โข Participate in country procurement assessments, prepare background analysis, collaborate on developing appropriate public procurement legislation and practices and tailors' instruments to meet specific client needs.ย โข Negotiate and resolve difficult procurement issues with Borrower agencies and handle questions/complaints from officials and contractors on bidding and award issues.ย โข Design and conduct workshops to educate procurement professionals in the Bank and Borrower agencies on the Bank's philosophy and approach to procurement, the rationale of its policy framework, relevant procedures, processes, and specialized procurement topics.ย โข Prepare a range of procurement-related documents and reports.ย โข Establish appropriate interaction with country counterparts on sector, organizational, human resources management, financial, economic, and regulatory practices.ย โข Provide guidance and training to junior staff and STEP Focal Points in the Country Office, when needed.
Work implies frequent interaction with Managers and Technical Specialists in the work unit and staff from other agencies, donors, consultants, and borrowers.
Selection Criteria
โข Master's degree with a major in a relevant discipline (e.g., Law, Engineering, Procurement, Finance, Business or Commerce) or equivalent academic qualification relevant to this position.
โข Minimum of eight (8) years of direct relevant professional experience in International Financial Institutions procurement operations and contract management.ย
โข Excellent oral and written communications skills in English, independently preparing a variety of written outputs and editing technical reports.ย
โข Proven past experience working in Latin America and the Caribbean, as a procurement expert.ย
โข Solid understanding of the concepts, principles, and practices governing international procurement, with the ability to translate concepts into operational work, including but not limited to VFM, sustainable procurement, strategic sourcing, market analysis, contract management, etc.ย
โข Understanding of State-of-the-art knowledge of public procurement principles, systems, process and planning, legal frameworks and institutions and approaches to international procurement.
โข Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships among clients' business drivers, business operations and objectives and Procurement processes.
โข Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and ability to work in teams in a multi-cultural environment.
โข Ability to deal sensitively and diplomatically with internal/external contacts at all levels; work independently, prioritizing work, taking initiative, and solving problems; adapt to changing business needs by continuous learning/training.
โข Recognized ability to exercise good judgment and in handling confidential and sensitive information.
โข Demonstrate ability to function under time pressure and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment of changing priorities, with initiative and resourcefulness.
โข Excellent administrative, organizational skills and attention to detail.
โข Knowledge of technology skills, particularly in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
โข Another language such as Spanish, Portuguese and/or French will be an assetย
Note: Applicants must be able to travel frequently.
General Competencies:
โข Client-driven and a sense of personal responsibility for achieving technical quality and timeliness.
โข Ability to solve complex problems involving multiple stakeholders and constraints.
โข Analytical skills to recognize patterns, extract conclusions and strategies out of information coming from multiple sources and in a variety of forms.
โข Results-oriented to act as a trusted, strategic advisor, partnering with clients to deliver results.
Specific Specialized Skills, Knowledge and Competencies:
โข Understanding of the World Bank's business objectives, products, and project cycle.
โข Understanding of political economy, public policy, public systems, and public management.
โข Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of project management tools & methodologies.
โข Ability to manage complex, multi-functional, cross-regional projects/programs including managing relationships with stakeholders & counterparts.
โข Good understanding of risk management.
Note: If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, they will retain their Regular or Open-Ended appointment. If the selected candidate is a current World Bank Group Staff Member with a Term appointment that expires later than the end date of this appointment, they will retain the duration of their current Term appointment.