Senior Executive Assistant

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

Regional Context

The World Bank Group serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large growing middle-income to lower income clients, including one fragile state. Despite immense resources, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearly a quarter of the Region's people living in poverty. The Bank's strategy in LCR is focused on five pillars: (a) stimulating growth and improving competitiveness; (b) reducing poverty and inequality; (c) making governments and institutions work for people; (d) providing a platform for tackling global issues (climate change, trade, disease, migration); and (e) reducing risk, whether from extreme weather events, Climate change, crime and violence, or other.    

Country Management Unit and Country Office Context

The Caribbean Country Management Unit (CMU) covers 19 countries, with a total population of about 18 million people, ranging from Sint Maarten (40,000) to Haiti (11 million). The CMU and key staff, including the Country Director and Operations Manager, are based in Kingston, Jamaica.

Caribbean countries benefit from common opportunities, including ocean resources and beautiful landscapes, a well-educated population, a vibrant diaspora, and proximity to larger markets (US, Canada, and Mexico). Some countries have hydrocarbons and mineral resources. The Caribbean is also one of the world’s greatest centers of biodiversity. Caribbean countries also face significant common challenges: their small size leads to diseconomies of scale, unemployment, and high energy costs. They are vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters, and some countries face economic and financial sector weaknesses and high debt. Haiti is a fragile country with high poverty and extreme vulnerabilities. Nearly all the Caribbean countries are facing negative impacts from climate change with rising frequency and severity of natural disasters. The pandemic also had a disproportionate impact on the region’s economy due to its dependence on tourism and remittances.

The World Bank supports the development priorities of Caribbean countries through financing and knowledge services, and also provides reimbursable advisory services in Overseas Countries and Territories. The active program includes a portfolio of about 70 projects with commitments of about US$3 billion in World Bank and Trust Fund financing and 50 advisory services and analytics products. In Sint Maarten, the CMU administers the Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Program Trust Fund, funded by the Netherlands (over US$500 million).

In addition to the Country Office in Kingston, Jamaica, where the Country Director and the Operations Manager are based, the CMU has Country Offices in Haiti, Sint Maarten and in Guyana. A Caribbean CMU anchor unit represents the CMU in Washington, D.C., and supports the overall work program.

The Caribbean CMU is recruiting a Senior Executive Assistant to join our team in Kingston, Jamaica. The Senior Executive Assistant has a leadership role among administrative staff and works closely with the members of the CMU’s Management Team and the Country Director in the delivery of the CMU’s work program.

The Sr. Executive Assistant will have the overall responsibility for managing the quality, timeliness and completeness of administrative and support functions in the CMU. S/he is the first point of contact in our Front Office. S/he must have excellent interpersonal skills, be client and team oriented and contribute to a positive and cohesive work environment. S/he needs to ensure that the CMU complies with Bank administrative procedures and standards.  The duty station for this position is Kington, Jamaica and the ideal candidate will have been living and working in Kingston for at least the last 12 months.

Roles & Responsibility:

1.Leadership and office coordination role

The Sr. Executive Assistant provides guidance, leadership and direction to the Administrative and Client Support (ACS) team to facilitate an effective work environment.  S/he will coach and mentor more junior administrative staff and guide them in their learning needs and ensure that the Country management Unit (CMU) has the required administrative skills needed to cover the demand. 

Administration of Country Office and administrative work program coordination.  The Sr. Executive Assistant assists the Operations Manager ensuring the overall quality of delivery, organization and coordination of office support. S/he ensures flow of communications within the office and acts as a conduit between management and other staff.  S/he participates as a member of the Country Office Management Team. S/he is involved in interviewing, selecting, coaching and mentoring other administrative staff in the CMU and participates in related staffing discussions. 

Office Coordination. The Sr. Executive Assistant will work closely with the Operations Manager to ensure timely coordination of office management functions and maintenance.

2.Support to the Country Director

Screening and managing the Country Director’s communication/information flow.  As the first point of contact, the Sr. Executive Assistant handles e-mails, documents, phone calls and visitors.  S/he determines the nature, purpose, level of importance and urgency of the specific communication, and facilitates appropriate action by bringing it to the Country Director’s attention or redirecting it to the appropriate person for information or action.  S/he prepares correspondence on a range of topics on behalf of the Country Director.  S/he relays processes and handles diverse and often sensitive information, with complete confidentiality and discretion.  S/he keeps others informed as appropriate, by providing relevant information, reports or status updates. S/he keeps track and follows up on related pending tasks/actions requested by the Country Director to the Leadership Team members.

Monitoring and quality control of correspondence coming from the Country Director for signature, comments, decision, or action.  The Sr. Executive Assistant ensures appropriate review by the CMU and/or advisors, checks for completeness of background information and conformity to accepted institutional standards both in the format and language and may be asked to draft correspondence accordingly.

Liaison with senior officials both inside and outside the Bank Group.  The Sr. Executive Assistant undertakes representational duties on behalf of the Country Director to include serving as the first point of contact and liaison with an extensive network of contacts at the most senior levels, both within the World Bank and externally.  S/he provides follow-up on required actions and monitors compliance.  S/he establishes and maintains an effective network of contacts both inside and outside the CMU.

Managing the Country Director’s time by scheduling appointments, meetings, official functions.  As the demand for the Country Director’s time is heavy, organizational skills and sound judgment in prioritizing and coordinating appointments, complex meetings, and other events is essential.  This requires allocating the Country Director’s time according to business priorities, ascertaining whether the Director’s participation or intervention is essential, and determining the appropriate attendance or representation.  The Senior Executive Assistant effectively prioritizes and resolves related conflicts and competing demands.  S/he monitors and follows up on issues and priorities of concern to the Director and ensures that relevant staff members are informed.  S/he handles confidential and sensitive information.  The Sr. Executive Assistant also ensures the timely submission and review of briefing materials and the appropriate follow-up actions, making sure those materials are handy for the Director’s review prior to the meetings.

Planning and preparation of the Country Director’s official travel.  The Sr. Executive Assistant ensures that appropriate members of the management team are consulted on the objectives and timing of the Director’s visits to clients and partners, and the Director’s attendance and active participation at key international conferences, media contacts, interviews, speeches and presentations.