Senior External Affairs Officer

Job #: req36177
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Communications
Grade: GG
Term Duration:  2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date: 4/8/2026 (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 visit www.worldbank.org.
External and Corporate Relations Vice-Presidency (ECR)
The mission of External and Corporate Relations (ECR) 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. ECR 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. ECR also manages strategic communications for the World Bank’s Regions and Global Practices and leads the management of reputation risk.
ECR Communication & Marketing (ECRCM)
Communications and Marketing at the World Bank Group is a unified, strategic organization representing all areas of the institution. Its mission is to deliver world-class communications and marketing leadership—driving clarity, creativity, innovation, and impact across every audience and channel. Through compelling storytelling, global brand stewardship, and data-driven engagement, the team advances the Bank Group’s vision of creating a world free of poverty on a livable planet. Together, we shape the institution’s voice, strengthen trust and reputation, and connect the World Bank Group’s work to people and partners around the world. 
The Senior External Affairs Officer plays a central execution role in shaping and delivering external communications for World Bank Group senior leadership, with a primary focus on senior leadership travel, high-level engagements, major institutional moments, and driving expansion into new media. Working in close partnership with the External Communications Manager, Director of Communications and Marketing, and president’s and MD’s offices, this role leads the planning, coordination, and delivery of integrated communications tied to leadership engagements and priority initiatives. S/he serves as a key connector across communications, operational, and regional teams—ensuring that media and messaging opportunities are aligned and executed to the highest standard. 
Key Responsibilities
Leadership Engagement Communications: 
• Lead planning and delivery of external communications for the World Bank Group President’s travel, high-level meetings, speeches, and major institutional moments in coordination with EXC and ECR.
• Translate leadership objectives into clear communications plans, deliverables, and timelines that support visibility, impact, and narrative coherence.
• Coordinate messaging, briefing materials, and content across media, digital, and stakeholder channels tied to leadership engagements.
• Ensure communications execution is tightly aligned with the President’s schedule, priorities, and strategic objectives.
Communications Planning and Delivery
• Lead and contribute to integrated communications plans for tentpole moments, campaigns, and high-profile initiatives involving senior leadership.
• Work closely with content, media, social, and regional teams to ensure consistent, timely, and audience-appropriate delivery.
• Oversee execution against plans, proactively managing risks, dependencies, and last-minute changes.
New Media
• Drive the expansion of the World Bank Group’s new media ecosystem, identifying and incubating high-impact opportunities across owned and earned channels—including podcasts, digital-first outlets, emerging platforms, and next-generation content formats.
• Forge and scale strategic relationships with digital publishers, platform innovators, podcast networks, and influential creators, positioning the institution at the forefront of global development conversations and diversifying audiences beyond traditional media spheres.
• Design and oversee platform-specific narrative strategies and growth-oriented content models that translate complex development priorities into compelling, format-native storytelling—leveraging analytics and performance benchmarks to expand reach, deepen engagement, and deliver measurable audience growth.
WBG Coordination
• Engage with regional leadership and regional communications colleagues including media, content, and social teams—spanning the entire World Bank Group—to ensure coherence of narrative, and successful operational execution of leadership trips and tentpole moments. 
• Serve as a focal point across the WBG for information flow related to leadership engagements and special projects.
• Coordinate closely with the president’s office and MD communications leads to support communications for other senior leader travel and events.
• Travel as needed to support presidential visits, serving as the media advance lead and coordinating on‑the‑ground press logistics in close collaboration with the president’s advance lead, security, and country offices.
Special Projects and Other Tasks
• Support delivery of communications initiatives assigned by the External Communications Manager and the Director of Communications and Marketing.
• Step in as a trusted execution partner to the External Communications Manager on time-sensitive or high-visibility projects requiring senior-level coordination and follow-through.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, templates, and playbooks related to leadership engagement communications.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public affairs, international relations, political science, or a related field; or a Bachelor’s degree with additional years of relevant professional experience.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in external communications, public affairs, media operations, or strategic communications, preferably in a global, multilateral, government, or complex institutional environment.
• Proven track record of communications work, including strategic media management, combining traditional and digital strategies. 
• Contacts, experience and skill in managing high-level communications with the media. Relationships and experience in working with NGOs, government officials, international institutions, business groups, and other audiences critical to the Bank's work will also be highly valuable. 
• Demonstrated experience leading communications planning and execution for senior leaders, including high-level travel, international engagements, major speeches, and institutional events.
• Proven track record managing complex, fast-moving workflows involving senior principals, multiple stakeholders, and tight deadlines.
• Experience working in or alongside large, matrixed organizations, with the ability to navigate cross-functional and cross-regional coordination.
• Strong experience translating leadership priorities into actionable communications plans, deliverables, and timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting briefing materials, talking points, backgrounders, and engagement summaries for senior leadership.
• Strong editorial judgment and attention to detail, with the ability to manage sensitive information and exercise discretion.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with senior leaders and colleagues across functions.
• Sound judgment, professionalism, and the ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy while remaining aligned with managerial direction.

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 the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.

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