World Bank Young Professionals Program 2016 - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

 NOTE : APPLY ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2015

It is a unique opportunity for younger talent who have both a passion for international development--be it for working in Operations or in some Corporate areas--and the leadership potential to grow in fascinating top technical and managerial roles in the World Bank Group.

The Program is designed for highly qualified and motivated individuals skilled in areas relevant to the WBG technical/operations such as economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, agriculture, natural resources and others; as well as to WBG corporate areas such as communications, information technology, human resources and corporate finance. To be competitive for this highly selective program, candidates need to demonstrate a commitment to development, proven academic success, professional achievement, and leadership capability.

We value diversity in our workplace, and encourage qualified men and women with diverse professional, academic, and cultural backgrounds to apply. Since its inception, the YP program has hired over 1,700 people who hold or have held positions ranging from entry-level to vice presidents and managing directors. It is a unique opportunity to experience development and gain exposure to the World Bank’s operations and policies.

Eligibility

Minimum Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements to be eligible for the Young Professionals Program.

• Citizenship of a member country of the World Bank

• 32 years of age or younger (i.e. born on or after October 1, 1983)

• A PhD or Master’s degree and relevant work experience

• Fluency in English

• Full proficiency in one or more of the WBG’s working languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish is desired but not required.

• Specialization in a field relevant to the WBG Technical/Operations such as economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, agriculture, natural resources, and others.   Note: No positions will be offered in WBG Corporate areas in the 2016 YPP Selection Process.

• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience related to development or continued academic study at the doctoral level.

Additional Qualifications

To be competitive for the limited number of positions, a combination of the following credentials is highly desirable:

• Display a commitment and passion for international development
• Possess outstanding academic credentials
• Exhibit excellent client engagement and team leadership skills
• Have international development country experience
• Be motivated to relocate and undertake country assignments (operational stream)

Program Features

Every year, around 40 applicants are accepted into the Young Professionals Program. Young Professionals are offered a 5-year term contract, spend 24 months in a structured development program, and enjoy a variety of benefits and opportunities.

Professional Experience

Placed directly with their respective hiring teams, Young Professionals are expected to make significant contributions towards the unit’s work program while they gain a broad overview of the WBG’s policies and work. As part of their two-year program and in line with their hiring units’ business needs and Young Professionals interests, they are expected to undertake a “stretch/exposure assignment” where they will gain valuable on-the-job experience.

Selection Cycle

Young Professionals are chosen through an intensive and rigorous selection process.

Competition is keen. We receive thousands of applications each year for a limited number of positions. Most candidates exceed the minimum criteria.

Timeline:

June–September 2015	- Review of applications to ensure that candidates meet the eligibility criteria - Update of status to all candidates (candidates moving to the second round and those who are not moving forward)
October 2015	- Technical review of second round candidates. This review by the potential hiring teams takes a closer look into the application package of the candidates and determines those candidates who will be selected for inteviews.
Mid-November–December 2015	- Update of status to all candidates (candidates invited to interviews and those who are not moving forward) - Setup of the YPP interviews (WBG Headquarters in Washington, D.C.-USA and WBG Office in Paris-France)
December 2015–January 2016	- YPP interviews (see information below)
February 2016	- Decision and offers communicated
September 2016	- New YP cohorts start

YPP Interviews

Evaluation Criteria

We assess candidates based on three main competencies:

Client Orientation

- Commitment to Clients

- Results Orientation

- Integrity and Ethics

Professional Experience

- Technical Expertise (Depth & Breadth)

- Strategic Perspective

- Problem Analysis

Team Leadership

- Teamwork

- Listening and Communication

- Innovation

- Negotiation

Further on, we ensure that candidates have the ability to work in multiple sectors.

Format of the Interview Day

The interview is a full-day event. Those invited to interviews will be asked to come to the WBG from 8 am – 5:30 pm.

The interview consists of:

(1) Interview: a 1.5 hour interview with a panel of three senior technical experts in the field of expertise of the candidate; and

(2) Assessment Center: either a morning or an afternoon 4-hour group assessment center (AC). The group assessment center is done with four other candidates. It consists of a series of individual and group exercises related to an international development case study that is given to the candidates at the start of the AC.

Application Process

The application for the 2016 Selection Process for the Young Professionals Program at the World Bank is opened from June 15 through July 31, 2015.

Before You Apply, please ensure that:

• You meet the minimum requirements for eligibility for the Young Professionals Program
• You have all the information at hand including key dates, an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), Education Certificates/Transcripts, PhD Dissertation/Master’s Thesis topics (short summary), if applicable, and the Application Essay ready to be uploaded.

Application Essay for the 2016 Selection Process

“Reaching the goals of ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity—and ensuring that future generations will share in broader prosperity—is a realistic objective. Citizens around the world are already driving change in their communities and developing innovative ideas to address some of the toughest challenges their countries face. The institutions of the World Bank Group are committed to using their financial instruments, data, knowledge, and solutions to highlight innovations and catalyze this action to end poverty. It will take a global movement to end poverty, and in supporting and working alongside stakeholders around the world, the Bank can fully realize the twin goals.” (Extract from the 2014 WBG Annual Report)

Describe in fewer than 1,000 words your own contribution to these goals, if you were to work for the World Bank Group.

Operation Recruitment Stream: Describe your own contribution and the potential role of World Bank in resolving some of the above challenges. You may focus on a region or set of countries as well as your area of expertise to describe your proposal.

Application Checklist

The application checklist is meant to facilitate your application experience.

• Ensure that you use either Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Internet Explorer 10 or higher as your browser version.
• You will be asked to register for an account and provide an email address.
• You must complete your application in a single session and will be able to submit it only if you have uploaded all the required documents and answered all the questions (all questions marked with an asterisk-*- are required).
• Provide the most current contact information. The information should be valid for a period of one year. In case your contact information changes during the selection process, it is your responsibility to email us the updated information.
• Ensure that you have correctly spelled out your e mail address, since this will be our main channel of communication with you regarding your candidacy.
• Remember to enter your complete phone number (country code + city code + number).
• Please attach the following documents (mandatory):
  • CV
  • Education Certificates/Transcripts
  • PhD Dissertation/Master’s Thesis topic (short summary), if applicable
  • Application Essay
    
    Note that each file should not exceed 5 MB each, and should be in the following format: .doc, .docx, or .pdf
• Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any further changes/updates.
• Applicants will be informed of their status as the process moves along.

Apply Now!