Senior Human Resources Business Partner at World Bank Group

The Senior HR Business Partner provides advisory services to Africa Region units and leadership teams and contributes to business and talent strategy, career management framework, policy formulation and implementation of people management related agenda.  Under general guidance, s/he is expected to routinely lead complex projects and integrate the work of other professional staff, contribute to strategy, analysis and policy formulation and interact with clients at policy level.  S/he possesses broad-based knowledge and extensive experience in all major facets of HR management, current and emerging trends and practices; and in-depth knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Strategic and thinking partners:
• Establish close partnership with clients in thinking strategically about business model and in providing scenarios to support business strategies and direction;
• Provide in-depth analysis and insight on available and needed talent to deliver on the business at hand- taking into account local cultural context;
• Provide guidance on change process and engagements;
• Partner in implementation; and provide advice on the necessary capacity building for staff affected by possible shifts.
• Fact based Analysis and Work Force Planning and Management:
• Proactive use of HR analytics to effectively map out the staffing landscape and trends in the client area;
• Partner with managers in developing their talent strategies and create an effective and holistic framework, such as help create explicit line of sight, fact find and analyze talent landscape and hiring behaviors, advise on staff development and succession planning, help establish staffing levels, skills mix, and work force diversity and advances corporate goals, including support to job definition and selection of candidates, reassignment, mobility issues, and exit strategies and processes;
• In-depth understanding of the clients' business and respective model, and sound identification of the emerging HR implication and decisions that affect people.
• Policy Advice:
• Advise staff and managers on HR policies and practices;
• Provide expert level strategic advice to develop innovative HR approaches and solutions to complex problems. Using sound judgment, consulting with others and leveraging HR resources as appropriate;
• Contribute to policy development by actively working with the Policy Unit on the need to adjust policy and by contributing to policy reviews.
• Management of Talent and Performance:
• Support client managers and staff in proactive talent and performance management throughout the year providing expert advice on motivating staff for optimal performance, on support to staff with performance deficiencies, on establishing clear performance expectations and continuous feedback and feed forward;
• Advise managers on developing a high performance culture;
• Advise client managers on talent identification and career development options;
• Provide expert level of support on managing complex cases (e.g. performance, health and exit)
• Assist in identification of learning and development needs, and as required, design and implementation of capacity building interventions, provide advice on professional development and career related issues;
• Mentor junior staff.
• Organizational Effectiveness Business Consulting:
• Contribute to Corporate HR programs and deliverables;
• Advise and support managers in the design and implementation of organizational effectiveness interventions, facilitation and development of high-performing teams;
• Lead teams and or participate as a team member on HR projects, working groups, task forces, etc. in the client area and or at corporate level;
• Leverage HR resources within the Bank as required to support effective HR management;
• Develop sound understanding of the Bank operational business to support the managers and staff in establishment, leadership, development and management of high-performing units and teams;
• Support the effective functioning of the Bank's matrix organization at all levels of the institution.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Public Sector Management, or related disciplines; and eight or more years of relevant HR experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• HR Functional Excellence - Knowledgeable about HR best practices, demonstrates command of institutional HR policies, priorities and practices. Tailors HR advice based on client needs in support of business needs. Able to develop innovative HR solutions to complex problems;
• Business Acumen In-depth understanding and knowledge of the Bank's business, the working of Matrix organization, line of sight between clients' business strategy and direction, and capacity to deliver on work programs.
• HR Policy Acumen - Demonstrate command of institutional HR policies. Advises and provides integrated approaches to policy development initiatives. Resolves complex issues that lack precedent. Initiates policy discussion and policy revision initiatives;
• Staffing, Workforce Planning, and Analytics - Able to advise and assist client managers in moderately complex issues related to strategic staffing, such as skills mix, staffing levels, recruitment, reassignments, exit strategies, and processes;
• Development and Performance Ability to roll out the annual Talent and Performance Management cycle. Undertakes skill learning needs assessment and design and implements customized capacity-building engagements.
• Manage Organizational Change. Lead, contribute and project manage the implementation of clients' organizational changes. Apply sound organization development skills such as design of OD interventions, facilitation of business sessions, team building, resolution of conflicts, and analysis of learning needs of clients.