World Bank Seeks Senior Tourism Investment Officer

“Closing Date: 16-May-2008”

The World Bank is looking for a Senior Tourism Investment Officer. The candidate will be responsible for coordinating the tourism-sector specific business enabling environment (BEE) advisory services. S/he will work to further develop a range services focused on facilitating investment generation in the tourism sector, including IFC-led investments, building on the existing experience of FIAS (Foreign Investment Advisory Service) and IFC Regional Advisory Services around the world. This will also entail cooperation with IFC’s other advisory service products that relate to tourism such as infrastructure and value addition to firms.

The Global Manufacturing and Services Department (GMS) manages IFCs investments and advisory services to manufacturing and service companies in developing member countries. These investments, across seven sectors, comprise 20% of new IFC commitments. The departments teams help client companies expand and grow while providing leadership in environmental and social sustainability so firms can achieve and maintain a strong triple bottom line. Hotels and tourism investments are included within the 7 sub-sectors covered by GMS. Since 1956, IFC has invested in over 231 tourism projects in 78 countries, for approximately US$1.75 billion (including syndications).

The Senior Investment Policy Officer will be expected to coordinate tourism advisory services and develop an IFC product that bridges FIAS/IFC BEE and IFCs investment operations within the sector.

The position will include the following specific responsibilities and deliverables:

1. Consolidate IFC lessons learned from ongoing tourism BEE work and IFC investments within the sector. Develop a project database of operational tourism advisory services related to BEE.
2. Serve as the primary point of contact on the tourism sector between FIAS and GMS investment operations and also to the wider network of IFC advisory products that relate to the tourism sector.
3. Facilitate the development of a strategy to guide the execution of the tourism advisory service practice area and related projects that works to leverage and support IFC investment operation’s project development needs and overall experience.
4. Develop and facilitate the Tourism-BEE network drawing on staff across the IFC, especially FIAS and its Regional Advisory Service Departments and provide a bridge for this group to initiatives underway in the World Bank in the tourism sector.
5. In conjunction with members of the team, and with input from GMS, FIAS and the IFCs Regional Advisory Services task manage and/or provide support to advisory services projects based on the methodologies developed.
6. Manage the creation, input from, and annual meetings of the Tourism BEE Advisory Panel consisting of global experts drawn from the private sector, client countries, multilateral institutions and public sector development entities.
7. Develop and facilitate a knowledge management framework (strategy and infrastructure) that will serve as a basis for the IFC tourism practice area and the work of the Practice Group.
8. Work with FIAS, IFCs PEP Pacific & MPDF Advisory Services department to facilitate the development of the tourism sector diagnostic and then lead its application globally.
9. Identify and adapt existing IFC advisory service tools and methodologies within BEE to form a suite of sector specific solutions for BEE advisory service projects in tourism.
10. In conjunction with relevant IFC specialists design an M&E framework for tourism projects within the product area that focuses on impacts such as reforms generated, investment facilitated and jobs created.

General duties of the Senior Investment Policy Officer position will include:
1. Manage procurement, consultants and administrative procedures for task managed advisory services projects and programs in accordance with FIAS/IFC policies and procedures.
2. Inform and build links to the appropriate stakeholders within IFC and the WB, acting as a point of contact and knowledge champion for IFC tourism advisory projects within the WBG, and broader external stakeholders (e.g. UNWTO, WTTC, PATA, etc.).
3. Identify external funding sources as appropriate for the development of the practice area and task managed projects.
4. Develop a network of contacts within other international development institutions, private sector organizations, tourism industry, and client countries that will aid in the effective administration of the task managed projects.
5. Provide input on new business development by identifying potential clients and assessing their needs.
6. Provide input to the industry specific technical assistance strategy of the BEE Business Line, FIAS, the Hotels strategy of GMS and other periodic reports as requested.

The successful candidate will be an experienced tourism technical assistance practitioner, highly motivated, results-oriented and a self starter. S/he will have strong interpersonal, networking, and communication skills, together with the flexibility to be deployed on projects around the world.

Selection Criteria:
Essential skills and qualifications:
– Advanced degree (Masters or equivalent) in a relevant area including international business, economics and/or international relations;
– At least 8 years of relevant experience in tourism sector development, policy-making, tourism investment promotion, and/or tourism investments in developed and developing countries;
– Established leadership skills and team player skills that will permit the candidate to position tourism work within the institution and facilitate a global network of individuals that are not direct reports and vary in terms of seniority;
– A strong conceptual and strategic ability combined with good communication skills and client focus;
– Strong research and analytical capability, including extensive knowledge of relevant analytical tools, data analysis, benchmarking, training and knowledge management, knowledge management and training tools and instruments, on-line services and delivery methods, etc.;
– Demonstrated ability to work and implement projects effectively in multi-disciplinary teams – including in one or more developing countries;
– Excellent networking skills, bringing a good existing network of contacts and credibility within both the tourism development and broader tourism industry (including major private sector players and industry associations);
– Fluency in English essential as well as proven technical writing skills. Fluency in other languages, particularly French and Spanish is highly desirable;
– Familiarity with the IFC investment operations and approached in tourism, project management and procurement procedures is highly desirable;
– Innovative and open-minded; open to new approaches and ideas.

Valere Tjolle