Senior Counsel job in Washington, DC

Closing Date: 23rd April, 2024

Description:

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at A Multilateral Development Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges.

A Multilateral Development Bank is one of the world's largest sources of development assistance and global expertise for developing countries. WBG consists of five institutions that specialize in different aspects of development: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), which together form A Multilateral Development Bank: the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For additional information, please visit http://www.worldbank.org

With a mission of creating a world free of poverty on a livable planet, the WBG works in more than 100 developing economies to improve living standards and to fight poverty. For each of its clients, the WBG works with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to formulate assistance strategies. A network of offices worldwide delivers the programs in countries, liaises with governments and civil society, and works to increase understanding of development issues. A Multilateral Development Bank is owned by 189 member countries whose views and interests are represented by a Board of Governors and a Washington, DC-based Board of Directors. With more than 150 offices worldwide, the WBG works 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.

A Multilateral Development Bank is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, A Multilateral Development Bank is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.

Legal Vice Presidency. In the context of A Multilateral Development Bank's broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel (SVP-GC), is responsible for providing legal advice and support to internal and external Bank clients on operational, advisory, financial, administration, and institutional matters.

LEGIA. Lawyers in the Institutional Affairs Practice Group (LEGIA) provide legal advice and services throughout v, including for the Regional Vice Presidencies, the Human Resources Vice Presidency, the Information and Technology Solution Vice Presidency, the Internal Justice System Vice Presidency, the Global Corporate Solutions Department Vice Presidency, the External and Corporate Relations Vice Presidency, the Ethics and Internal Justice Vice Presidency? the Strategy, Performance, and Administration Vice Presidency, as well as to International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) regarding the institutional affairs of these institutions within the responsibility of A Multilateral Development Bank Counsel.

LEGIA invites qualified candidates to apply for a Senior Counsel position based at HQ in Washington, D.C.

Selected candidates will work under the general supervision of the Deputy General Counsel. The Senior Counsel will be a lawyer who can operate independently to handle legal and policy issues related to the Bank's work while working collaboratively with other lawyers within LEGIA and LEG as a whole.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities
The Senior Counsel will work under the general supervision of the Deputy General Counsel, with day-to-day guidance provided by one or more Lead or Senior Counsels working in the same practice specialties.

Duties and Accountabilities:
The Senior Counsel will be expected to perform the following tasks:

Serve as a lawyer in the Institutional Administration Practice Group, which provides legal advice and services throughout A Multilateral Development Bank, including for the Regional Vice Presidencies, the HR Vice Presidency, the ITS Vice Presidency, the Integrity Vice Presidency, the General Services Department, the ECR Vice Presidency, the Office of Ethics and Business Conduct? the Corporate Procurement Unit as well as to IFC, MIGA and ICSID regarding institutional administration areas.
Advise the Governing organs of A Multilateral Development Bank (Governors, the Boards of Executive Directors/Directors, the President) on their roles under the governing documents.
Address membership issues with A Multilateral Development Bank's member countries and prospective members.
Advise in connection with shareholding, including general and selective capital increases.
Advise on Voting and procedural aspects of the work at the Board of Executive. Director/Director level as well as at the level of the Board of Governors.
Advise Executive Director's committees and working groups on procedures and standing rules.
Regular and interim elections of the Boards of Executive Directors/Directors of IBRD, IDA. IFC and MIGA.
Attend and advise on issues arising from the Annual & Spring meetings of the Board of Governors.
Support the Legal Department in advising the Development Committee, and Joint Committee on Remuneration of EDs and Alternates.
Advise on the Interpretation and amendment of the governing documents of A Multilateral Development Bank.
Advise on the Attorney-Client privilege for Board records under the Access to Information Policy.
Training, including participation in regular on-boarding of Executive Directors/Directors and their staff.
Draft, review, negotiate and finalize legal agreements under the Counsel's portfolio.
Draft and revise pleadings and submissions to the Bank's Administrative Tribunal.
Provide legal advice to ongoing projects and programs, including reviewing project and program documents, for adherence to A Multilateral Development Bank policies, procedures and business objectives.
Conduct comparative legal analyses on a range of issues in operations, identify legal and policy issues, research for relevant precedents, and propose appropriate solutions to colleagues and clients.
Engage in policy discussions and negotiations with officials internally and externally, developing relationships with members of the legal profession and lawyers working in development partner agencies.
Protect A Multilateral Development Bank's interests and promote its goals and values.
Perform ad hoc assignments as requested by the Deputy General Counsel.

Selection Criteria:

An LLM degree, J.D. or equivalent, with a minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience, and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction is required.
Expertise or familiarity in public international law.
Legal transactional or litigation experience.
Ability to work collaboratively, to build trust among peers and colleagues, to respond quickly and consistently to key issues.
Demonstrated intellectual leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives.
High degree of persuasiveness and diplomacy to generate consensus, especially on divisive legal issues.
Language skills. Fluency in English, both written and oral, is required, with additional fluency in French, Spanish, Arabic, and/or Portuguese desirable.