Deadline: July 31, 2015
The World Bank Young Professionals Program (YPP) is now open for interested applicants. The YPP is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank. Since its inception in 1963, the YPP has recruited over 1,700 people from nearly 120 countries, who now range from new recruits to senior management in the World Bank Group.
This 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.
Eligibility
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)
Benefits
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.
- Young professionals may take part in field business trips, also called ‘missions,’ in developing countries.
- Enjoy a blend of learning opportunities ranging from on-boarding activities, e-learning, cohort discussions with WBG leaders, leadership training, career development conversations, and networking opportunities.
- Access to several coaching & mentoring experiences.
- Compenstation: competitive salary, health insurance, relocation benefits,pension plans and lots more.
Recruitment 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 interviews. |
| 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 |
Check out interviewing tips here.
How to Apply
Create an account and complete and submit the online application. 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.
Be sure to 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)
The Application Essay
“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.
For more information , visit the World Bank Young Professionals Program or visit the FAQ section.
