Program Manager, Water Resources Group; WRG

Program Manager, 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG)

Job #: req
35791 | Organization:
World Bank | Sector:
Water/Sanitation | Grade: GH | Term: 4 years 0 months | Recruitment Type:
International |

Location:

Washington, DC, United States | Required Language(s):
English | Preferred Language(s):
French, Spanish | Closing Date: 3/13/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Privacy Notice: As part of the application review process, your application details will be shared with a third‑party panelist, who is assisting with the recruitment and interview process. This third‑party panelist will only use your personal data to determine your eligibility for the role to which you applied and in accordance with World Bank Group Privacy Notice for Job Applicants.

Water for People, Food, and Planet. The World Bank Group’s Water team works with regions to implement the Water Strategy Implementation Plan. The key purpose of the plan is to improve water security for 400 million people by 2030 through scalable solutions geared toward key client segments, namely, national and sub‑national governments, private sector operators, investors, and financial institutions.

WRG is a global multi‑donor trust fund, established to advance global water security through public‑private collaboration. WRG works with governments, corporations, and civil society to address water risks affecting food, cities, and ecosystems. The work is structured along three themes:
Water for Planet, Water for Cities, and Water for Food (particularly climate‑resilient irrigation). WRG is hosted by the World Bank Group’s Water Department.

The Program Manager will report to the WBG Director, Water, who is accountable to the WBG Vice President, Planet.

• Governing Council of WRG members from across public, private, and civil society stakeholders – particularly its co‑chairs (currently, the Vice‑President Planet of the World Bank Group and the Executive Chairman of The Coca‑Cola Company). The Governing Council meets annually to discuss progress and approve the Strategic Objectives for the coming year.
• Steering Board of senior business, government, and civil society leaders who oversee and support the progress with the WRG Secretariat. The Steering Board is co‑chaired by the WBG Director, Water and the World Economic Forum, Managing Director.

• Implement the 2026‑2030 Strategic Plan, in active consultation with World Bank Group management and the Steering Board, and approval by the Governing Council.
• Develop, manage, and monitor annual Operational Plans to implement the Strategic Plan, including the Global Program and Country Programs.
• Supervise the production of high‑caliber analytical products and ensure rigorous quality assurance following WBG procedures.
• Align WRG activities with the WBG WSIP to ensure greatest water security impact.
• Participate actively as a member of the WBG Water Leadership team and closely coordinate with all relevant groups in the World Bank and IFC.
• Strengthen WRG visibility, thought leadership, and impact communications globally; engage with and maintain close ties with civil society, academia, and private sector partners at C‑Suite levels; build out different partnership formats and capacities to access a wider range of corporate and other relevant partnerships.

• Lead and manage the WRG Secretariat and technical staff, including full‑time staff and consultants.
• Model exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforce these qualities in own team and staff.
• Lead, drive, and inspire technical excellence within the team and the Department by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent.
• Support and advise staff on performance, skill development, and career planning.

• Fundraise and bring in new partners, including funding partners at the global and local levels, to ensure the financial sustainability of an expanded program and effective budget management.
• Develop a strategy to leverage opportunities for resource mobilization…