The Young Professionals Program (YPP)

It is a unique opportunity for younger talent who have both a passion for international development–be it for working in Operations or in some Corporate areas–and the leadership potential to grow in fascinating top technical and managerial roles in the World Bank Group.

The 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.

Minimum Requirements

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; and other WBG corporate areas such as communications, information technology, human resources and corporate finance.
• 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 (operations stream); have an experience working internationally (corporate stream)
• Be motivated to relocate and undertake country assignments (operational stream)

Program Features:

• Every year, around 40 applicants are accepted into the Young Professionals Program.
• 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.

Application Process:

Before You Apply, please ensure that:

• You meet the minimum requirements for eligibility before completing your application to the Young Professionals Program
• You have all the information at hand including key dates, an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), Education Certificates/Transcripts, PhD Dissertation/Master’s Thesis topics (short summary), if applicable, and the Application Essay ready to be uploaded.

Application Essay for the 2016 World Bank Group YPP Selection Process

“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.

Timeline:

Apply Now for the 2016 World Bank Group Young Professional Programme

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2016 World Bank Group Young Professional Programme