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Program Assistant
CGAP
Riyadh Saudi Arabia
Posted on May 18, 2026
Program Assistant
| Job #: | req36668 |
| Organization: | World Bank |
| Sector: | Administration/Office Support |
| Grade: | GC |
| Term Duration: | 3 years 0 months |
| Recruitment Type: | Local Recruitment |
| Location: | Riyadh,Saudi Arabia |
| Required Language(s): | English, Arabic |
| Preferred Language(s): | |
| Closing Date: | 6/1/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC |
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work 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. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org
Regional Context
The Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region serves twenty two countries across different income groups, of which fourteen are active/potentially active IBRD/IDA borrowers (Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Tunisia, and Yemen), with a total of 251 projects and over $51 bn in total commitment. Eight are users of the Region's non-lending services, mostly on a reimbursable basis (Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The mission of the region is to foster sustainable growth with a focus on job creation and poverty reduction, economic and social inclusion, and good governance. The region attaches importance to creating a supportive work environment based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, and client service, underlined by professional excellence. The region places high value on diversity. The region is organized into seven Country Departments (CMUs), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, and the Development Effectiveness Unit (MNADE).
With an expanded regional strategy, the World Bank aims to help the region weather the current crises, move from stabilization to transformation, unlock its vast economic potential of youth and women, develop its human capital to adapt to global megatrends, and foster innovation
The Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan Region:
https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena
Country Management Unit Context:
The Program Assistant will join the Regional World Bank Group Regional Hub Office in Riyadh, a vibrant regional office that manages a growing portfolio of advisory and knowledge services, working in close partnership with government and private sector institutions in Saudi Arabia, the GCC countries and the wider MENAAP region. The office houses a diverse team of local and international sector specialists and operations support staff. The World Bank team includes the Regional Vice President and his front office, a Regional Hub Manager, Regional Directors that oversee the five World Bank Verticals (Prosperity, Planet, People, Infrastructure, and /Digital), several Regional Practice Managers, two Senior Operations Officers, a Senior Knowledge Officer, and a Senior Communications Officer for the World Bank. The office also includes a team from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Agency (MIGA) – working together with the World Bank as one World Bank Group team. The office manages a wide array of strategic and results-oriented activities that support the achievement of the Vision 2030 and the government’s longer-term goals.
Roles & Responsibilities:
The Program Assistant will report to the Regional Hub Manager in Riyadh and is expected to primarily focus on supporting the administration of the GCC KSA Operational tasks and country office functions.
Specific duties and accountabilities include the following:
• Provides administrative assistance at various levels in organizing meetings, conference calls, video conferences, workshops, conferences, including handling administrative and logistic arrangements, preparing and assembling meeting materials, sending out invitations, and follow-up.
• Provides day-to-day assistance to selected Practice Managers on an as-needed basis.
• Prepares, reviews, edits and formats project documentation according to Bank and Regional guidelines, as well as maintain a coherent filing system ensuring that all projects’ documents are properly filed and referenced.
• Participates in developing project/product timelines, using appropriate software.
• Responds and handle a wide range of extensive and diverse inquiries, prioritizing and making decisions when multiple courses of action are possible and prepare correspondence on a range of topics
• Provides administrative support, organize and manage meeting schedules for task teams (and visiting missions before and while they are in country).
• Manages internal and external inquiries related to the status of projects in the absence of task team leader and team members.
• Maintains current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distributes documents for the team.
• Extracts, monitors and reports on disbursement data for active projects.
• Translates short documents from English/Arabic and Arabic/English relevant to the work of the team, such as reports, memos, articles, etc.
• Organizes and maintains filing system in appropriate filing setup.
• Processes all travel requests for relevant consultants working in the CMU.
• Drafts routine correspondence and proofread materials using proper grammar, punctuation and style.
• Records, disseminates and tracks all correspondences and minutes of meetings.
• Coordinates schedules taking priorities into account, monitors changes, and communicates the information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit, including officials outside the Bank Group.
• Undertakes ad hoc inquiries, investigates standard and non-standard databases, identifiesy and researches various sources of information, retrieves, manipulates and presents data.
• Undertakes CO-support duties as assigned by the Program Manager.
• Undertakes ad-hoc assignments and provides support to other staff in the unit as required.
Selection Criteria
Attention: Preference will be given to local talent, that is, applicants who are authorized to work in the duty station for any employer. Internal applicants may apply per existing guidelines.
Education/Experience
• Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of 2-5 years of relevant experience
Required Competencies:
• Technology and systems knowledge - Demonstrates advanced knowledge and experience working with Microsoft office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.). Has ability and willingness to maintain up-to-date knowledge and technology skills. Able to provide and apply customer service skills in a technological context.
• Project and task management - Exhibits good organizational, problem-solving skills and ability to work competently with minimal supervision. Demonstrates attention to detail and quality. Has ability to manage multiple tasks and complete tasks within agreed schedule.
• Institutional policies, processes, and procedures - Demonstrates knowledge of own department's programs and products, knows key players, understands own role. Displays understanding of WB Job Details policies and procedures relevant to the area of assigned responsibilities and is able to apply/implement them.
• Versatility and adaptability - Demonstrates flexibility and is receptive to the implementation of new solutions. Is willing to stretch own capability. Demonstrates motivation to avail and adapt oneself to effecting change.
• Client Orientation - Exhibits positive and professional client service attitude; is able to understand clients' needs and complete them professionally.
• Drive for Results - Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Has good knowledge of official unit's language(s). Able to write clearly, edit and proofread draft communications. Able learn and share knowledge/information across the unit.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Able to manage information and support retention and disposition of information and records. Can search, report, and deliver basic information from various sources and independently respond to basic inquiries.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.