World Bank Program Officer Job 2026: Washington, DC Opportunity, Eligibility and Application Guide

Overview

The World Bank is recruiting a Program Officer in the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat in Washington, DC, United States. The post is job number req38055, grade GF, with a two-year term through international recruitment. It is open only to World Bank Group and IMF staff, including short-term and extended-term consultants and temporaries; external candidates are not eligible.

The GEF is an international financial mechanism established in 1991 that provides grants and concessional financing for environmental projects in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Its work covers biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, forests, ozone protection, persistent organic pollutants and mercury, and it has supported thousands of projects in more than 170 countries.

What the role involves

The Program Officer reports to the Secretary to the GEF Council and provides strategic and operational leadership to the GEF Events Team. The aim is to make sure major GEF meetings, including Council Meetings, Assembly meetings and replenishment meetings, are well planned, resourced and delivered.

Responsibilities include coordinating events from start to finish, such as venues, contracts, purchase orders, travel, interpretation, audiovisual needs, sponsored participant travel and per diems, while keeping within budgets and timelines. The officer leads the events team through daily guidance, check-ins, feedback and development, prepares contingency plans for disruptions, develops post-event evaluations and lessons-learned reports, contributes to standard operating procedures and guidelines, and strengthens the team's procurement and vendor management practice.

Requirements

The preferred qualification is a master's degree in event coordination, international relations, public administration, communications or a related field with at least five years of relevant experience. A bachelor's degree with 10 or more years of directly relevant experience may be considered instead. Candidates need more than four years of experience coordinating and mentoring teams of more than three people, and at least five years organizing high-level international events, especially large intergovernmental or multilateral meetings. English is required; French and Spanish are preferred.

Key dates

The closing date is August 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. UTC.