AD, Sustainable Project Procurement

Purpose

The Associate Director, Sustainable Project Procurement (AD-SPP) leads the Bank’s thematic approach to sustainable and strategic project procurement across public sector operations. The role provides authoritative advice on procurement policy, standards, governance and risk; shapes the development and consistent implementation of the Bank’s Procurement Policies and Rules (PPR), associated guidance and operational standards; and leads significant initiatives relating to sustainable procurement, circular economy, low-carbon procurement and value for money.

Working across the project lifecycle, the Associate Director oversees the application of sustainability and strategic procurement requirements in complex Bank-financed operations, provides expert judgement on significant compliance, assurance and implementation matters, and engages with senior Bank management, governance bodies, clients, implementing agencies, MDB peers and other external stakeholders. The role promotes integrity, consistency, efficiency and effectiveness in procurement and supports improved project outcomes and the Bank’s broader transition objectives, while procurement responsibility remains with the borrower or implementing entity.

Background

Since its inception in 1991, the Bank has invested more than EUR 215 billion in over 7,600 projects across its countries of operation, in both the public and private sectors. PPD’s key role is to ensure that all Bank-financed procurement is conducted efficiently, transparently, and in compliance with the Bank’s PPR, while also supporting the integration of sustainability and climate objectives into project design and delivery, including concepts such as the circular economy, low-carbon emissions, and best value-for-money (VfM), as well as the piloting of new sustainable approaches based on Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) best practice, thereby keeping procurement aligned with the Bank’s principles and vision and supporting better development outcomes.

PPD provides fiduciary oversight, strategic support, and policy advice across the project lifecycle. Through its oversight and advisory role, PPD ensures that procurement risks are properly assessed and managed within the credit process, while also promoting sustainable procurement practices, including environmental performance requirements, circular economy approaches, and low-carbon solutions. In doing so, the AD-SPP will work with the relevant Bank departments to ensure that all relevant issues relating to compliance with the Bank’s PPR and sustainability commitments are identified early and addressed through adequate procurement planning and structuring.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Policy Leadership & Strategic Advice

• • Lead the development and enhancement of Bank procurement policy, guidance and standards relating to sustainable procurement, strategic procurement and value for money.
  • Provide advice to senior management, banking teams and operational staff on complex procurement and sustainability matters.
  • Lead significant policy initiatives and represent the Bank in MDB and external forums relating to sustainable and strategic procurement.
  • Establish standards and promote consistency in the application of procurement policy across public sector operations.

• Project Procurement Planning & Delivery in public sector operations
• Lead the preparation, update, and review of Project Procurement Strategies, ensuring full alignment with PPR and related requirements (e.g. rated criteria, Early Market Engagement, sustainability considerations).
• Manage procurement activities with operation leaders, technical teams, engineers, environmental specialists, consultants, and implementing agencies.

• Sustainable Procurement Integration in public sector operations
• Lead the integration of sustainability requirements into procurement strategies, documentation, and project implementation arrangements, drawing on hands-on experience and practical application of sustainable procurement approaches.
• Ensure sustainability objectives are effectively translated into standard procurement documents, including technical specifications, employer’s requirements, evaluation methodologies, contract clauses, supplier obligations, and performance indicators.
• Lead the development and implementation of sustainable procurement approaches, including circular economy principles and resource efficiency, supporting their practical application across the project lifecycle.

• Best Value for Money (VfM) & Strategic Procurement in public sector operations
• Establish and drive the Bank’s approach to strategic procurement and value for methodologies in public sector operations, including rated criteria methodologies, lifecycle costing and total cost of ownership (TCO) and sustainability-weighted and quality-based evaluations
• Steer the integration of environmental performance, resilience, innovation, circularity, and long-term value considerations into standards and guidance for procurement evaluations, leveraging hands-on experience with these methodologies where possible.
• Support risk-based and outcome-focused procurement strategies.

• Low-Carbon Procurement & Sustainability Metrics
• Lead the integration of climate and low-carbon procurement considerations into procurement processes, guidance and implementation approached across public sector operations
• Support the development of monitoring, reporting, and verification systems for sustainability performance.

• Market Engagement & MDB Best Practice in public sector operations

• • Shape the Bank's approach to market engagement practices, ensuring procurement strategies leverage market intelligence, innovation and sustainable solutions consistent with MDB best practice.
  • Lead policy initiatives and contribute to the development and enhancement of the PPR, standard procurement documents and associated guidance relating to strategic and sustainable procurement.

• Sustainability Compliance, Monitoring & Assurance in public sector operations
• Ensure project designs comply with sustainability, circular economy, climate, and procurement commitments set out in project documentation, procurement strategies, contracts, and financing agreements.
• Review and verify the integration of sustainability requirements across procurement and implementation activities.