Senior Communications & External Affairs Officer, São Paulo

Senior Communications & External Affairs Officer Job #: req38034 Organization: World Bank Sector: External Affairs & Corporate Relations Grade: GG Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Sao Paulo,Brazil Required Language(s): English & Portuguese Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 8/21/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

The World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It is 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 for the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit

Communications and External Relations (CER)
The mission of Communications and External Relations (CER) is to help deliver financial and political support for the World Bank Group, strengthen the Bank Group’s role as a global thought leader in development by enhancing and safeguarding its reputation, and supporting operational teams to achieve country outcomes. CER manages corporate communications and global engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, foundations, private sector, donor countries, and international organizations, as well as employee engagement. CER also manages strategic communications for the World Bank Group’s Regions and technical units and leads the management of reputation risk.

Regional Context
The World Bank Group serves 33 client countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, a highly diverse region ranging from sophisticated middle-income economies to IDA countries, small Caribbean states, and one fragile state, all facing three interrelated challenges: low growth and productivity, insufficient quality jobs, and high vulnerability to shocks. Growth has returned to its pre-pandemic low trajectory, inequality remains among the highest in the world, and limited human capital continues to constrain opportunity and productivity. Although unemployment appears moderate, the deeper challenge is job quality, with weak labor earnings, high informality, infrastructure gaps, skills shortages, restrictive regulatory environments, limited access to finance, shallow capital markets, and low private investment holding back the creation of better jobs. At the same time, the region remains highly exposed to climate-related disasters and natural hazards, particularly in Central America and the Caribbean, where hurricanes, droughts, storms, and floods have significant economic and social impacts. In response, LCR is advancing a selective and coordinated One World Bank Group approach, leveraging the complementary strengths of IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA, and working with regional partners to support infrastructure, human capital, business-enabling reforms, private capital mobilization, productive sectors, and resilience to shocks.

Senior Communications & External Affairs Officer
The Senior Communications & External Affairs Officer is a key member of the Latin America Communications and External Affairs team and will be based in São Paulo, Brazil. The position supports the Brazil country program and serves as a strategic advisor to country and regional management on stakeholder engagement, communications, advocacy, and reputational risk management.

While the role covers the full range of responsibilities expected of a senior communications and external affairs officer, it will have a particular focus on private sector engagement and communications support for IFC’s program in Brazil. This includes helping position the World Bank Group’s public-private solutions, strengthening engagement with private sector stakeholders, and supporting communications around IFC priorities, investments, partnerships, and broader private capital mobilization efforts.

The role is central to advancing the World Bank Group’s external affairs agenda in Brazil, driving delivery across CER’s four business lines: Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Business Marketing, Advocacy & Campaigns, and Risk & Issue Management. It requires strong strategic judgment, political awareness, business acumen, and the ability to anticipate risks, influence stakeholders, shape narratives, and mobilize support for development priorities.

Working closely with country and regional management, operational teams, and colleagues across IBRD, IFC, and MIGA, the Senior Communications & External Affairs Officer helps advance a coordinated One World Bank Group approach across the Brazil portfolio. The position combines strategic advisory responsibilities with hands-on delivery and is expected to lead complex assignments, support priority country initiatives, and contribute directly to execution across the country program, with a particular emphasis on private sector-facing initiatives and IFC engagement.

The successful candidate will serve as a core member of the Brazil communications team and work in close partnership with the Senior Communications and External Affairs Officer based in Brasília, who also supports the CMU. The position requires a highly collaborative working style and the ability to operate effectively in a matrixed environment where priorities, communications products, and stakeholder engagement activities are jointly developed and delivered across IBRD, IFC, MIGA, and CER.

Key Responsibilities

1. Stakeholder Engagement
• Lead stakeholder engagement strategies that advance World Bank Group priorities, support country outcomes, and strengthen the institution's influence in Brazil.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including national and subnational government officials, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society organizations, media, academia, youth, and other influential actors.
• Lead stakeholder intelligence efforts, including stakeholder mapping, analysis, and monitoring of actors, coalitions, and trends that may affect World Bank Group priorities, reform efforts, or reputation.
• Advise the Country Director(s)/Manager(s), regional management, and operational teams on stakeholder dynamics, political economy considerations, coalition-building opportunities, and engagement approaches.
• Ensure stakeholder insights and external perspectives are incorporated into country strategies, operations, communications strategies, advocacy efforts, and risk management.
• Convene and support dialogues, consultations, and public forums that advance policy discussions, amplify reform solutions, and strengthen understanding of World Bank Group priorities.
• Proactively identify, assess, and elevate stakeholder-driven issues with the potential to affect World Bank Group operations, stakeholder relationships, or reputation.

2. Strategic Business Marketing
• Position the World Bank Group as a trusted development partner in Brazil by articulating the value of integrated public-private solutions and the One World Bank Group approach.
• Develop strategic narratives, engagement approaches, and communications products that support country and regional priorities, operational objectives, and client engagement.
• Identify and elevate flagship operations, reform milestones, knowledge products, client testimonials, and success stories that demonstrate impact and generate demand for World Bank Group engagement.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen visibility and understanding of the World Bank Group's work among government, investors, private sector partners, foundations, and development stakeholders.
• Work closely with communications counterparts across IFC and MIGA to highlight private capital mobilization, private sector solutions, and the value of integrated World Bank Group engagement in the country program.

3. Advocacy & Campaigns
• Lead advocacy and communications campaigns that support development priorities, reform efforts, and institutional objectives in Brazil.
• Develop compelling messaging and narratives that translate complex development issues into clear, accessible, and persuasive communications for local and regional audiences.
• Coordinate country contributions to corporate, global, and regional campaigns, adapting messages and approaches to the Brazil context.
• Oversee the development of speeches, op-eds, press releases, talking points, digital content, multimedia products, and other communications materials for senior management and key stakeholders.
• Help ensure consistent, targeted, and effective messaging across communications, stakeholder engagement, digital, and media channels.
• Strengthen the country office's capacity to deliver impactful campaigns, digital storytelling, and effective engagement with stakeholders.

4. Risk & Issue Management
• Serve as a senior advisor on reputational risk and issue management, helping country and regional management anticipate, assess, and respond to developments that could affect World Bank Group operations, stakeholder relationships, or reputation in Brazil.
• Lead or coordinate risk assessments, stakeholder analyses, issue management efforts, and mitigation strategies for sensitive operations, reforms, Inspection Panel cases, and institutional priorities.
• Advise the Country Director(s)/Manager(s), CER management, regional leadership, and operational teams on positioning, stakeholder considerations, and communications approaches related to complex or high-profile issues.
• Develop issue briefs, risk assessments, scenario plans, leadership briefing materials, and response strategies to support informed decision-making.
• Monitor political, economic, and social developments and assess their implications for World Bank Group operations, reform efforts, stakeholder relationships, and institutional reputation.
• Guide media engagement and manage high-stakes inquiries with discretion and sound judgment.
• Review key corporate documents and operational materials, as needed, for messaging, stakeholder issues, and reputational risk.
• Serve as a primary point of contact with CER's regional and corporate risk teams to ensure alignment, speed, and consistency of responses.

5. Corporate Coordination & Innovation
• Advance One World Bank Group collaboration by promoting integrated communications and stakeholder engagement across IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA in Brazil.
• Support the development and implementation of the regional stakeholder engagement strategy and help coordinate delivery across the country office, CMU, institutions, and business lines.
• Drive innovation through creative communications approaches, strategic partnerships, digital engagement, third-party voices, and data-informed communications.
• Promote knowledge sharing and best practices across the regional stakeholder engagement network and contribute to strengthening the effectiveness of the function.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to building capacity across the country and regional communications network.
• Work closely with senior communications officers and communications staff supporting the CMU to jointly manage priorities, coordinate messaging, share workload, and ensure consistent delivery across countries and business lines.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree with at least 8 years of relevant professional experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, in communications, journalism, public affairs, international affairs, political science, or a related field.
• Experience working in an international environment and strong understanding of Brazil and regional development issues, political economy, and emerging trends affecting developing countries.
• Strong understanding of World Bank Group operations, development finance, and the opportunities and risks associated with communications and stakeholder engagement in a development context.
• Knowledge of and/or experience working in Brazil, including government and public institutions, private sector organizations, business associations, civil society organizations, think tanks, media, academia, and other key local actors.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, or reputational risk management initiatives in complex institutional environments.
• Proven ability to provide strategic advice to senior management and to exercise sound judgment in politically sensitive and high-profile situations.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, development partners, private sector organizations, civil society, media, academia, and other influential actors.
• Demonstrated experience identifying, assessing, and managing reputational risks and issues, and developing effective stakeholder engagement and communications responses.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Portuguese is a must.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to translate complex policy, economic, and development issues into clear, compelling, and audience-focused communications products.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to synthesize diverse information, identify emerging trends and risks, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise initiative, work under pressure, and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively across institutions, cultures, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in matrixed, multi-country teams, building trust, sharing ownership, and delivering results through collaboration rather than authority alone.
• Commitment to the World Bank Group's core values and culture attributes: Sense of Urgency, Thoughtful Risk-Taking, Empowerment, and Accountability.

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.