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Global Secondment Program Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

  1. The GSP provides opportunities for professionals from member countries, regional agencies, and other external organizations to join the Bank on a temporary basis to contribute to the Bank’s work program. Primary objectives include: provide opportunities for knowledge sharing; capacity building for partner and Bank; enhance skills and experience for participants; create innovation and cultural exchanges. 

  2. Participants are junior and mid-career professionals who are currently full time employees receiving salary and benefits from the partner organizations. In accordance with Bank guidelines, retirement age is 67 years of age. Participants may not exceed age 67 while on assignment. 

  3. Arrangements for assignments are coordinated between the Bank manager of the hosting unit and the partner organization. Participants may contact Bank managers to ascertain if potential assignments may be offered. 

  4. In some cases the partner organization will submit the names of several candidates to be interviewed for the assignment; in other cases, the partner organization has already conducted internal interviews and a selection process. In either case, only qualified candidates who meet the position criteria (education, relevant experience, and skills) will be assigned in the GSP. 

  5. The GSP brings participants into the Bank for specific work program objectives which can provided expanded knowledge, experience and skills set; and can lead to permanent employment if the Bank, the organization, and the participant agree. Assignments and access to training are designed and evaluated to ensure that they will serve the interests of the Bank as well as the participants. 

  6. Participants must be full time employees of the partner organization. This would preclude applicants who are on leave of absences, education grants, sabbaticals, etc. 

  7. The World Bank currently has its own Internship Program. The purpose of the GSP is not to provide internship assignments but to provide opportunities for selected candidates to contribute to the work program of the World Bank Group. Although it provides occasions for the participant to enhance skills and increase knowledge, it is not intended as a training vehicle for other organizations. 

  8. You may not be offered Bank employment for at least two years following the expiration of your GSP assignment except with the prior written authorization of the partner organization. 

  9. If there is a vacancy in the hosting unit, participants may apply as an external candidate. The participant must go through the competitive process as all other candidates which may include Sector Board clearance as well as a shortlisting and an interviewing process. 

  10. Participants are incorporated into the Bank’s Overall Performance Evaluation (OPE) process. Managers meet with staff to ensure that there is an understanding of the results and performance indicators and provide feedback after the initial six months. At the end of a year, a full performance evaluation is conducted, and each subsequent year of the assignment.