Young Professionals Program

The Young Professionals Program (YPP) is a starting point for careers at the Inter-American Development Bank. The program is designed for exceptionally qualified and motivated Young Professionals.

The IDB seeks candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas: Environment and Natural Resources; Economic Development; Social Development; Project Finance; Infrastructure; and Private Sector.

Participants selected for the Program are offered a 24-month contract with the Bank and are treated as full-fledged staff members who at any time may be invited to fill a regular staff position. Young Professionals also may be assigned to a Country Office as part of the Program. It should be understood that the IDB reserves the right to terminate any participant’s contract at any point during the program’s duration in accordance with the terms and conditions of Staff Regulations of the Bank. In addition, if not selected for a regular staff position at the end of two years, the YPP contract will be terminated.

The IDB is committed to promoting diversity and views greater representation of diverse groups at the Bank, including people of African descent and Indigenous Peoples, as integral to its activities with governments and civil society. Therefore, Afro-descendants and Indigenous Peoples are encouraged to apply using the Diversity Young Professional application (DYP)

All interested candidates must fully complete the application process by April 1st, 2010

Selection Process

The Human Resources Department (HRD) reviews applications, ensuring that all eligibility requirements are met. The strongest candidates with experience in the Bank’s priority areas/sectors are contacted for interviews in Washington DC. The goal of the interview is to identify the following characteristics:

• Flexibility and capacity to work in different areas of the organization;
• Strong analytical skills as evidenced by academic success and other personal achievements;
• Interpersonal, team and communication skills that are indispensible for working in a multicultural setting; and,
• A desire and readiness to serve in field assignments (in IDB country offices in Latin America and the Caribbean)

The final selection of candidates is made by a senior level selection panel. The number of selected candidates for a given year is determined upon budgetary allocations; usually between ten and fourteen Young Professionals enter the Bank with each cohort.

Condition of Employment

The Bank pays transportation costs for finalist candidates traveling from outside the Washington, DC metropolitan area for interviews as well as for employment.

The Bank will request a G (IV) visa from the United States Consulate in the candidate’s country of origin for non US citizen or permanent resident candidates selected to participate in the program. Individuals holding J-1 or H-1 visas will be requested to obtain authorization from sponsors.

If a finalist candidate is unable to obtain the visa or release from sponsor to work at the IDB, the offer of employment will be rescinded.

Placement

The 24 months of the YPP comprise 2 departmental rotations, unless the YP is invited to fill a regular full time position during the first year. The first rotation is decided by the Bank and is based on departmental needs and the candidate’s skills. The YPs second rotation, during the second year, results from a mutual agreement on the YPs desires for placement and the needs of the receiving department. Young Professionals also may be assigned to a Country Office as part of the Program. YPs are expected to assume the functions, responsibilities and workload assigned to them by their designated supervisors.

Training and Mentoring

Young Professionals are eligible for Bank training activities including Bank orientation sessions and language and technical training. In addition, to facilitate their transition to the IDB, Young Professionals are assigned a mentor (a senior Bank staff member) to help maximize the participant’s experience and contribution to the IDB.

Requirements for the Young Professionals Program

All applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a citizen of one of the Bank’s member countries;
• Be 32 years of age or younger as of January 1st of the application year;
• Be fluent in English and Spanish, with a working knowledge of a third official Bank language (French or Portuguese);
• Have obtained a Master’s, Licenciatura or equivalent degree from an accredited university at the time of submitting your application (your degree must have been already awarded);
• Have one or more years of professional experience in business related to the Bank; and
• Be exempt from any military obligation for the duration of the program.

Eligible applicants who wish to declare themselves as Afro-descendant or Indigenous must meet all of the criteria above with the following allowances:

• Be 37 years of age or younger as of January 1st of the application year;
• Be fluent in one of the working languages of the Bank (English, Spanish, French or Portuguese) and working knowledge of a second official language of the Bank is desired;

Be sure to read the eligibility requirements before you apply to the Program

Thank you for your interest in the Young Professionals Program!

The IDB is committed to gender equality and encourages women to apply
We seek diversity also in terms of nationality, ethnicity, race and educational background
Persons living with disability or HIV/AIDS are equally encouraged to apply

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