# Development bank jobs: how the banks hire

> Development bank jobs are posted on each bank's own careers site, and most of the banks take staff only from their member countries. Selection runs from screening questions to a shortlist, a panel interview and sometimes a test, and often takes two to three months. Read the bank's eligibility page before the job itself.

Source: https://zorlya.com/blog/development-bank-jobs-how-the-multilateral-banks-hire

By Zorlya. Published 2026-09-09. International and NGO jobs. 9 min read.

Development bank jobs are posted on each bank's own careers site, and most of the banks take staff only from nationals of their member countries. Selection usually runs from screening questions to a shortlist, a panel interview and sometimes a test, and the World Bank Group and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank both say it takes about two to three months.

A multilateral development bank is a bank owned by a group of member countries that lends to and invests in other countries for their development. Each one is its own employer, with its own rules on who may apply, its grades and its contracts. This post sets out those rules for the banks whose careers pages we could read.

## Which development banks hire, and where?

Each bank posts its own vacancies, and its page is the one that counts.

| Bank | Headquarters | Who may apply | Careers page |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Washington, DC | Nationals of a member country of the group | [WBG careers](https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/careers) |
| Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) | Washington, DC | Citizens of one of its 48 member countries, with no citizenship rule at IDB Invest | [How the IDB hires](https://www.iadb.org/en/how-we-can-work-together/work-us/how-we-hire) |
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) | London | Nationals of its member countries | [EBRD jobs](https://jobs.ebrd.com/) |
| European Investment Bank (EIB) | Luxembourg | Nationals of EU Member States, except local agent roles outside the EU | [EIB eligibility](https://www.eib.org/en/about/careers/recruitment-process/eligibility-criteria) |
| Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) | Beijing | People from inside and outside its member countries | [AIIB vacancies](https://www.aiib.org/en/opportunities/career/job-vacancies/staff/index.html) |

The World Bank Group's [careers FAQ](https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/careers/faqs) answers the citizenship question with a plain yes: you must be a national of a member country. The AIIB is the exception in this table. Its [FAQ](https://www.aiib.org/en/general/faq/index.html) says there are no nationality quotas and no percentage limits on regional and nonregional hires.

The Asian Development Bank, based in the Philippines, and the African Development Bank, based in Côte d'Ivoire, are not in the table. Their sites turned our requests away when this post was written, so their rules are not described here. Read their own careers pages before you apply, starting with the Asian Development Bank's [work with us](https://www.adb.org/work-with-us) page.

## Who can apply for development bank jobs?

Nationality is the first gate, and the second is the right to work where the job sits. The World Bank Group says that for roles in the United States, a person who is not a US citizen needs either permanent residency or a G4 visa that the group sponsors. For administrative grades and temporary appointments in country offices, it gives preference to nationals of the duty station, legal residents, or people with another legal presence there.

The EBRD's [early career page](https://jobs.ebrd.com/go/Early-career-opportunities/1111501/) says nationals of its shareholder countries do not need an existing work visa, because the bank works under a visa exemption vignette scheme.

The World Bank Group, the IDB and the AIIB also rule out close relatives of their staff, and each lists who counts.

Then there is language:

- The IDB asks for a CV in English or Spanish, and a cover letter only when the position asks for one.
- The EIB accepts applications only in English or French. Its [eligibility page](https://www.eib.org/en/about/careers/recruitment-process/eligibility-criteria) says the level it asks for is not full business fluency, and is broadly comparable to B1 or B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
- The AIIB's official language is English, and all its positions ask for spoken and written English.

If your CV was written for one country's habits, [one resume for many countries](/blog/one-resume-for-many-countries-resume-or-cv) covers the parts that change.

## How are grades and contracts named?

The grade and the contract type set the pay, the currency, the benefits and how long the job lasts, so find both lines first. [How to read a job posting](/blog/how-to-read-a-job-posting) has a method for the rest of the page.

| Bank | Grades | Contract types it names |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Lettered grades, GA to GK in its salary structure. Administrative roles sit at GA to GD and usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Professional and technical roles start at GE and usually ask for a master's degree or a PhD with experience | Term, open, short-term and extended-term appointments. Extended Term Temporary (administrative level) and Extended Term Consultant (GE level and up) |
| IDB | Numbered grades in each posting | Staff contracts for an initial term of up to three years. Consultants for up to 48 months. Product and External Services consultants, usually off site and paid by lump sum or installments |
| EIB | Grades 1 to 9, with a salary band for each | Indefinite contracts, with a 9-month probation, and fixed-term contracts, with a probation of 3 to 6 months |
| AIIB | Professional levels from Analyst, Associate, Officer and Senior Officer up to Principal, Manager and Director General | Staff, consultant, Young Professionals Program and internship opportunities |

At the World Bank Group, both extended-term appointments have a 90-day minimum, can be renewed, and stop at a lifetime cap of three years in total. Extended Term Consultants get partial benefits, which the FAQ lists as health insurance, leave and a 15% premium paid at the end. The World Bank Group also separates local appointments, for roles that need no prior international experience and are paid in local currency, from international appointments, which are paid in US dollars. The [hiring process page](https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/careers/hiring-process) describes both.

## How does selection work at a development bank?

The banks describe similar stages. The World Bank Group's version is the most detailed:

1. The job opens and takes applications, typically for two weeks.
2. A first screening, often with screening questions, produces a longlist.
3. A Selection Advisory Committee reads the longlist and recommends a shortlist of three to five people to interview.
4. Shortlisted candidates may have an on-demand video interview or a panel interview, and some teams add a test, a case study or a presentation.
5. References and paperwork follow, then a Letter of Appointment.
6. Every appointment depends on background and security checks.

The others add their own steps. The [EIB's recruitment process](https://www.eib.org/en/about/careers/recruitment-process/index) can include a digital interview with pre-recorded questions and written answers, online reasoning and personality tests whose results stay valid for one year, a panel interview, and an external assessment centre for managerial roles. An offer depends on medical fitness and a pre-employment screening. The AIIB uses a competency-based panel interview and an online assessment that can include psychometric tests and a written exercise. The IDB describes a technical assessment and a formal panel interview.

Expect silence. The IDB says that if it does not contact you, you were not selected to continue. The AIIB notifies only shortlisted candidates. The World Bank Group says that no word within two to three months usually means the process moved on without you.

## How do you prepare a strong application?

A checklist for any of these banks:

- **Check eligibility first.** Nationality, the right to work at the duty station and the relatives rule can each end an application before anyone reads it.
- **Answer screening questions truthfully.** The World Bank Group rejects an application with false answers to its screening questions.
- **Write the statement of interest for this post.** The World Bank Group says its selection committees read it carefully to understand your motivation and experience.
- **Apply online only.** The World Bank Group does not accept applications by email or by post.
- **Convert the closing time.** World Bank Group vacancies close at 11:59 p.m. UTC. That is 7:59 p.m. in Washington during daylight saving time, and 7:59 a.m. the next morning in Manila. AIIB opportunities close at 11:59 p.m. Beijing time (GMT+8), which is 3:59 p.m. UTC on the same day.
- **Prepare examples in a fixed shape.** The World Bank Group FAQ suggests the STAR method: situation, task, action and results.

## What do development banks pay?

The [EIB's benefits page](https://www.eib.org/en/about/careers/benefits/index) lists gross salary bands for 2026 for each grade. Grade 1 runs from EUR 45,339.96/year to EUR 72,543.94/year, and grade 9 from EUR 255,530.00/year to EUR 313,605.00/year. EIB salaries fall under the common EU tax system for officials of the Union and are exempt from national income tax, and pay in an office outside Luxembourg may be adjusted to the local cost of living.

The IDB describes an annual base salary expressed net of tax. The AIIB says it pays in US dollars and adds a location premium allowance to the base salary, and gives no figures on the pages we read. A gross band and a net salary cannot be compared directly, so convert both to the same basis before you weigh two offers.

## Questions people ask

### Do I need to be a citizen of a member country?

At the World Bank Group, the IDB and the EBRD, yes, for the roles their pages describe. The EIB takes nationals of EU Member States, apart from local agent roles in its offices outside the EU. The AIIB invites people from inside and outside its member countries.

### How long does a development bank take to hire?

The World Bank Group describes a process of about 60 to 90 days, and the AIIB says about two to three months from application to outcome. The IDB says filling a vacancy may take a couple of months or more.

### Is a consultant contract the same as a staff job?

No. At the World Bank Group, an Extended Term Consultant has partial benefits and a lifetime cap of three years. At the IDB, a consultant can work on defined projects for at most 48 months. Read the contract line in the posting before you compare a consultancy with a staff role.

## What we know and what we do not

Every rule above was read on the banks' own pages when this post was written. Banks change their rules, so the posting and the bank's careers page are the final word. The Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank are not described, because their sites turned our requests away. Nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.

Zorlya does not apply for you. When a role is in your feed, Zorlya scores it against your resume, names the source it came from and links to the original posting, where you apply. [How it works](/how-it-works) shows the steps from resume to scored feed.