Director and Chief Data Technology Officer – GI  

Description

 

WBG Overview

The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of development assistance and global expertise for developing countries. It consists of five institutions that specialize in different aspects of development: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

With a mission to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet, the World Bank works across its membership to drive impactful and sustainable development, fight poverty, and improve quality of life. For each of its client countries, the World Bank works with public and private partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to pressing global, regional and local challenges. About 17,000 professionals representing 182 nationalities and based in more than 150 offices worldwide deliver the programs in countries, liaise with government, civil society and private sector, and work to increase understanding of development issues. For additional information, please visit http://www.worldbank.org.

The World Bank has undertaken an ambitious exercise to revise its mandate, products and structure to adjust to the multiple, intertwined crises affecting the world today (see Evolution Roadmap). In the move to a better and bigger bank, a new Vision and Mission for the institution have been announced, and a new World Bank playbook along with several financial initiatives are underway. 

 

Information and Technology Solutions (ITS)Vice Presidency Overview:

The mission of the Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) is to leverage information and technology as a force multiplier to accelerate, deepen, and sustain development impact. Our vision is to harness information and technology for a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information on ITS, check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=VTFGffa1Y7w.

 

Key Responsibilities:

We are seeking a Chief Data Technology Officer (CDTO) to join the ITS VPU. This role is responsible for providing technical strategy, leadership, and oversight of technology for data, information, knowledge, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) assets as well as technical solutions across the organization to enable the WBG to scale capabilities needed to achieve our mission of creating a world free of poverty on a livable planet.

In this role you will lead, manage, and coach a global and diverse team of cross-functional resources to optimize the value and use of data, information, and AI/ML solutions across the WBG while fostering a culture of innovation, sustainability, and agility. You will collaborate with other members of the ITS Management and Leadership teams to continually evolve the ITS organization and maximize the value of technology investments at the WBG. 

This role stands at the center of business and technology and requires an experienced leader to fully leverage the force multiplier effect of technology on driving digital transformation and business value. You will be a strategic visionary, collaborative leader, and change agent. 

 

Responsibilities:

Below is a summary of the expected duties and accountabilities, among others: 

 

Strategy & Business Engagement

•Build out the new Chief Data Technology organization and establish working relationships with key business partners and stakeholders. Represent ITS on different institutional bodies and governing forums. 

•Collaborate with the WBG CIO and ITS Management team to co-create, execute, and evolve the ITS vision, mission, and adaptive strategy ensuring alignment with WBG and business partner strategies.

•Collaborate with business and corporate partners to develop and execute a multi-year technical framework and roadmap for data, information, and knowledge management and AI/ML that drives measurable value for the business in alignment with the broader ITS strategy and WBG objectives. 

•Collaborate closely with the WBG Chief Statistician and Data Officer, based in the World Bank’s Development Economics VPU, including to provide technology solutions to ensure the Data Bank continues to meet objectives, and to reinvigorate WBG data and information governance practices and forums with a focus on technical integration, data democratization, data federation, data propagation, business-led value creation, and accelerating WBG knowledge bank goals.  

•Be a trusted advisor for business partners and other stakeholders, driving strategic discussions and influencing technical decisions on data and AI/ML including information sharing across the WBG, unlocking the value of WBG data, and responsible application of AI/ML technology to increase WBG efficiency and effectiveness. Execute on the WBG AI/ML approach and spearhead the development of a playbook for AI/ML adoption at WBG.

•As a champion for innovation and digital transformation, maintain deep understanding and knowledge of relevant business and technology trends, leading practices, and the WBG business to identify opportunities to deliver technology-driven business value. Translate business needs into achievable, sustainable, and innovative technology solutions.

Organization and People Leadership

•Model exemplary WBG leadership values and behaviors, leveraging strong organizational, managerial, technical, process, and people management skills. 

•Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing global organization of WBG, vendors, and consulting resources that effectively and efficiently deliver new and innovative business technology solutions in a multi-speed delivery environment.

•Provide strong leadership to staff through mentoring, career development, interpersonal skills, teamwork ethic, and enabling leadership skills.  

•Evaluate, determine and ensure adoption of modern DevSecOps data engineering team topology (stream-aligned, subsystem, platform, enabling, etc.)

•Along with and on behalf of the WBG CIO contribute to, implement, and monitor compliance with talent management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plans.

 

ITS Business Management

•Develop, manage, and report on investment plans and budgets, providing transparency into costs and value delivered for business partners and stakeholders.

•Define, measure, and report on personal and organization’s Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), proactively taking corrective action as required.

•Effectively manage and mitigate risks and ensure compliance with WBG and ITS policies, standards, procedures, and security requirements.

Technology Leadership

•Maintain end-to-end accountability and ownership of enabling technology supporting the strategy, governance, architecture, and technical management of data, information, knowledge and AI/ML solutions across the WBG.

•In collaboration with business and corporate partners, lead modernization of the WBG data and information architecture, platforms, and tools (and other data solutions) to increase business agility and scalability while reducing complexity and technical debt. 

•Automate data collection and optimize the WBG Search engine, among others. 

•Lead enterprise efforts to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI/ML and other transformative and strategic technologies.

•Support technical development of knowledge and data products as defined by business stakeholders. 

•Develop and execute a data storage strategy that balances data accessibility and costs. 

•Lead WBG enterprise integration architectures and orchestration including API gateway management, API lifecycle optimization, API security and governance, and the use of AI/ML integration in APIs.

Data, Information, and Knowledge Management Solutions Leadership

•Architect, build, deliver, and operate enterprise-wide technical data, information, and knowledge management components and services including technical architecture, platforms, tools, integrations, data management, content management, analytics, data visualization, business intelligence, records management, publishing, archiving, and digital preservation.

•Provide technical expertise on creation and use of synthetic data, data tokenization, data anonymization, and data obfuscation. Support business-led data science enablement. 

•Support data democratization across the WBG by enabling secure and efficient technical integration, usability, availability, and access to WBG data, information, and knowledge for WBG colleagues, stakeholders, countries, clients, and other external parties.

•Contribute in maintaining the WBG AAA rating. 

•Oversee and provide enterprise knowledge management services including archiving, library services, research, publishing, and records management.

AI/ML Solutions Leadership

•Enable enterprise-wide AI/ML adoption through development and operation of technology components and services including architecture, platforms, tools, models, use cases, and business solutions.

•Lead the planning, design, development/configuration, testing, and deployment of responsible AI/ML capabilities and business solutions, empowering WBG staff to leverage AI/ML in their daily work. 

•Contribute to exploration of new use cases for AI/ML solutions and evaluate their potential to scale WBG capabilities and accelerate digital transformation. Provide technical expertise to drive art of the possible conversations. 

•In partnership with business stakeholders, lead responsible AI/ML standards, policies, and governance frameworks, lead the WBG AI/ML Community of Practice and drive adoption of responsible AI/ML standards, policies, and solutions across the WBG.

•Define and oversee framework to measure and report on the value realized from AI/ML solutions. Track and report on the performance of AI/ML portfolio initiatives against business value metrics jointly agreed with business partners.

•Be an AI/ML evangelist and thought leader for the WBG, leading organizational change to create and sustain an AI First mindset. Minimize change impacts of interfacing solutions.

 

Selection Criteria

•Master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or relevant discipline with 15+ years of experience in an IT executive leadership position in a global financial services organization, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

•10+ years of experience in data and information management systems, data engineering, operations, governance, and analytics/business intelligence in a global financial services organization.

•Understanding of the WBG’s goals, objectives, and operating environment is desirable, including business processes, productivity and workflow needs, information and knowledge management, and data and analytical needs of WB frontline staff and management.

•Proven success modernizing data and information architectures. TOGAF and similar framework experience preferred. 

•Demonstrated experience and knowledge of AI/ML leading practices, governance, technologies, and solutions and how to apply them to drive digital and business transformation.

•Deep experience with designing, implementing, and managing data governance programs, data architectures (data warehouse, data lake, lakehouse, etc.), modeling, and data wrangling across complex organizations.

•Extensive experience implementing lean process design. Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification is a plus.

•Demonstrated experience driving data transformation using ADO, ADF, Databricks, Data Mesh and/or Data Fabric, as well as data mining tools. 

•Experience with designing, implementing, and managing responsible AI/ML programs across complex organizations preferred.

•Deep experience and knowledge working with industry-leading data and information architectures, platforms, tools, and solution providers.

•Demonstrated experience with efficiently and effectively designing, implementing, and managing modern data, information, and knowledge management architectures, platforms, and operations. Advanced knowledge and experience in data and information management practices, agile software development practices, and global IT delivery models.

•Strong understanding of industry, data, and technology leading practices, emerging technologies, and AI/ML and how to apply them to drive digital and business transformation.

•Proven ability to effectively partner with business stakeholders to build strong partnerships, foster good governance, ensure strategic business/IT alignment, and transform relationships at the senior level.

•Demonstrated success designing, leading, and executing data and information strategies and large-scale IT-enabled business transformation initiatives across a global organization.

•Strong collaborator with outstanding interpersonal and diplomatic skills, including the ability to facilitate, negotiate, and influence successful outcomes. Ability to influence decision makers through collaboration, education, and working partnerships.

•A strong strategic and business mindset, excellent organizational and leadership skills, and outstanding written and spoken communication skills.

•Ability to clearly communicate complicated technical topics to non-technical audiences.

•Strong conflict resolution and negotiation skills, superior analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

•Demonstrated ability to make timely and bold decisions that have broad impact across organizational boundaries and stakeholder groups, balancing speed and thoroughness even in the face of ambiguity. Ability to bring together differing opinions in a consensus driven organization.

•Ability to balance the long-term (“big picture”) and short-term implications of individual decisions.

•A proven business partner with ability to operate at senior levels of the organization.

•Strong experience with IT budget planning and financial management.

 

WORLD BANK LEADERSHIP VALUES AND MANAGERIAL BEHAVIORS: See Managerial Competencies 

 

Specific First Year Accountabilities:

•Evaluate current capabilities, strategies, roadmaps and staff, providing an informed current state assessment and future state proposal within 120 days.

•Materially improve enterprise search.

•Develop a low/no ops framework and complete pilot. Establish baseline and set KPI for automation within Data organization.

•Establish critical business colleague relationships and drive collaborative approach.

 

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.

 

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