Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; 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 to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Infrastructure Practice Group
Globally, 840 million people live more than 2 kilometers from all-weather roads, 1 billion people lack electricity, and 3 billion people lack Internet access. Access to basic infrastructure services is critical for creating economic opportunities for the poor. The Infrastructure (INF) Practice Group is charged with developing sustainable solutions to help close infrastructure gaps in developing and emerging economies. The INF Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) currently consists of four global practices (GPs): Energy & Extractives (EEX), Transport, Digital Development (DD) and Infrastructure Finance, PPPs and Guarantees (IPG).
Unit Overview
Digital Development (DD) Global Practice is led by a Director supported by several Practice Managers and Program Managers with specific regional and global responsibilities. It plays a critical role in enabling the achievements of the Twin goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Digital technologies are transforming firms, governments, and people’s lives; and with the digital economy growing at a rate significantly higher than that of the global economy, it offers emerging economies a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional paths for development through digital solutions.
Collaborating across technical, geographic, and institutional boundaries, the DD team helps design and deliver digitally enhanced solutions aimed at harnessing the full potential of digital transformation. This requires decisive policy action to mobilize private investment, promote competition in digital markets and support the rollout of infrastructure in commercially unviable areas. It also entails working with client countries to develop digital platforms, strengthen digital safeguards to manage data protection and privacy as well as cyber security risks, and leverage the potential of digital technologies to enhance environmental sustainability.
The DD Global Practice has recently introduced Business Lines (BLs) to structure country and regional engagements, research, and global engagement. The ICT Industry and Digital Jobs BL supports efforts to drive digital transformation, boost productivity and economic growth and create jobs in developing countries by encouraging investment in ICT and ICT enabled services industries and facilitating industry-academia partnerships to develop digital skills and job readiness and placement support programs tailored to market demand both within the ICT sector and for ICT skilled roles across all sectors.
Duties and Accountabilities
The Sr. Digital Development Specialist will play a lead role in shaping the strategy of the ICT Industry and Digital Jobs Business Line, scaling up our thought leadership and global engagement on this agenda, supporting knowledge sharing and adoption of best practices in our client engagements, and helping build a cohesive and high performing business line team. Key elements will include, but are not limited to the following areas:
• Defining and executing a strategic vision: Help develop the BL’s strategic vision and translate it into a forward-looking, evidence-based, practical, and relevant product offering and program of country engagement, global engagement, and knowledge.
• Developing and curating global knowledge and thought leadership: Lead and/or contribute to cutting-edge analytical and knowledge products, research projects, and data collection efforts designed to increase global evidence and knowledge, ensuring the ICT Industries and Digital Jobs BL and DD Global Practice are at the forefront of this development agenda, such as continuing the Bank’s thought leadership on the development of ICT industries and digital jobs in developing countries.
• Supporting client engagement: Provide and/or coordinate deployment of ICT Industry and Digital Jobs expertise in support of a range of client engagements across dimensions of policy, investment and partnerships.
• Communicating and sharing knowledge: Effectively communicate the BL’s knowledge, thought leadership and the World Bank’s engagement program on ICT industry and Digital Jobs to various audiences, including key internal and external stakeholders, clients, beneficiaries, general public, internal and external partners; Effectively represent the BL in national, regional, and global fora.
• Building partnerships: Foster and build partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including with developing country governments, development partners (e.g., bilateral donors, foundations, UN agencies), private sector companies and foundations, academic institutions and think tanks.
• Building and leading a team: Help build an effective BL team including support for identifying and attracting talent, helping structure a work program and team assignments, mentoring and coaching BL affiliated staff and consultants.
Selection Criteria
• Masters or PhD in economics, public policy, private sector development, technology, business or another relevant field.
• At least 8-10 years of relevant experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
• Excellent analytical, writing and editing skills with strong track record of publications or knowledge products, and leading analytical work, reports and teams.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience and track record of results and successfully working across departments, practices, disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
• Excellent client engagement skills and experience, able to understand and adapt to client needs; being balanced and politically astute.
• Effective communication skills including the ability to speak articulately and persuasively.
• Strong sense of strategy, including ability to prioritize and exit activities and engagements; track record in streamlining and rationalizing product offerings.
• Good partnership experience, including involving multiple stakeholders – both public and private – in building collaborative alliances for results.
• Leading provider of development solutions for clients; provide leadership in Both knowledge generation and knowledge sharing.
• Role-modeling the change and values for WBG; demonstrating courage of convictions, ownership, and self-mastery within the organization in accordance with our values.
• Strong results orientation, persistence, patience, and positive attitude.
Required Competencies
• Integrative Skills – Integrating divergent viewpoints of multiple external and internal stakeholders into a coherent project/program/strategy.
• Internal and External Client Engagement – An ability to independently coordinate and engage with stakeholders from various parts of WBG, including IFC and MIGA, during the course of assisting team with operational design and implementation.
• Portfolio Management and Results Monitoring and Evaluation – An ability to independently monitor portfolio and pipeline and provide signals to management when the program goes off track. An ability to design, advise and implement results frameworks. Providing key inputs in business planning/MoU exercises.
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.