Description

Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity to help client countries 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 poverty on a livable planet. 
With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, the World Bank Group works with public and private partners, invests in groundbreaking projects and uses data, research, and technology to develop solutions to pressing global, regional and local challenges. For more information, please visit http: http://www.worldbank.org.

The organization 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 becoming a better Bank.

Business Unit 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. The 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 

Department Context

The ITS Data Technology Office is the central entity within the World Bank Group’s Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) department responsible for enabling data, AI, information, and knowledge capabilities across the institution. It comprises four units focused on platforms & tools, product & service delivery, enablement and governance. The office plays a pivotal role in advancing the Group’s digital transformation, supporting business domains with trusted data, information and AI capabilities, and fostering a culture of responsible innovation.

Unit Context

The Product & Services Delivery unit leads the design, development, and operational delivery of integrated products and services across data, AI, archives, and publishing. Key areas of focus include adopting a programmatic, customer-centric approach to delivery (treating initiatives as structured programs with clear benefits, agile execution, and measurable outcomes), ensuring that production services are responsive and aligned with business priorities through SLA-based (service level agreements) service management, and contributing to enablement of citizen data science and AI adoption.

Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose

Lead the delivery of integrated products and services across data, AI, information, archives, and publishing by guiding and developing high-performing teams. This role ensures that delivery is strategic, customer-focused, efficient, and scalable - anchored in programmatic discipline, agile methodologies, operational excellence, and effective people leadership.

Responsibilities

1. Programmatic Delivery Approach

- Adopt a structured, programmatic approach to all delivery initiatives, treating them as formal programs with defined benefits, milestones, and governance.
- Apply Agile and SAFe methodologies to manage delivery cycles, dependencies, and team coordination.
- Establish and maintain delivery metrics (e.g. velocity, quality, adoption, impact) to monitor performance and inform continuous improvement.
- Oversee successful delivery of a range of data, information and AI products and services, spanning corporate and development data analytics products, data catalogues, enterprise AI products (e.g. mAI, search), research and rapid response for library queries, information lifecycle fiduciary responsibilities as per the Management of Records Procedure, declassification, disclosure, and public services as per the Access to Information Policy and Directive, content acquisition and management, and publishing.

2. Customer-Centric Service Design

- Ensure all services are designed and delivered with a strong customer-facing focus, positioning business users as product owners.
- Facilitate co-design workshops, feedback loops, and iterative development cycles to align services with user needs.
- Promote transparency and responsiveness in service delivery through regular engagement and communication.

3. Legacy Data and Information Consolidation

- Initiate and lead consolidation of key datasets and information from legacy storage onto modern, scalable platforms.
- Coordinate with platform and governance teams to ensure data and information quality, compliance, and usability.
- Develop migration strategies, stakeholder engagement plans, and change management support.
- In compliance with approved retention and disposition instruments, coordinate preservation best practices to protect, know, monitor, and repair the born-digital and analog records in archival custody.

4. SLA-Based Operations

- Define and manage service-level agreements (SLAs) for all operational services, including data reporting, AI support, archives access, and library and publishing services.
- Monitor performance against SLAs and implement corrective actions where needed.
- Ensure operational resilience, continuity, and responsiveness.

5. DevSecOps Adoption

- Promote DevSecOps practices where appropriate, integrating development, security, and operations into delivery workflows.
- Collaborate with platform and governance teams to embed security and compliance into the delivery lifecycle.
- Support automation, CI/CD pipelines, and secure deployment practices.

6. People Management & Leadership

- Build, mentor, and empower a diverse, high-performing team to deliver program objectives, ensuring clarity of roles, skills development, and alignment with strategic priorities.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning that enables staff to innovate and deliver impactful outcomes.
- Provide coaching, feedback, and growth opportunities that strengthen both technical and leadership capabilities, preparing staff for future organizational needs.

Selection Criteria

Skills Required

* Product and service delivery for data, AI, and information

* Agile and SAFe delivery

* Program management and portfolio management

* Process reengineering and business transformation

* Change management and stakeholder engagement

* SLA management and operational excellence

* DevSecOps principles (CI/CD, automation, security)

* Understanding of a broad range of data, information and knowledge products and services – from data and AI, through to unstructured documents and archival science - and an ability to identify appropriate balance between standardization and customization to unique needs.

* Vendor management

Prior Experience

* 12 years, with at least 10 in a leadership experience in technology product/service delivery

* Managing large portfolios of data, AI, or information initiatives

* Driving business transformation and legacy system consolidation

* Building partnerships with business units and external vendors

* Implementing SLA-based operations and continuous improvement

* People management

Education & Certification

* Advanced degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field

* Required certifications: Cloud architecture (e.g., Azure Architect), Data management or information management (e.g. DMBOK), ITIL, Agile (e.g. CSM, SAFe), Project management (e.g. PMP)

* Preferred: TOGAF, Change Management, certification in records management or library services

Within the first year, this leader will deliver the following:

* Consolidate the products and services capability and team.

* Ensure the delivery of in-flight data, AI and information projects and services remains on track with respect to budget, time, scope.

* Foster strong relationships with business units, becoming a trusted partner in solving complex problems, enabling transformation, and scaling impact.

* Transform data, AI and information product delivery into a programmatic model, where initiatives are structured, benefits and issues are tracked, and agile practices are embedded across teams.

* Lay the foundations for the culture of business leadership in data, information and AI product development, where products and services are co-designed, responsive, and continuously improved based on usage.

* Assess and, if feasible, initiate a legacy data consolidation program, to migrate fragmented datasets onto modern platforms to improve data quality, accessibility, and readiness for AI and analytics.

* Progress towards operational excellence through SLA-based delivery, ensuring services are reliable, measurable, and aligned with business needs and expectations.

* Support citizen data science and AI adoption through services and support models that empower business users to innovate responsibly and independently.

* Develop, manage, and grow a skilled, engaged delivery team by setting clear expectations, building capabilities, and fostering a culture of accountability and innovation to ensure sustainable, impactful delivery.

WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.  Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.