Lead Digital Specialist

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd VPU Context:Digital and AI Vice Presidency Digital technologies offer a unique opportunity to transform development through digital solutions. The Digital and AI Vice Presidency and its global and regional teams will support client countries in building the foundational and cross-cutting elements of digital transformation through:

• Building digital infrastructure and data platforms (including AI, cloud computing and digital public infrastructure)
• Protecting institutions, businesses, and citizens through cybersecurity and data protection privacy
• Developing ICT sectors and supporting digital entrepreneurship, skills, and jobs
• Implementing and digitalizing digital government services that improve accountability and transparency
• Supporting the Vice presidencies of People, Prosperity, Planet, and Infrastructure in the digitalization efforts of their clients, and in leveraging digital solutions, including building client sectoral digital capacity, defining sectoral specific AI strategies, and designing sectoral AI solutions
• Coordinating the operationalization of the WBG Digital Strategy as well as cross-GP efforts of achieving the new Corporate Scorecard digital indicators. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/digital Duties and Responsibilities The position reports to the Digital Practice Manager for AFW (DAWDU) Key responsibilities include: Strategic Leadership
• In close coordination with Digital DAWDU PM, provide technical direction for the Digital AI work program, ensuring alignment with the Digital and AI Strategy Implementation Plan (FY26–30) and AFW regional strategies. Represent Digital AFW in high-level policy dialogues, partnership meetings, and international forums on digital transformation and AI.
• Connect the mission of Digital AFW in delivering on the Digital and AI Strategy Implementation Plan (FY26–30) with the efforts of the other verticals and sectors of the WBG, including with IFC and MIGA.
• Prepare and review strategic Senior Management briefings and engagements. Technical Expertise and Program Delivery
• Provide technical leadership to Digital AFW team and client governments on complex digital development issues, with a strong focus on the digital infrastructure – connectivity, telecom markets, and crowding in private investments.

Experience

in public-private partnerships essential. Additional expertise in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), data governance, cybersecurity, and AI for development will be a strong asset.

• Lead strategic lending operations.
• Lead the design and implementation of flagship knowledge products in Digital AFW, ensuring they are policy-relevant and actionable for client countries. Operational Support
• Guide task teams in integrating the solutions of the World Bank Group’s Global Digital AI Implementation Plan into WBG Lending and Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) operations across the AFW region.
• Review and clear technical deliverables—policy notes, concept notes, mission outputs—to ensure high quality standards and compliance with all corporate requirements, and provide hands-on guidance to task team leaders and client-facing teams on project design and implementation, in close coordination with Digital AFW PM.
• Support the Digital AFW PM on portfolio and budget monitoring, anticipating issues and advising the PM on ad hoc issues regarding country engagements (portfolio, sector dialogue), as well as dialogue with country units and partners.
• Mentor junior staff including grooming task team leads.
• Liaise with global expert teams to provide regional contribution to the Knowledge Bank in alignment with the World Bank Group’s Global Digital AI Strategy; and ensure support by the Knowledge Bank to regional engagements. Partnership Management and Outreach
• Serve as the focal point in Digital AFW for the coordination between the AFW Regional Vice President Front Office and Development Partners active in Digital (e.g., EU, EBRD, AFD, AfDB, AIIB, IsDB, and others).
• Facilitate collaboration between Digital AFW and other WB Global Departments/Verticals to ensure the effective transfer of digital and AI knowledge and innovation across boundaries.
• Lead outreach and communication initiatives to raise the visibility of AFW’s contributions to global digital and AI transformation. Results Monitoring, Financial Management and Governance
• Ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting against the Digital and AI Strategy Implementation Plan (FY26–30) Results Framework and workplan indicators for AFW.
• Promote learning, transparency, and knowledge sharing through publications, workshops, and digital platforms.