Practice Manager - Digital & Data Infrastructure, AI & New Technologies

Job #:
req30415
Organization:
World Bank
Sector:
Digital Development
Grade:
GH
Term Duration:
4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment
Location:
Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s):
English
Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
12/5/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities - the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.

Digital Vice Presidency


The Digital Transformation Vertical Vice Presidency was established on July 1, 2024, and will guide World Bank Group efforts to establish the foundations of a digital economy, build and enhance digital and data infrastructure, ensure cybersecurity and data privacy for institutions, businesses, and citizens, and advance digital government services. Digital technologies, including AI and data, present a unique opportunity to accelerate development. The Digital Transformation Vertical will have the critical mission of delivering on this development promise. The Digital Vice Presidency and its global and regional teams will support client countries in building the foundational and cross-cutting elements of digital transformation through two engagement pillars, six business lines, and multiple cross-cutting areas:

• Digital Core: Building digital infrastructure through broadband network, affordable devices; Enhancing data infrastructure including data centers, cloud solutions and data governance; Enabling AI and cutting-edge technology applications; and Protecting institutions, businesses, and citizens through cybersecurity, data protection & privacy, trust services as well as online safety.
• Digital Use: Supporting the Regions and the Verticals of People, Prosperity, Planet, and Infrastructure in the digitalization efforts of clients through Digital Government (digital public infrastructure, digital government services, and digital literacy and training), Digital Economy (national ICT planning, ICT industry and jobs, and smart infra and industry) and Digital Society (digital school, digital health, etc.).
•Both pillars will be the channels through which the Vertical will support World Bank achieving its objectives in cross-cutting areas like jobs and skills, climate and green, fragility, conflict and violence, and gender and inclusion.

Digital Infrastructure, Data Center and AI Unit

This unit will develop the World Bank ’s approach to digital connectivity, data infrastructure and new technologies such as AI that include:

• Digital Connectivity: Through Mobile, Fixed, Satellite, and Subsea technologies, while promoting public-private partnerships (PPP), competition policy reform, and supporting Universal Access Funds (UAF). The development of a comprehensive Government Network will be prioritized to serve the country’s administrative, development and financial needs. Efforts will also be made to ensure the availability of affordable devices.
• Data Infrastructure: With a focus on developing data center and cloud solutions, promoting public-private partnerships (PPP) and data sharing infrastructure, and facilitating cross-border data flows while adhering to data sovereignty guidance.
• AI and New Technologies: Including principles of ethical AI governance framework, tracking new technology/AI trends, and sharing knowledge. AI use case development will be tailored to domain and local contexts, supported by fundamental requirement guidance. Additionally, the engagement will explore the application of emerging technologies such as Crypto, IoT, Metaverse, and beyond to provide impactful development solutions, with a strong emphasis on partnerships to foster innovation and collaboration.

The Unit will engage through Regional VPUs and CMUs to support clients.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The Practice Manager will be responsible for 15-20 staff and report to the Global Director for Digital Core. The PM will work closely -with the Regional Managers/Directors and support their work to advance digital transformation in client countries including mobilizing cutting-edge experts both externally and internally. PM will ensure that frontlines teams are support through the Regional Managers by making available state of the art knowledge to clients including facilitating cross-regional and institutional learning to find client driven solutions.

The PM will collaborate with IFC and MIGA to create a community of practice that supports the public and private sector interests and partnerships. PM will work alongside the other PMs to provide coherent and consistent advice to internal and external clients.

The PM will be a member of the Departmental Management Team, and as needed will be invited to join the Vertical (VPU) Leadership Team. It is expected that the Data Infrastructure and AI & New Technologies functions will be spun off as a separate Unit in the medium-term. Until then, a Program Manager, reporting to the PM, will manage these topics and teams.

More specifically, the PM is responsible for the following areas:

Solutions and Results to Clients
• Leads her/his team to deliver the key strategic priorities and specific activities, including managing the quality of work program and deliverables including lending and ASA, working closely with other PMs and Regional PMs.
• Draws on global thought leadership and implementation know-how to ensure high impact solutions; provides focused, evidence-based and just-in-time analytical insights to clients with a view to inform better decision making.
• Builds and maintains a balanced portfolio of innovative, cost-effective and demand-driven products and services.
• Works in partnership with other PMs in the Vertical and the Regions as well as with other GPs, IFC, MIGA to find tailored digital solutions to complex development challenges.
• Accountable for delivering high-quality and timely results.
• Create p