Regional Director, Digital (EAP & SAR)
Job #:
req27638
Organization:
World Bank
Sector:
Digital Development
Grade:
GI
Term Duration:
4 years 0 months
Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment
Location:
Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s):
English
Preferred Language(s):
Closing Date:
6/7/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) 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, www.worldbank.org
The East Asia & Pacific (EAP) Region Context
EAP is a large and diverse region, ranging from Small Island States of the Pacific to the Philippines and China! Despite substantial economic growth and poverty reduction, the EAP region faces huge development challenges. Growth has been uneven across and within countries, institutions still need strengthening, and most countries are heavily affected by climate change. The Bank plays a significant role on global public goods, including climate, biodiversity, water pollution, and health. The COVID pandemic, and more recently food and energy price increases are compounding the impact of the global economic slowdown. The World Bank Group is seen as a premier development institution in the Region, with a leadership role on analytical and advisory services as well as financing.
East Asia and the Pacific Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eap
The South Asia Region (SAR) Context
The South Asia Region comprises eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) that range in size from India (with a population of over 1 billion) to Maldives (with 0.3 million people). The region has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6% a year over the past 20 years. It was the second-fastest growing region in the world in the aftermath of the global crisis. This strong growth has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell in South Asia from 56% to 16% between 1981 and 2013. Still, the region remains home to a third of the world's poorest, with 216 million people living below $1.9/day.
The South Asia Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/sar
Digital Vice Presidency
Digital technologies offer a unique opportunity to transform development through digital solutions. 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:
• 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 digital Global Challenge Program as well as cross-GP efforts of achieving the new Corporate Scorecard digital indicators.
The Digital VPU, through its global and regional teams and working in collaboration with other teams across the World Bank, will deploy a range of products, services, and partnerships to advance global knowledge around key digital transformation topics and to support countries to define and implement their vision for digital transformation through:
• Financing to governments in the form of grants, loans, guarantees, and risk management products to support digital investment projects and implement policy reforms.
• Advisory services including targeted policy guidance, technical assistance, and capacity building.
• Knowledge products including data and diagnostics to provide actionable insights at regional, country, and local levels, research and thought leadership to expand the global knowledge base, as well as thematic operational toolkits.
• Convening services that bring together key stakeholders, from both public and private sectors as well as international and non-governmental organizations involved in advancing global digital transformation.
For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/digitaldevelopment
Duties and accountabilities:
The Regional Director will jointly report to EAP and SAR Regional Vice Presidents.
The Regional Director for EAP and SAR, will be accountable for modeling WBG leadership values and managerial behavior and ensuring that the unit delivers on its operational commitments. Accountability means being answerable for making strategic choices, managing quality, risks, results, institutional initiatives, external and internal resources, and compliance with WBG policies and procedures. The Regional Director will jointly report to EAP and SAR Regional Vice Presidents and work collaboratively with the EAP and SAR Regional Leadership teams (RLTs), including Country Directors (CDs) and other Regional Directors (RDs), to ensure regional efforts are mainstreamed in-country programs; and work with IFC and MIGA management in ensuring that the totality of WBG efforts is coherent and impactful. The Regional Director will also work collaboratively with the Digital Vice-President and Global Leadership Team (GLT), including the Global Director (GD) for Digital Transformation.
Responsibilities
The Regional Director is responsible for performing activities in the following areas:
Strategy and Vision
• Provides strategic vision, coherence and direction and determines strategic focus for the Region's Digital program consistent with regional priorities and country partnership frameworks. Oversees quality of all operations and analytics in EAP and SAR region's Digital department.
• Is an active member of both the EAP and SAR RLTs and RMTs, providing value added at the regional and corporate levels as needed.
• Ensures that a client-orientated, high quality, and impactful work program is delivered on budget and on time, and that the department attracts and retains high caliber staff.
• Works in partnership with CDs and their teams, and with other RDs, the Strategy and Operations Director, to develop and deliver effective and impactful work programs. Draws in internal expertise from other areas of the Bank as well as external expertise, when needed.
• Drives the development agenda related to Digital program in the Region, including active participation and contribution to country and regional strategic review meetings, Board updates and opportunities for partnerships with external partners, IFIs, private sector and think tanks with interests in the region.
• Working with the GDs, contributes knowledge and good practice so that that PGs can learn from the Region, and that operations are informed by international best practice.
• Contributes to overall Digital strategy and vision.
Solutions and Results to Clients
• Leads his/her team to deliver EAP and SAR regions' key strategic priorities and, in collaboration with other stakeholders, ensures alignment with the WBG Strategy.
• Draws on thought leadership and implementation know-how to ensure high impact solutions.
• Accountable for delivering high-quality and timely results.
• Assist the management team in building and maintaining a balanced portfolio of innovative, cost-effective, demand-driven products and services that reflect corporate priorities.
• Implements quality control processes/inputs to support the delivery of products and services.
• Ensures the availability and maintenance of portfolio, pipeline, staff, and budget information, as well as portfolio quality and performance metrics, to inform WBG management.
• Leads on high-priority initiatives and projects.
• Provides cross-sectoral solutions to clients, working within and across the WBG.
Country and Client Responsiveness and Relationships:
• Works across the Bank Group, including on operations that help mobilize private capital.
• Works closely with Country management to respond to client needs, builds strong client relationship, and carries out client dialogues at the senior level, supported by and supportive of Practice Managers (PMs) and Program Leaders (PLs)
• Advises Regional Vice President (RVP) and Regional Leadership Team (RLT) on all issues related to digital transformation and supports and contributes to discussions called by the RVP.
• Provides substantive inputs and active participation in Regional Operations Committees (ROCs), Annual and Spring Meetings, other priority regional review meetings, RMTs, RLTs, retreats and townhalls.
• Engages with clients ensuring delivery of technical expertise and global good practice.
• Draws on technical expertise of experts, engages regularly with clients and counterparts as well as development partners in the region, providing strategic, intellectual, technical, and proactive leadership.
• Monitors and ensures that client expectations are met, and high impact is achieved.
Business Development and Work Program Agreement Delivery:
• Seeks opportunities in the regions for WBG engagements and for all WBG instruments and products, aligned with corporate priorities and regional and country strategies.
• Leads the Department in the Work Program Agreement (WPA) formulation, in close collaboration with PMs and PLs, in discussion with CDs (for Country work) and the RVP (for regional work)
• Supports collaboration across Regions and the Practice Group in delivering and supervising the regional work program.
• Is accountable for ensuring that all corporate commitments are fully incorporated into the country programs and for achieving the targets.
• Is accountable for delivering the Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) and lending pipelines and quality supervision of the portfolio on time and on budget.
• Is accountable, alongside the Country Director (CD), for risk management of the country programs managed by the EAP and SAR Digital Department.
• Ensures quality control of all operations and ASA mapped to EAP and SAR Digital Department.
People/ Talent Management
• Models exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors and reinforces these qualities in own team and staff.
• Drives and inspires technical excellence within the team and the unit by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients.
• Works closely with EAP and SAR Front Office, CDs, PMs and Talent Boards and Talent Council to plan staff needs, including guiding the regional staffing requirements, and providing input into decentralization plans, strategic staffing, and the D&I agenda for the EAP and SAR Region and the Digital Practice Group.
• Responsible for providing input to the regional workforce plans, considering decentralization, diversity, grade level balances and responsible for the implementation of the Department's part of the workforce plan.
• Oversees and supports PMs in the EAP and SAR Regions in nurturing talent and grooming staff for career development and growth and managing performance including poor performance.
Resource Management
• Is accountable for managing budget resources from all sources (e.g., Country Engagement -CE, Program and Practice Management -PPM, Reimbursable Advisory Services -RAS, Trust Funds -TF) for the Department's engagement in the Region.
• Proactively supports the efficient and effective use of resources to foster synergies and multi-sectoral solutions for clients.
Knowledge Management
• Supports global knowledge generation and capture by ensuring staff in the region allocate time to generate, capture and disseminate knowledge.
• Fosters knowledge management within the region as well and working with GDs and other RDs to ensure cross fertilization of knowledge within and across regions.
Selection Criteria
• Deep technical knowledge and experience in Digital Transformation or related fields and ability to work across GPs, IFC, and MIGA, as well as with other partners such as the private sector, to maximize digital transformation outcomes.
• Master's or PhD degree in Digital-related areas of economics, finance, management, or international relations; typically, the successful candidate will have 15 or more years of relevant experience in increasingly complex and responsible positions.
• Strong familiarity with cutting-edge technologies and new business models in the digital sector.
• Strong ability to engage with many sectors/Global Practices.
• Solid knowledge of Bank operations and policies. Track record of managing complex and large work programs, budgets, portfolio monitoring and supervision, with proven results.
• Track record of managing complex and large work programs with proven results.
• Demonstrated leadership: an energetic, motivated leader with the capacity to drive change and innovation.
• Personal leadership in shaping and leading new agendas, bringing thought leadership and analysis together with delivery capacity for maximum client impact.
• Recognized expert within WBG or among one or more of the following: academia, partners, private sector actors, and policymakers, and with a track record of applying practice know-how and effective policy dialogue to achieve development results.
• Proven ability to effectively implement complex change management initiatives.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with proven experience in dealing with the media, external constituencies and/or expert groups.
WBG Leadership Values and Managerial Behaviors
• Leadership of Self: Role model the change and values for WBG; Demonstrate courage of convictions, ownership, and self-mastery within the organization according to our values.
• People Leadership: Lead and inspire staff to perform and deliver for better results. Help others achieve their fullest potential through coaching and mentorship.
• Collaborative Leadership: Be mutually accountable for entire WBG's corporate targets and success. Work across WBG and with clients and partners to achieve better results.
• Client Solutions Leadership: Be the leading provider of development solutions for country clients. Provide leadership in both knowledge generation and knowledge sharing.
• Decisive Leadership: Take informed risks and make decisions in a transparent manner resulting in transformative impact for clients. Commit to decision once they have been made.
WBG Managerial Competencies: https://bit.ly/2kDjXkr
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.