Senior Digital Specialist

Job #:
req38510

Organization:
World Bank Group

Sector:
Digital Development

Grade:
GG

Term Duration:
Open-Ended Staff (OPEN-OP)

Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
ENGLISH

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
10/14/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

VPU Context: Digital technologies offer a unique opportunity to transform development through digital solutions. The Digital and AI Vertical Vice Presidency (VPU) and its global and regional teams support client countries in building their capacities for digital transformation and AI use. WBG recently published its Digital and AI Strategy and implementation plan which includes four pillars: access, affordability, ecosystem and AI readiness and guided by the ten solutions of the implementation plan recently approved by the Board.

Unit Context: The Development Effectiveness (DE) unit plays an important role in advising the VPU and Director of Strategy and Operations (DSO) on all matters pertaining to strategic planning, management, operational delivery, partnerships, including trust fund oversight, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder engagement, knowledge management, and collaboration with Regions and Verticals.

(Auto populated for FIF-funded positions only) This role provides support to a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF). Roles funded by a FIF are subject to the WBG Staff Directives and Procedures. Additionally, the FIF's governance framework and funding are also relevant to this role.

Duties and accountabilities: The Senior Digital Specialist will work under the general direction of the DE Unit Manager, in close coordination with and a "dotted" reporting line to OPCS/OPSPR, as institutional owner of the Procurement Framework and with the responsibility for interpreting and updating procurement policies and procedures. The specialist, in close coordination with OPSPR, will recommend any necessary changes to the Procurement Framework, including in regard to Standard Procurement Documents, and support the development of operational tools approaches to reflect the needs of digital and AI market and operations, and provide expert advisory support to global and regional teams in developing replicable best practice approaches to procuring digital goods and services. The goal would be to help address operational challenges in Digital and AI project components that include but are not limited to procurement process delays, adequacy of procurement processes for agile implementation (standard procurement documents), vendor lock-in and open source and proprietary technology risk, contract management and supplier performance, weak market engagement, and cybersecurity and data privacy and intellectual property rights specifications and relevant contract clauses.

Specific responsibilities include:

1. Procurement Innovation and Reforms
• Works in collaboration with OPSPR to develop and promote innovations in Bank procurement policies, procedures, and standard documents to better serve the acquisition of digital and AI solutions.
• Jointly with OPSPR, and in collaboration with OPSFP and LEG, leads on the design and implementation of three priority contracting developments:

(i) framework agreements with call-offs pre-qualified vendor panels ("digital marketplace") enabling agile, phased, and competitive procurement;

(ii) standard terms for subscription-based services (such as XaaSCaas, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS); and

(iii) options for financing subscription agreements extending beyond the World Bank project cycle (e.g., bullet payments at signing "OpEx to CapEx", committed operations and management budgets) to secure sustainability together with the development of associated standard procurement documents that operationalize them, applied across Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI),integrated government services, cloud, and sectoral services as well as broadband connectivity solutions such as fiber, mobile, or satellite networks.
• Provides insights on how to implement the Bank's Procurement Framework, Regulations, standard procurement documents, and related guidance to identify where they constrain the timely and value-for-money procurement of technology to the Digital VPU and OPSPR.
• Reviews the digital and AI VPU's regional project portfolios to map the type of goods, services and works typically procured in digital and AI operations, including procurement methods and markets approached leveraged to inform this review.
• Analyzes how modern technology commercial models such as subscription and consumption-based pricing, agile and iterative delivery, outcome-based specifications, intellectual property and data rights, cybersecurity, interoperability, and avoidance of product, vendor, and cloud lock-in; open-source versus proprietary solution options; data portability and ownership; vertically integrated versus modular connectivity solutions; intellectual property rights map against existing procurement, financial and operational practice and rules, and designs practical solutions where friction arises to optimize planned procurement.
• Proposes, in collaboration with OPSPR, prioritized changes to policies, procedures, and evaluation approaches, distinguishing between changes achievable through guidance, changes requiring new template documents, and changes requiring policy-level amendment.
• Advises task teams on procurement cases and precedent-setting approaches subject to Practice Manager and Operations Procurement Review Committee (OPRC) review, including the rationale for proposed deviations from standard practice, in accordance with existing ADM on procurement reviews.
• Builds strong relationships across business units and with OPSPR and regional procurement teams to test the feasibility of proposed reforms and support their adoption.
• Exercises deliberate institutional sensitivity in a role that sits between the Digital and AI VPU and OPCS- OPSPR : channels policy and document changes through the responsible departments, facilitates joint ownership and co-branding of reforms, avoids creating parallel Digital-specific procurement processes, and raises disagreements transparently through the Practice Manager.

2. Support to Knowledge Bank
• Works with OPSFP and the Knowledge Bank to develop standard procurement guidance and templates for the most common and high value goods and services procured by regional teams, aligned with the implementation plan, to allow for swift and effective operational delivery.
• Helps organize central market sounding on prioritized procurement packages to refine proposed approaches, understand pain points, validate recommendations, and secure buy-in, consulting with task team leaders (TTLs), client governments, international partners, and private sector participants (including but not limited to cloud, software, cybersecurity, and telecom/broadband providers).

3. Support to Regional Teams
• Serves as a resource to task teams on the design and execution of a select number of strategic procurement activities at regional level that pilot procurement reform or help develop procurement guidance and templates for key items prioritized, providing hands-on operational and analytical advice and helping them apply fit-for-purpose approaches, tailor documents, and resolve bottlenecks on active operations, while respecting the fiduciary responsibilities and role of the accredited procurement specialists accountable for each operation.

4. Capacity building
• In collaboration with OPSPR and regional Procurement Managers, sesigns and delivers capacity-building workshops, clinics, and guidance for Bank staff and borrowers to disseminate improved technology procurement approaches and lessons learned across regions.
• Plays a significant role in guiding and mentoring other procurement staff and building the digital procurement skills of regional teams.
• Develops and maintains repository of good practice examples and facilitates the procurement helpdesk line.

5. Use of Technology and Data
• Supports the adoption of AI, automation, and digital procurement solutions, and helps translate emerging market and technology trends into practical procurement guidance in collaboration with OPSPR and ITS.
• Partners with OPSPR, regional colleagues and other relevant units to strengthen procurement intelligence, dashboards, and analytics that inform policy and operational decisions.

Selection Criteria
• Master's degree in telecommunications, engineering, computer science, business administration, economics, public policy or related field with a minimum of 8 years of experience in ICT / Digital Economy policy and regulation, ICT sector, and/or ICT / Digital Economy project design and implementation.
• Practical experience with at least two of the following: broadband connectivity and access programs, device affordability schemes, digital public infrastructure (DPI), AI adoption in public services, digital and AI ecosystems.
• Relevant professional experience in public procurement, including significant experience procuring technology, telecom infrastructure, software, cloud, data, or AI solutions.
• In-depth knowledge and specialized command of the major facets of the World Bank Procurement Framework and Regulations, or comparable international procurement rules.
• Strong technical and operational skills as evidenced in a proven track record in supporting the delivery of project operations and project implementation and supervision within the Bank or similar type of projects/products for other entities.
• Familiarity with modern technology commercial models, including framework agreements with call-offs and subscription/consumption-based contracting - as well as intellectual property and data-rights issues, cybersecurity considerations, and digital and AI solution delivery.
• Demonstrated experience in handling complex, high-value digital procurements.
• Proven ability to provide operational advisory support to regional/de-centralized teams and to design and deliver capacity-building workshops.
• High level of integrity with demonstrated strong client-service skills, and the ability to operate effectively in a matrix management environment.
• Demonstrated ability to operate at the intersection of digital and procurement functions, exercising influence without formal authority and with proven sensitivity to the mandates of policy-owning units in a large institution.
• Strong communication and persuasion skills, including the ability to author guidance, articles, or study reports.
• Excellent presentation skills, using visual and other data presentation techniques appropriately to communicate data, technical information, or complex concepts to non-specialists
• Ability to identify complex issues and respond innovatively.
• Ability to travel frequently.
• Excellent command of English; proficiency in French or Spanish is an advantage.

General Competencies
• Superior written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to function effectively in multi-disciplinary, cross-regional teams.
• Ability to analyze and compare various sources of data to inform policy and operational recommendations.
• Embracement of digital tools and a demonstrated capacity to promote innovation in procurement practice.

As the World Bank Group continues to evolve, we value candidates who:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
• Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
• Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.