WBG Director, Innovation

Job #:
req38165

Organization:
World Bank Group

Sector:
Operations

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:
9/15/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

VPU Context:

The WBG is in the midst of a significant institutional transformation. The Bank unified its knowledge and financial systems to accelerate impact, boost efficiency, and deliver greater value to clients, bringing together experts from across the institution to supercharge thought leadership and to replicate and scale what works with public and private sector clients. This transformation came into effect on January 1, 2026, advancing the WBG Knowledge Bank as an institution-wide agenda to which all staff contribute, supported by an integrated platform spanning the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA that is designed to systematically capture, curate, and deliver the latest development insights, research, and innovations to clients.

Innovation supports and enables this Knowledge Bank agenda by helping connect ideas, evidence, partnerships, capital, and strategic resources needed to take promising approaches to scale. Positioning the Director for Innovation within the Partnerships, Innovation and Mobilization (PIM) Vice Presidency reflects the value of linking the WBG's innovation pipeline - including flagship mechanisms such as the WBG Innovation Awards and the Department for Innovation's accelerator function - with the Vice Presidency's work to mobilize donor resources, private capital, and strategic partnerships in support of WBG priorities.

This positioning ensures that innovation is not a standalone or peripheral activity, but an enabling capability for the Knowledge Bank agenda, helping translate global knowledge into client-facing, scalable, and investable solutions - reinforcing the WBG's ambition to operate as a unified, "One-WBG" institution across the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA.

Duties and accountabilities:

The Director for Innovation provides senior strategic leadership for the WBG's innovation approach, helping establish innovation as a core capability of the Knowledge and Solutions Bank and as an enabling driver of partnerships, resource mobilization, and institutional transformation efforts.

The Director helps shape and coordinate a One-WBG strategic approach to innovation, working with the World Bank, IFC, MIGA, Regions, Global Practices, and corporate units to embed innovation in relevant strategy, operations, and investments.

The Director also supports the WBG's innovation portfolio intelligence capability and promotes the responsible application of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies within the innovation portfolio and its applications, in partnership with relevant corporate and technology units.

Executive Accountabilities

a. Institutional Innovation Approach and Governance Coordination

Responsible for shaping, coordinating, and stewarding a One-WBG strategic approach to innovation across the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA. Supports collaborative governance arrangements that guide prioritization, learning, transparency, and accountability for innovation-related investments, in partnership with Regions, Global Practices, IFC, MIGA, ITS, and relevant corporate units. Serves as a senior adviser to Management on innovation, including the application of emerging technologies and institutional transformation efforts that support innovation objectives. Convenes internal and external partners and represents the WBG in relevant global innovation-for-development fora. Promotes a culture of experimentation, responsible risk-taking, and continuous learning.

b. Innovation Pipeline and Institutional Adoption

Responsible for supporting the health and performance of the institutional innovation pipeline, from early-stage ideation through experimentation, evidence generation, and operational scale-up or exit. Builds coalitions across Regions, Global Practices, IFC, MIGA, and corporate functions to generate demand for innovation and identify opportunities where innovation can strengthen client engagement, operational delivery, and investment outcomes. Works with relevant institutional partners to identify and help address barriers to experimentation and scaling, and to mobilize executive sponsorship and strategic resources for high-potential innovations.

c. Innovation, Intelligence, and Responsible AI

Provides leadership for developing and applying One-WBG Innovation Portfolio Intelligence, producing evidence, analysis, and insight on the innovation portfolio that are available to, and can be drawn on by, corporate strategy, results measurement, partnership, and resource planning processes at the request of their owners. Promotes the responsible use of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies within the innovation portfolio and its applications, working in close partnership with ITS, corporate, Knowledge, Regional, IFC, and MIGA teams. Helps position the WBG as a recognized contributor to AI-enabled and technology-enabled innovation for development, while supporting institutional mandates of other specialized units.

d. Resource Mobilization and Partnerships for Innovation

Responsible for translating the innovation approach into tangible resource mobilization and partnership opportunities in support of the WBG's development finance objectives. Develops the innovation narrative and evidence base, including flagship examples, beneficiary outcomes, and measurable results, so that innovation is a recognized and quantifiable contributor to World Bank Group engagement with donors and partners. Engages with governments, donors, philanthropy, academia, and the private sector to strengthen the WBG's innovation ecosystem and mobilize resources for experimentation, replication, and scale. Works with partnership counterparts to ensure that innovation is effectively served by existing trust fund and partnership instruments, and contributes to their design where reform processes are underway.

e. Integration of Innovation into Corporate Business

Works with institutional partners to integrate innovation into relevant corporate strategies, operational models, investment priorities, and reform efforts, while recognizing the mandates and accountabilities of other corporate and technology units. Positions innovation as a cross-cutting capability that strengthens operational excellence, client outcomes, knowledge-to-implementation pathways, and private capital mobilization in support of the Knowledge Bank agenda. Ensures that lessons generated through innovation activities are captured, shared, and used to inform continuous improvement, donor and partner engagement, and thought leadership on innovation for development.

f. Organizational and People Leadership

Accountable for the overall leadership and management of a high-performing, multidisciplinary department, including the department's work program, budget, and resource allocation. Provides leadership that empowers staff, builds future leaders, and fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performance culture consistent with WBG values.

Expected Institutional Outcomes (Four-Year Horizon)
• A One-WBG strategic approach to innovation is advanced through a collaborative governance and coordination framework that supports innovation investment decisions across the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA.
• A demonstrable increase in the share of innovations that move from pilot to operational scale-up or replication across Regions and corporate units, supported by a dynamic innovation pipeline and reduced institutional barriers to experimentation.
• Innovation is a recognized and quantifiable contributor to World Bank Group engagement with donors and partners, with flagship evidence, measurable results, and beneficiary outcomes actively used in resource mobilization and partnership discussions.
• The WBG is recognized externally as a recognized contributor to technology-enabled innovation for development, underpinned by an operational Innovation Portfolio Intelligence capability that makes evidence and insight available to relevant corporate strategy, results measurement, partnership, and resource planning processes at the request of their owners.
• Innovation is effectively served by existing trust fund and partnership instruments, working with DFi and partnership counterparts, and contributes to instrument design where reform processes are underway.

Selection Criteria
• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in a relevant field, with at least 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in complex international organizations.
• Deep, hands-on experience in the WBG's core business: World Bank lending and/or IFC investments, preferably both-including direct work with clients and senior management and responsibility for portfolio performance, risk management, implementation, and outcomes. Field-based experience in IDA countries is a plus.
• A proven strategic leader with the ability to challenge conventional approaches, shape institutional vision, mobilize the organization around bold ideas, and create the conditions for experimentation, calculated risk-taking, and creative problem-solving while maintaining the confidence and trust of senior stakeholders.
• Exceptional ability to convene and align stakeholders across Regions, Global Practices, IFC, MIGA, and corporate functions, breaking down institutional silos to build coalitions in service of shared innovation and mobilization objectives.
• Deep understanding of innovation systems, organizational transformation, and AI-enabled decision-making, with the ability to translate knowledge and evidence into institutional strategy, donor narratives, tangible outcomes for client countries and institutional stakeholders, and operational practice.
• Proven success in driving organizational change by identifying the need and addressing barriers to innovation, mobilizing executive sponsorship, create incentives for behavior change and delivering transformational initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in partnership development, business development, and resource mobilization, with a strong network spanning one-WBG, governments, donors, foundations, academia, the private sector, and international organizations.
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate a compelling innovation vision, mobilize resources, engage senior leaders and external stakeholders, and represent the organization effectively in international forums.

WBG Leadership Competencies Most Critical for this Role
• Lead and Innovate
• Influence Across Boundaries
• Deliver Results for Clients
• Build and Sustain Strategic Partnerships
• Create a Culture of Inclusion and Learning
• Drive Institutional Transformation
• Develop Talent and Future Leaders
• Make Evidence-Based Decisions

WBG Managerial Competencies

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.

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.