Director, Innovation

Innovation

Overview

Lead innovation initiatives to address complex development challenges.

You have:

• Advanced degree in related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in positions of growing complexity and responsibility.
• Demonstrated leadership values and exemplification of WBG managerial and core competencies.
• Experience engaging with clients at the senior level.
• Proven ability to drive innovative solutions in operations.
• Extensive experience managing complex and large work programs, budgets, and portfolio monitoring.
• Ability to communicate effectively with various audiences.

Contract

This is a World Bank Group grade: GI contract. More about World Bank Group grade: GI contracts.

Director, Innovation

Description

Office of the Senior Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships

The Senior Managing Director’s (SMD) key mandate includes overseeing the Bank’s knowledge and partnership programs and ensuring that the Bank’s analytical work continues to address the pressing development challenges facing client countries and global partners. The office is responsible for the Evolution Roadmap, G20 and G7 engagements, the implementation of the Knowledge Compact, as well as the replenishment of IDA, the Bank’s concessional lending arm for the poorest countries. It provides strategic guidance on the WB’s global knowledge and IDA corporate commitments; oversees key partnerships with shareholders, development agencies, other multilateral development banks (MDBs) and academia; helps shape and drive the Bank’s strategic directions; and through the Trust Fund portfolio in Global Practices, mobilizes support and financial resources across the international community to bring concessionally to our work.

Building on the progress of past efforts, the WBG Knowledge Compact for Action aims to empower clients, public and private, by systematically making the latest knowledge available to respond more effectively to increasingly complex development challenges. This includes knowledge embedded in policy advice, expertise and know-how, including from financing operations, as well as the latest research, data and tools to formulate robust development policies and programs. The Compact will deliver this knowledge to clients under the four pillars of enhanced products, partnerships, learning and systems. To advance the knowledge agenda, the practice groups will be organized into five vertical vice presidencies aligned with the new mission (People, Prosperity, Planet, Infrastructure and Digital). In addition, three new departments are being created to enhance coordination, integration and outcome orientation across the WBG.

• The Outcomes team will generate metrics, aggregate results and monitor in real-time how and where the Bank is driving development outcomes, and identifying cross-cutting thematic areas that require additional efforts and resources. • The Innovation team will drive forward-thinking innovative approaches and engage in new frontiers to address the most complex development challenges. • The Knowledge and Learning team will foster systematic and consistent curation and use of knowledge and development know-how to develop client and staff capacity and deliver tailored, world class development solutions to clients.

The World Bank is seeking a Director for Innovation who will report to the SMD and play a pivotal leadership role in shaping and implementing the Knowledge Compact for clients.

Position Context:

The new Department for Innovation harness the power of innovation, cutting-edge technologies and knowledge management to help clients address complex development challenges. The department will foster innovation, encourage experimentation, and promote the effective testing and scaling of ideas to deliver solutions to clients and partners and accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals.

Duties & accountabilities:

The Director will be accountable for modeling leadership values and managerial behavior and ensuring that the unit delivers on its 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.

Develop and Champion Operational Innovation: • Develop and lead innovation initiatives (in collaboration with the 5 verticals, regions, ITS, IFC and MIGA), that drive the identification, testing, and scaling of new ideas and approaches to address operational development challenges effectively. • Establish and nurture an innovation ecosystem within the WBG, fostering collaboration, experimentation, and learning among staff members, external partners, and stakeholders. • Manage and oversee innovation labs or centers that serve as platforms for generating, incubating, and piloting innovative solutions, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and methodologies. • Initiate and oversee pilot projects to test the feasibility, scalability, and impact of innovative ideas and interventions, collecting and analyzing data to inform decision-making in close coordination with the regions. • Facilitate knowledge exchange and learning events, workshops, and hackathons to share best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches with internal and external stakeholders. • Collaborate with external partners, including academic institutions, research organizations, private sector entities, and civil society organizations, to leverage external expertise, resources, and networks for innovation initiatives. • Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of innovation efforts, using data-driven insights to refine strategies and interventions. • Working closely with the newly established Digital Vice Presidency, champion digital innovation by exploring and leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, data analytics, and digital platforms to enhance development outcomes and improve service delivery. • In coordination with the Knowledge and Learning department, support capacity building efforts to equip staff members with the skills, tools, and mindset required for innovation, providing training, mentorship, and resources as needed. • Encourage and support a culture of creativity, risk-taking, and continuous improvement across teams, promoting innovative thinking and problem-solving at all levels. • Lead and participate in corporate, regional, and cross institutional working groups and task forces as delegated by the SMD.

People Talent Management: • Model exemplary WBG leadership values and managerial behavior and reinforces these qualities in the management team and staff. • Contribute to and implement and monitor compliance with talent management, diversity, and inclusion plans. • Drive and encourage technical excellence within the Department by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients. • Promote career development and mobility opportunities for staff mapped to the unit.

Resource Management: • Manage the department’s budget to support the implementation of the strategy and related work program. • Ensure accountability for delivering the agreed-upon work program through cost-effective use of resources (human and budget) within the agreed parameters and in compliance with internal WBG fiduciary and safeguard controls and policies and ensures timely delivery and overall quality of the department’s outputs. • Ensure implementation of an appropriate risk management framework to meet unit’s objectives.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree in related field, with a minimum of 15 years of experience in positions of growing complexity and responsibility. • Passion for the WBG mission and exemplary experience in delivering results. • Demonstrated leadership values and exemplification of WBG managerial and core competencies, as referenced below. • Personal leadership in shaping and leading new agendas, bringing thought leadership and analysis together with delivery capacity for maximum impact. • Experience and ability to engage with clients at the senior level and represent the Bank at high-level international fora. • Strong familiarity and proven ability to contribute to and/or drive innovative solutions in operations. • Substantive experience working in client countries of different regions and familiarity with the WBG operations/services/instruments/products. • Demonstrated in-depth experience working across practice and disciplinary boundaries, with different units of the WBG and with multiple partners both public and private in building collaborative alliances for results. • Extensive experience managing complex and large work programs, budgets, portfolio monitoring and supervision with proven results. • Proven ability to effectively implement complex change management initiatives. • Communicate effectively with various audiences, including key stakeholders, clients, beneficiaries and internal and external partners

WBG Managerial Competencies

• Advanced degree in related field, with a minimum of 15 years of experience in positions of growing complexity and responsibility. • Passion for the WBG mission and exemplary experience in delivering results. • Demonstrated leadership values and exemplification of WBG managerial and core competencies, as referenced below. • Personal leadership in shaping and leading new agendas, bringing thought leadership and analysis together with delivery capacity for maximum impact. • Experience and ability to engage with clients at the senior level and represent the Bank at high-level international fora. • Strong familiarity and proven ability to contribute to and/or drive innovative solutions in operations. • Substantive experience working in client countries of different regions and familiarity with the WBG operations/services/instruments/products. • Demonstrated in-depth experience working across practice and disciplinary boundaries, with different units of the WBG and with multiple partners both public and private in building collaborative alliances for results. • Extensive experience managing complex and large work programs, budgets, portfolio monitoring and supervision with proven results. • Proven ability to effectively implement complex change management initiatives. • Communicate effectively with various audiences, including key stakeholders, clients, beneficiaries and internal and external partners

WBG Managerial Competencies

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: worldbank.org