Overview
The Lead Specialist will help define a new World Bank Group engagement area focused on AI-enabled outcomes development effectiveness for the next generation of development delivery. This role combines senior government advisory work, delivery-unit practice, multilateral navigation, AI-native product development, applied research, and global university partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, launch, and scaling of the Outcomes Solutions Program.
- Build a selective portfolio of Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) and partnership-based engagements.
- Translate emerging demand into replicable solutions.
- Set quality standards, delivery discipline, and financial sustainability principles for the program.
- Position the WBG as a global leader in outcomes capability, institutional effectiveness, and AI-enabled operational modernization.
- Lead senior advisory engagements with governments and institutions seeking to strengthen outcome-focused delivery, performance management, and accountability.
- Support the design or modernization of delivery units, center-of-government routines, target systems, leadership reviews, dashboards, and problem-solving mechanisms.
- Help institutions connect strategy, financing, implementation, monitoring, and decision-making into coherent outcomes architectures.
- Shift partners from compliance-driven reporting toward active delivery management, real-time learning, and course correction.
- Lead missions, workshops, technical exchanges, and senior-level briefings.
- Lead the application of AI, large language models, natural language processing, machine learning, predictive analytics, and data visualization to outcomes and delivery systems.
- Guide AI-enabled tools for results framework quality, implementation risk detection, target mapping, perception analytics, real-time learning, and operational intelligence.
- Ensure that technology solutions are designed around real institutional bottlenecks and embedded in management routines.
- Provide thought leadership on the implications of AI for development effectiveness, public-sector delivery, institutional oversight, and multilateral operations.
- Promote responsible and trustworthy AI.
- Lead a research program documenting how governments, development institutions, and operations adopt stronger outcomes focus.
- Generate evidence on what works in delivery systems, target architectures, AI-enabled analytics, adaptive management, implementation monitoring, and institutional reform.
- Produce case studies, policy notes, working papers, executive briefs, and flagship knowledge products.
- Build partnerships with universities and research institutions.
- Connect operational practice to the WBG Knowledge Bank agenda.
- Represent the Department for Outcomes in high-level engagements.
- Advance harmonization, interoperability, and operational consistency across results systems.
- Prepare strategic briefs, presentations, concept notes, talking points, and thought pieces.
- Strengthen trust with shareholders and partners.
- Provide technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams.
- Mentor staff on outcomes management, delivery-unit practice, AI-enabled analytics, senior advisory work, and client engagement.
- Establish quality assurance standards for diagnostics, advisory products, AI tools, research outputs, and partnership activities.
- Strengthen the institutional outcome reflex.
Required Experience
At least 10-15 years of relevant experience in government delivery, development operations, outcomes management, institutional reform, strategic analytics, public-sector performance, or multilateral development. Significant experience working inside or directly with government delivery units, center-of-government structures, reform implementation units, prime minister/presidential offices, cabinet offices, or equivalent performance management teams. Strong understanding of the multilateral system. Demonstrated ability to advise ministers, senior officials, institutional leaders, boards, or shareholder representatives. Proven experience designing or reforming results systems, target systems, scorecards, dashboards, delivery routines, implementation monitoring systems, or institutional performance frameworks. Strong knowledge of AI, LLMs, predictive analytics, machine learning, natural language processing, or advanced data tools. Track record of leading complex client-facing advisory engagements, preferably including RAS, fee-based advisory work, consultancy services, or equivalent senior assignments. Strong writing and analytical record. Experience building partnerships with universities, think tanks, technology partners, MDBs, UN agencies, or global knowledge networks.
Qualifications
Advanced degree, preferably Master's or PhD, in economics, public policy, public administration, international development, data science, statistics, business administration, political economy, or a related field.
