Overview
The World Bank Group is seeking a Digital & AI Specialist to support client engagements in Bangladesh's digital transformation and supervise sector activities. The role involves contributing to the design and supervision of digital and AI programs, advising clients on digital economy foundations, and supporting policy dialogue.
Key Responsibilities
- Support client engagements in Bangladesh in their digital transformation ambition and supervise activities in the sector as a technical expert; support policy dialogue with senior government officials, coordinating across relevant government agencies, development partners and other World Bank Global Departments and Verticals.
- Contribute to the design, preparation and supervision of World Bank Group financed investment and policy reform programs on digital and AI, with a particular emphasis on strengthening underpinning infrastructure for an AI ready economy, including digital public infrastructure, digital skills, and strengthening digital connectivity infrastructure through leveraging private sector investments.
- Advise clients on strategies, best practices and design of programs to develop the foundations of their digital economies. This may include participating in technical assistance activities and providing just-in-time technical and strategic expertise on the design of the overall policy, legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the digital and AI agenda.
- Support policy dialogue and provide technical advisory services to support client countries in developing AI-ready economies, including designing national AI strategies, AI governance and regulatory frameworks, data governance regimes, and AI ethics and responsible AI policies that are contextually appropriate for developing country contexts.
- Liaise and provide guidance to colleagues working in other sectors (including agriculture, health, education, energy, financial services, transport, etc.) on how to leverage digital technologies and AI to improve public service delivery and efficiency in the respective sectors and to stimulate digital innovation, entrepreneurship and investment in those sectors by private sector actors.
- Contribute to policy dialogue with senior officials of client countries, regional institutions and development partner agencies.
Required Experience
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in Digital Transformation / Digital Economy policy and regulation and/or project design and implementation.
- Demonstrated experience and successes in policy dialogue and operations related to one or more of these topics in Bangladesh: digital public infrastructure, AI and data governance, broadband connectivity, and its intersection with one or more development outcomes in health, financial inclusion, social protection, education, and/or gender.
- Good understanding of role of private sector in digital transformation and familiarity with structuring arrangements between public and private sector investors.
- Knowledge of digital technology, including AI trends and risks, relevant to socio-economic development.
- Proven experience leading policy dialogue in countries with limited capacity and influencing reforms that enable digital transformation.
- Excellent conceptual skills, including ability to think strategically about the role of digital and AI technologies in other sectors and (more generally) the economy.
- Excellent analytical and statistical skills, in data and evidence-based reforms, using metrics and indicators to determine numeric reform targets, take stock of developments over time, and use data driven results monitoring as an instrument to advance reforms. Combines a broad grasp of the relevant theory and principles and of involved practices and precedent.
- Strong client engagement skills, taking responsibility and accountability for timely response to client queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or project success.
- Excellent written communication skills as demonstrated in a proven track record of effectively delivering technical information in appropriate language to clients, the international development community, academia, and internal working groups.
- Excellent presentation skills, using charts, graphs and other data presentation techniques appropriately to communicate data, technical information, or complex concepts to non-specialists.
- Strong drive for results, taking persona enthusiasm to stay abreast of new innovation
- Ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results.
- Strong business judgment and analytical decision making, analyzing facts and data to support sound and logical business decisions.
- Proven ability to function effectively as a team member of multi-disciplinary teams, mentor staff, and resolve conflicts constructively.
Qualifications
Master's degree in telecommunications, engineering, law, economics, public policy, computer science or related field.
