Senior Digital and Climate Specialist - req31501

Senior Digital and Climate Specialist

Job #: req31501

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Digital Development

Grade: GG

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: International Recruitment

Location: Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): Spanish or French

Closing Date: 2/19/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org.

Digital Transformation Vice Presidency

Responsibilities

The Digital Transformation Vertical Vice Presidency was established on July 1, 2024. It is responsible for guiding World Bank Group efforts to support establishment of the foundations for the digital economy, building and enhancing digital and data infrastructure, ensuring cybersecurity and data privacy for institutions, businesses, and citizens, and advancing digital government services. Digital technologies, including AI and data, present a unique opportunity to accelerate development. The Digital Transformation Vertical has the critical mission of delivering on this development promise. The Digital Vice Presidency and its global and regional teams support client countries in building the foundational and cross-cutting elements of digital transformation through two engagement pillars, six business lines, and multiple cross-cutting areas:

• Digital Core: Building digital infrastructure through broadband network, affordable devices; Enhancing data infrastructure including data centers, cloud solutions and data governance; Enabling AI and cutting-edge technology applications; and Protecting institutions, businesses, and citizens through cybersecurity, data protection & privacy, trust services as well as online safety.
• Digital Use: Supporting the Regions and the Verticals of People, Prosperity, Planet, and Infrastructure in the digitalization efforts of clients through Digital Government (digital public infrastructure, digital government services, and digital literacy and training), Digital Economy (national ICT planning, ICT industry and jobs, and smart infra and industry) and Digital Society (digital education, digital health, etc.).
  
  

Both pillars will be the channels through which the Vertical will support World Bank achieving its objectives in cross-cutting areas like jobs and skills, climate change and sustainability, fragility, conflict and violence, and gender and inclusion.

The Green Digital Business Line

The Green Digital Business Line supports countries to achieve their digital transformation and inclusion goals sustainably and empowers them to better use data and digital technologies for climate action. The Business Line does this by undertaking new research and thought leadership, developing operational guidance materials, supporting internal and external capacity building, providing technical assistance to clients and World Bank tasks teams, and engaging in global and local partnerships.

• Resilient digital transformation: Digital infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related risks, such as flooding, severe storms, water scarcity, and extreme heat. These threats can disrupt communications, banking, power-grids, transportation, and government services. To mitigate these risks, the World Bank works with countries to integrate resilience into the design of their digital infrastructure investments and policies.
• Low-carbon digital infrastructure: Digital infrastructure and devices generate significant and growing emissions during production and operation. The World Bank works with countries to incentivize and invest in energy efficient and climate-resilient digital infrastructure, devices, and services. It also supports the adoption of renewable energy solutions to power telecommunications and data infrastructure, including last mile connectivity.
• Digital technologies and data for climate action: The World Bank supports countries to use digital tools and data to inform climate and environment related policy making, investments and innovation. This includes using digital tools to accelerate adaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as support for client countries on effective use of digital technologies and data for climate adaptation, mitigation, biodiversity, and other environmental use cases.
  
  

Job Duties And Responsibilities

The Green Digital Business Line is recruiting a Senior Digital Development Specialist to join the team. The position is based at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington DC. The duties of the role include:

• Technical leadership: Play a lead role in developing and disseminating technical and policy knowledge related to green digital topics, for example on energy efficiency of digital infrastructure, use of renewable energy in digital infrastructure, e-waste, and climate resilience of digital infrastructure. The person is expected to have prior experience with one or several green topics and interest in diversifying knowledge in other relevant topics.
• Operational guidance: Contribute substantially to shaping the Bank’s green digital agenda by deepening knowledge on how to green the digital sector. Support the dissemination of knowledge through the development of practical tools and guidance materials for policymakers, practitioners and World Bank task teams.
• Technical support: Provide project-level support for World Bank task teams and country clients on integrating and implementing green digital approaches in operations, including policy and strategy considerations, as well as advice on how to include green requirements in digital procurement.
• Knowledge sharing: Facilitate knowledge sharing through stakeholder dialogue, technical working groups, events both externally and internally (across the World Bank).
• Team support: Become a core member of the green digital team, which is a small team with diverse and evolving tasks and often short deadlines. Given the small team, tasks will include technical work streams, project management, communications and events, and some administrative tasks as well.
  
  

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree in a economics, environmental sciences/climate change, environmental economics, engineering in telecoms/energy, social sciences, or related field.
• At least 8 years of experience working on digital development and climate projects and/or research, including policy and strategy considerations. Experience working on these topics in developing countries is a plus.
• Recognized technical and policy expertise within an area related to the green digital topics, for example climate resilience of infrastructure, climate financing, energy efficiency management, renewable energy, digital climate or environmental applications, green procurement. Enthusiasm to stay abreast with emerging green digital topics.
• Strong project management skills, ability to manage multiple deliverables simultaneously and proven track record of delivering in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills in English and an ability to convey technical information and data in a clear and effective manner are essential to the role.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across departments, practices, disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
• Excellent client engagement skills and experience, able to understand and adapt to client needs; being balanced and politically astute.
• Willingness to travel as required. Travel is expected to support project teams or participate in events.
• Strong execution and results orientation, persistence, and positive attitude.
  
  

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.

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