🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ The World Bank – ETC Digital Transformation Specialist

ETC Digital Transformation Specialist

Job #: req31705

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Digital Development

Grade: EC2

Term Duration: 1 year 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Freetown,Sierra Leone

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): English

Closing Date: 2/22/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The Digital Transformation Vice Presidency Unit

The Digital Transformation (DT) Vice Presidency Unit (VPU) plays a critical role in enabling the achievements of the Twin goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Digital technologies are transforming firms, governments and people’s lives; and with the digital economy growing at a rate significantly higher than that of the global economy, it offers emerging economies a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional paths for development through digital solutions.

Collaborating across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries, the Digital Development team helps design and deliver ICT-enhanced solutions to a diverse range of clients.The team supports clients (i) through advisory assistance to establish policy and regulatory environments that allow the widespread use of technology and create a trust environment; (ii) lending operations by building infrastructure to connect the unconnected, or enabling digital government shared platforms (cloud, digital, identification, etc.).

For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/digitaldevelopment

The DT VPU is led by a Vice-President supported by seven Practice Managers and Program Managers with specific regional responsibilities and global responsibilities. The DAWDD Unit is responsible for the Digital Development activities and portfolio in the Western and Central Africa region, including lending, supervision and analytical work.

The DAWDD Unit is looking for a Digital Development (DD) Specialist under an Extended Term Consultant (ETC) contract to be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. English is essential for this position. The ETC will report to the DAWDD Practice Manager.

Duties And Responsibilities

The DD specialist (ETC) will be responsible for:

• Contributing to the preparation and supervision of the WBG financed digital transformation projects in Sierra Leone as a primary focal point to coordinate the clients and stakeholders on the ground.
• Contributing to analytical work and associated trust funded activities primarily in Sierra Leone, and some other neighboring countries.
• Providing technical expertise and advice on a range of key project activities including broadband infrastructure development, digital government and services, digital public infrastructure (DPI), digital skills and innovation, cyber resilience, data governance as well as addressing WBG corporate priorities (e.g. climate change, gender, etc.).
• Advising clients on strategies, best practices and design of programs to develop the foundations of their digital economies.
• Providing technical expertise and advice on a range of policy and regulatory issues to promote competition, private sector investment and innovation in the digital economy sector with the aim of achieving the African Union (AU)’s digital economy target that people, businesses and governments to be digitally enabled by 2030.
• Providing technical expertise and advice on policy, institutional reform, project development and execution to support digital government and services delivery in client countries.
• Collaborating with other sector colleagues in WBG in cross-cutting solutions and use cases that technologies can leverage the impact. Key sectors include agriculture, health, education, social protection, energy, financial services, transport, climate change, disaster management, etc.
• Developing innovative and practical approaches to solving difficult policy and operational issues for selected high priority digital transformation related activities.
• Contributing to policy dialogue with senior officials of client countries, regional institutions, private sector/industry, and development partner agencies.
• Contributing to prepare ad-hoc Bank operation related documents and update the project related monitoring and evaluation indicators.
• Preparing and supervising publication of best practice notes and reports on policy and regulation in the digital sector.
• Representing the DT Unit and the Bank at digital transformation related fora and events, as well as liaison in the above areas with key external partners.

Selection Criteria

Master's degree in telecommunications, engineering, computer science, law, economics, public policy or related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience in ICT / Digital Economy policy and regulation and/or ICT / Digital Economy project design and implementation, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Excellent conceptual and analytical skills, including ability to think strategically and innovatively about the role of digital technologies for socio-economic development and for transformation in other sectors of the economy.
• Strong technical and project management skills as evidenced in a proven track record in supporting the delivery of project operations and project implementation and supervision within the Bank or similar type of projects/products for other entities; knowledge and experience in World Bank Group Policy and Procedure Framework (PPF) is not mandatory but would be a plus.
• Firm understanding of, at least, one of the following digital technologies such as broadband connectivity, telecom/digital regulations and legislations, digital government and services, cloud computing/data storage, cybersecurity, digital skills, digital transformation of society, and digitally enabled business model trends for socio-economic development in the African context (especially West and Central Africa) and enthusiasm to stay abreast of new innovations.
• Good understanding of development challenges in Sierra Leone, and good understanding of digital development landscape in Sierra Leone.
• Excellent understanding of the Government of Sierra Leone (structure, hierarchy and business protocols), and ability to build effective working relations with GoSL client and colleagues.
• 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 and verbal communication skills in English as demonstrated in a proven track record of effectively delivering technical information in a clear, easily understandable and effective manner.
• 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 personal 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 and resolve conflicts constructively.
• Prior work experience in Africa (especially West and Central Africa), and good knowledge of sector issues in the region is a plus.
• Willingness and ability to travel.

WBG CORE COMPETENCIES

• Lead and Innovate - Develops innovative solutions with others
• Deliver Results for Clients - Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions
• Make Smart Decisions - Recommends and takes decisive action

WBG Core Competencies: https://bit.ly/2kbIA7O

Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.

Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.

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