Director, DEC Strategy

World Bank Group

About The Position

The Director, DEC Strategy provides strategic leadership to: (i) oversee and evolve the World Development Report (WDR) program; (ii) strengthen and systematize partnerships across the World Bank Group (IBRD/IDA, IFC, MIGA) and with leading think tanks and academic centers in emerging and advanced economies; and (iii) drive a shift in DEC’s operating model from research production to engagement—translating global knowledge into country-specific results and operational uptake. The role requires a senior leader with a proven track record in translating global knowledge into actionable country-level policy and operational impact, and in leading institutional change within complex, matrixed organizations. The Director Strategy reports to Senior Vice President DEC and WBG Chief Economist.

Requirements

PhD in economics or public policy.
Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience across research, policy, and operations in development.
Demonstrated experience leading major global analytical products and customizing them to local contexts.
Proven experience integrating research into policy and operational impact.
Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex analytical work into clear, policy-relevant messages.
Track record of organizational transformation and change management, preferably shifting research functions toward engagement and impact.
Proven track record of managing complex and large work programs, budgets, portfolio monitoring and supervision, with demonstrable results.
Deep and sustained interest in development issues.

Responsibilities

Lead efforts to reposition DEC from a predominantly research-production model toward an engagement-driven knowledge model, linking analytical work to operational impact and country-level outcomes.
Promote coherence and alignment across DEC units to support strategic objectives.
Promote translation of global analytical work into country-specific policy advice.
Provide strategic direction, quality assurance, and management oversight for the WDR program.
Lead selection, framing, and positioning of WDR topics to ensure relevance to global and country-level development challenges.
Ensure WDRs meet the highest analytical standards and are delivered on time and within budget.
Oversee dissemination and engagement strategies to maximize policy uptake and operational relevance.
Strengthen DEC partnerships within the World Bank Group, including Regions, Global Practices, IFC, and MIGA, to integrate DEC knowledge into operations and country programs.
Develop and manage strategic partnerships with leading think tanks, research institutions, and policy networks in emerging and advanced economies.
Lead design and implementation of joint analytical and engagement work programs with external partners.
Represent DEC in high-level global forums, academic networks, and policy dialogues.