Lead Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group is seeking a Lead Specialist to establish and lead a new Outcomes Solutions Program. This program aims to help governments and international institutions transition from retrospective reporting to real-time delivery, adaptive management, and measurable outcomes. The role is a frontier position focused on AI-enabled outcomes development effectiveness for the next generation of development delivery. It combines senior government advisory work, delivery-unit practice, multilateral navigation, AI-native product development, applied research, and global university partnerships. The successful candidate will help position the WBG at the technology frontier of development effectiveness, utilizing AI, delivery systems, real-time intelligence, and operational learning to improve strategy and operations delivery. The role requires credibility in ministerial delivery meetings, MDB/shareholder discussions, data science labs, and university seminars, with hands-on experience in government delivery units or center-of-government reform structures, a strong understanding of the multilateral system, and the ability to translate AI and data into operational tools.

Requirements

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.
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, including MDBs, UN agencies, bilateral donors, shareholder dynamics, client country relationships, development effectiveness, and value-for-money debates.
Demonstrated ability to advise ministers, senior officials, institutional leaders, boards, or shareholder representatives on delivery, outcomes, strategy execution, and accountability.
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, with demonstrated ability to apply them to operational and institutional problems.
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, including policy papers, operational research, case studies, thought leadership, evaluations, or evidence-based knowledge products.
Experience building partnerships with universities, think tanks, technology partners, MDBs, UN agencies, or global knowledge networks.
Exceptional communication, political judgment, and leadership skills, with ability to operate across sectors, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
Fluency in English required.

Nice To Haves

Additional languages desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, launch, and scaling of the Outcomes Solutions Program as a high-impact advisory and knowledge platform.
Build a selective portfolio of RAS and partnership-based engagements with shareholder governments, client countries, MDBs, UN agencies, and other institutions.
Translate emerging demand into replicable solutions, including diagnostics, reform roadmaps, delivery playbooks, scorecards, target systems, results platforms, and implementation routines.
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 for ministers, senior officials, institutional leaders, and partner teams.
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, not built as stand-alone products.
Provide thought leadership on the implications of AI for development effectiveness, public-sector delivery, institutional oversight, and multilateral operations.
Promote responsible and trustworthy AI, including attention to ethics, transparency, bias, data governance, and quality assurance.
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 based on RAS and client engagements.
Build partnerships with universities and research institutions for teaching, executive education, case writing, applied research, and analytical work.
Connect operational practice to the WBG Knowledge Bank agenda by converting live implementation experience into reusable global knowledge.
Represent the Department for Outcomes in high-level engagements with shareholders, client countries, MDBs, UN agencies, bilateral institutions, universities, foundations, and technology partners.
Advance harmonization, interoperability, and operational consistency across results systems in the broader development architecture.
Prepare strategic briefs, presentations, concept notes, talking points, and thought pieces for senior management and external partners.
Strengthen trust with shareholders and partners by demonstrating practical, technology-enabled solutions to development effectiveness and value-for-money challenges.
Provide technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams, including delivery specialists, data scientists, consultants, and operational staff.
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: the habit of using evidence, signals, and delivery routines to identify bottlenecks early and adapt in time.