Technology Manager, ITSCE

Technology Manager, ITSCE Job #: req34376 Organization: World Bank Sector: Information Technology Grade: GH Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Sofia,Bulgaria Required Language(s): Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 10/8/2025 (11:59pm UTC)

Description

World Bank Group Context:

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions driven by a bold vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, we help solve the world’s greatest development challenges. When you join the World Bank Group, you become part of a dynamic, diverse organization with 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide. We work with public and private sector partners, invest in groundbreaking projects, and use data, research, and technology to bring tangible and transformative change around the globe. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

VPU Context:

The mission of the Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) is to leverage information and technology as a force multiplier to accelerate, deepen, and sustain development impact. Their vision is to harness information and technology for a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information on ITS, check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=VTFGffa1Y7w.  

Unit Context:

The ITS Country Engagement unit (ITSCE) delivers digital support for global and country-specific products, supports systems aligned with the new Country Engagement model, and provides geospatial solutions for geo-tagging of projects to improve spatial visibility and impact tracking. It also drives the delivery of AI-powered business solutions to support business priorities and accelerate data-driven decision-making across the institution.

The Technology Manager role requires an experienced professional with strong stakeholder engagement skills, technical expertise, and a proven ability to lead innovation and digital transformation across globally distributed teams. The incumbent will also lead strategic initiatives at the base location, serving as a key representative of ITS both internally and externally.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Technology Manager will be an active member of the ITS Management Team, engaging with internal and external stakeholders to advance the unit’s strategic objectives.
The Manager will be responsible for the following areas:

Business Engagement & Strategic Planning 

• Serve as a lead ITS representative at the Sofia Global Business Center, promoting visibility of departmental initiatives and ensuring close coordination with headquarters and across key hubs on strategic priorities.
• Advance strategic relationships in the local market—with external vendors, academic institutions, industry associations, and community stakeholders—to strengthen WBG ITS’s presence and visibility. 
• Develop and implement technology strategies aligned with organizational business priorities.
• Lead strategic planning for the Operations and Country Engagement Products portfolio, ensuring integration with broader ITS institutional and technology strategy priorities.
• Participate in ITS senior leadership meetings and strategic reviews to drive organization-wide outcomes.
• Provide advisory services and be a thought leader in the practice domain.
• Interface with senior business leaders/management to provide project updates, manage expectations, and resolve critical issues/concerns. 
• Ensure the unit’s work program is aligned with the department’s vision and strategic objectives.
• Manage the unit’s budget and ensure compliance with financial policies.

First Year Accountabilities

• Develop roadmaps, as well as process and workflow transformation frameworks, for Geospatial Solutions, Country & Global Engagement, and RapidAI product lines.  
• Mainstream geospatial solutions and broaden their adoption internally and among partner organizations.
• Enhance regional operations through increased utilization of AI agents.
• Successfully deliver the capital program assigned to the unit.
• Establish well-functioning teams within the unit and effective collaboration across the department.
• Develop successful business relationship management with business partners across all operational regions and sectors.

Program Delivery 

• Lead the design and delivery of technology solutions tailored to regional and country operations to ensure technological support for regional and country-level strategies, including the rapid development and deployment of AI-powered business applications. 
• Lead the development and implementation of geospatial solutions, including Digital Twins, and evaluation of spatial technologies. Ownership and responsibility for the global ITS GeoLab presence. 
• Drive early-stage technology innovation through the design, prototyping, and piloting of new solutions, accelerating the time-to-MVP for digital capabilities that support operational and strategic priorities.  
• Provide strategic technology advisory to business units, supporting the adoption of new business models and Digital Public Goods. 
• Coordinate with the Digital vertical to align departmental initiatives with overarching digital strategies and priorities. 
• Deepen strategic partnerships with international financial institutions to advance collaborative technology solutions. 
• Provide technical oversight and leadership to teams developing digital solutions, ensuring alignment with Agile methodologies and organizational priorities. 
• Champion the adoption of Agile ways of working, fostering a culture of collaboration, and innovation. 

Leadership and Talent Management 

• Demonstrate WBG leadership values and managerial behaviors, promoting these principles throughout the team. 
• Encourage and maintain technical excellence by cultivating an environment focused on learning and innovation. 
• Attract and retain high-performing talent by promoting professional development, delivering constructive feedback, facilitating opportunities for career advancement, and conducting comprehensive performance evaluations.
• Lead teams distributed across key hubs such as Washington, DC; Chennai; Sofia; Nairobi; and Singapore, ensuring effective coordination and knowledge sharing. 
• Foster an inclusive, high-performance culture focused on learning, accountability, and team effectiveness. 
• Oversee legal and procurement processes for technology partnerships and equipment. 
• Drive talent and organizational development initiatives for the unit aligned with strategic institutional goals

Selection Criteria

Technical Domain Expertise :

• Deep understanding of institutional technology strategies and international development environments, including key priorities and operational challenges  
• Track record of leading, developing, and coaching technical teams including software engineers, solution architects, data scientists, infrastructure and emerging technology specialists.  
• Proven track record designing and implementing digital solutions that are intuitive, accessible, and tailored to diverse user groups. 
• Demonstrated experience with agile delivery, modern app development practices (low/no code), design thinking, and forward engineering. 
• Technical problem solving with ability to diagnose complex technical challenges and guide teams through technical design, integration and implementation decisions. 
• Knowledge of institutional technology strategies and international development settings, including familiarity in addressing limitations in underlying infrastructure, connectivity, and energy access in resource-constrained environments. 
• Expertise in digital transformation and technology innovation lifecycles within large enterprises and developing country contexts. 
• Demonstrated ability to work with sensitive and confidential information. 

Leadership & Business Acumen:

• Strong organizational skills and excellent judgment, with the ability to handle multiple tasks, stay detail-oriented, and focus on top priorities. 
• Proven ability to prioritize key issues, balance strategic goals with immediate needs, and deliver results under tight deadlines and limited resources. 
• Demonstrated success in technical leadership and mentorship, having developed technical talent through coaching, knowledge sharing and career development planning. 
• Strong analytical skills to optimize organizational efficiency and eliminate redundancies.  
• Ability to present complex technical concepts to diverse audiences and levels of technical ability, including senior leadership, government officials, and development partners. 
• Exceptional conceptual, analytical, and business judgment capabilities. 
• Diplomatic approach to identifying cost-effective solutions that meet complex business requirements. 
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences. 
Relationship Building & Stakeholder Management 
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strategic partnerships with diverse stakeholders.  
• Serve as a bridge between IT, business units, and end users, building consensus and enthusiasm for user-centric digital transformation. 
• Strong interpersonal skills for building collegial working relationships across organizational levels. 
• Building and maintaining collegial working relationships.  

Education & Experience:

• A master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or other related disciplines, or related field with 10+ years relevant experience, OR Bachelor's degree with 15+ years relevant experience. 
• Post-Graduate coursework in digital technology, information technology, innovation, AI, technical entrepreneurship or related subjects preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience in international development, emerging markets, or social impact sectors.  
• Certified in Agile methodologies is preferred, along with a strong familiarity with Agile practices.  
• Certified in PMP, ITIL, Cloud, AI, or other industry certifications is preferred
Leadership & Management  
• Proven ability to lead and manage multicultural, geographically distributed teams, including effectively driving collaboration and strategic alignment from a country office base in close coordination with headquarters. 
• Experience in developing, mentoring, and succession planning for professional technical staff. 
• Track record managing large-scale enterprise engagements and cross-functional partnerships. 
• Strong organizational, analytical, and business judgment capabilities. 
• Ability to wholly participate in ITS Management discussions. 
• Experience working effectively in developing country contexts.  

Core Competencies:

• Client understanding and advising – acts as a credible business partner and works with a long-term VPU-wide perspective in addressing clients’ needs.  
• Learning orientation – stays abreast of broad new trends and developments in the industry and ensures that best practices are incorporated into the normal approaches taken by the VPU to enhance the business. 
• Broad business thinking – maintains a deep understanding of digital organizational transformation and key business issues and the broader WBG-wide ramifications of individual account decisions to ensure consistency across WBG. Partners with business leaders to sponsor long-term enterprise-wide initiatives.  
• Lead and innovate – inspires and influences others to drive innovation.  
• Deliver results for clients – acts as a trusted, strategic advisor, partnering with clients to deliver results.  
• Collaborate within teams and across boundaries – leads collaboration across WBG and with partners, drawing on robust professional networks. 
• Create, apply and share knowledge – establishes an environment in which knowledge is created, applied and shared. 
• Make smart decisions – makes timely decisions that have a broad impact.  

WBG Values and Managerial Behaviors 

·       WBG Managerial Competencies  

·       World Bank Group Core Competencies 

WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.  Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.