Location
Post of duty: Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
We improve lives
The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.
About this position
The Knowledge and Learning Division (VPS/KLD) supports the knowledge bank agenda and the IDB Group's efforts to improve the quality of its knowledge products, while strengthening the feedback loop between knowledge and operations.
We are seeking an experienced Knowledge Specialist to join KLD. This position is well suited for a leader with a strong commitment to addressing the development challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a passion for supporting the IDB Group in identifying, generating, systematizing, applying, and disseminating high-quality, actionable knowledge. The ideal candidate will bring: (i) strong technical expertise; (ii) a demonstrated track record of high-quality work in knowledge management, including knowledge generation, dissemination, and impact evaluation; (iii) the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences; and (iv) the capacity to lead and coordinate a team of knowledge management specialists within KLD focused on the use of evidence to enhance development effectiveness.The selected candidate will contribute to the Bankโs mission by supporting the IDB Group Institutional Strategy 2024โ2030, Transforming for Scale and Impact, advancing its vision of maximizing development impact through stronger operational effectiveness, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making across IDB Group interventions.
In support of this vision, KLD is implementing a work program anchored in two strategic priorities: (i) strengthening the virtuous cycle between operations and knowledge by ensuring timely access to empirical evidence, operational insights, and lessons learned from past projects, while enabling teams to generate new, actionable knowledge; and (ii) enhancing the quality, relevance, and usability of the IDB Groupโs knowledge products.
What youโll do
- Analyze institutional and operational knowledge needs across sectors and countries to identify gaps, opportunities, and priorities for generating, systematizing, and reusing evidence and lessons learned.
- Contribute to strengthening the knowledge-operations feedback loop by integrating empirical evidence and lessons learned into operational design, implementation, and learning processes.
- Contribute to the measurement of the Bank's knowledge influence indicators through the calculation, interpretation, and continuous improvement of different indicators.
- Lead the design and/or implementation of structured reflection and knowledge exchange activities to inform action plans and the preparation of strategic institutional documents.
- Support capacity-building initiatives through workshops and learning events that strengthen evidence-informed practices in member countries and project teams.
- Lead the design and implementation of knowledge management digital tools and platforms (including GenAl-enabled solutions such as the Knowledge Platform and Lessons Writing Assistant) to enhance usability, quality, and integration with operational workflows.
- Build and maintain strong internal partnerships across divisions and departments, as well as external relationships with international organizations, to advance collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Represent the IDB Group in internal and external knowledge management forums, communities of practice, and international events, positioning the Bank as a knowledge leader.
- Mentor and lead a multi-cultural team of knowledge professionals, fostering high performance in the generation, systematization, quality assurance, evaluation and dissemination of operational knowledge.
What you'll need
Education: You must hold a master's degree or equivalent education (PhD strongly preferred) in knowledge management, economics, business administration, statistics, public policy, international development, or related fields relevant to the responsibilities of the role.
Experience: At least 6 years of relevant experience, preferably 8 years of relevant and progressive substantive experience, working in the design, implementation, supervision, and evaluation of development projects and/or knowledge management initiatives in international environments or organizations.
Languages: Proficiency in Spanish and English, spoken and written, is required. Additional knowledge of French and Portuguese is preferable.
Requirements
โข Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries. We may offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your eligible dependents.
โข Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB, IDB Invest, or IDB Lab.
Type of contract and duration
โข International: International staff contract, 36 months initially, renewable upon mutual agreement.
What we offer
The IDB group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee's life. These benefits include:
- A competitive compensation package, including an annual base salary expressed on a net-of-tax basis.
- Leaves and vacations: 24 days of paid time off + 8 personal days + sick leave + gender-neutral parental leave.
- Health Insurance: IDB Group provides employees and eligible dependents with a robust medical benefits program that covers medical, dental, vision, preventive care, and prescription drugs.
- Pension plan: defined benefit pension plan that provides financial security and support employees in planning for their future.
- We offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your family when it applies.
- On-site position with the occasional flexibility of teleworking.
- Health and well-being: Access to our Health Services Center that provides preventive care and health education for employees.
- Development support: We offer tools to boost your professional profile, such as mentoring, 1:1 professional counseling, training and learning opportunities, language classes, mobility options, among others.
- Other perks (country specific): Lactation Room, Daycare Center, Gym, Bike Racks, Parking, Spouse Career Program, and others.
Our culture
At the IDB, we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work while finding their purpose. Our people consistently strive for excellence, and we recognize and celebrate the impact of their contributions.
In our efforts to drive innovation, we intentionally include all voices, cultivate a sense of belonging and champion fairness. We welcome individuals from underrepresented groups to join us and share their unique perspectives.
We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job interview process. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, please email us at accommodations@iadb.org.