Public Sector Staffing and Digitalization for Public Infrastructure Investment Results

Effective Public Investment Management (PIM) requires purposeful leadership and specialized staffing, competencies, and skills in the public sector. Public sector staff need specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. To generate good public investment outcomes, it is crucial to have the right personnel in the right positions, both in central PIM unit roles but also across various government levels (including Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Sub-National Governments, and State-Owned Enterprises).

The World Bank's 8 Must-Haves identify the key PIM cycle functions that public sector personnel are expected to fulfill in improved infrastructure outcomes. While some PIM aspects can be outsourced, essential skills remain necessary to define, contract, and utilize these inputs effectively. Gaps in specific PIM skills echo some of the wider challenges in successful Public Administration Reform across the region.

Learning results should be clear and sustainable. This calls for a systematic approach to skills development and capacity building, as training on PIM often occurs in ad hoc fashion with vague or limited impacts. Current examples of developing PIM curricula, training-of-trainers and partnering with public sector academies show promising results.

PIM skills and results need to be assessed against clear outcome metrics. Key outcome indicators include the number and value of projects subject to PIM at minimum standards; cost and time overruns during implementation; the number and value of projects subject to climate change and environmental due diligence; and the efficiency of public investment spending. Digitalization and emerging technologies such as big data and AI are transforming the PIM landscape and necessitating relevant skills development.