Lead Macro-Economist Job- Africa Development Bank

* Position title: Lead Macro-Economist
* Grade: PL-2
* Position N°: NA
* Reference: ADB/10/027 Re-Advertised
* Publication date: 17/08/2010
* Closing date: 17/09/2010

Objectives

The mandate of the Governance, Economic and Financial Reforms Department (OSGE) is to:

* Promote effective public sector management in Regional Member Countries (RMCs) and
* Enhance the investment climate and enabling environment for private sector development. These objectives are achieved through operations designed to build institutional capacity and support policy reforms through a combination of aid instruments, including budget support, capacity building investment projects, technical assistance, special vertical initiatives and targeted upstream analytical and advisory work.

OSGE’s activities are in line with the Bank Group Medium-Term Strategy 2008-2012 and the Governance Strategic Directions and Plan of Action for 2008- 2012 approved by the Bank in 2008 and largely focusing on economic governance and public financial management financial governance. The role of this Lead Expert is to advise the Director of OSGE on the strategic orientations and positioning of the Department; to ensure quality ate entry and provide quality control for operations; and lead on the work-stream on economic governance, the investment climate and enabling environment for private sector development. S/he will also be responsible for coordinating the Department’s activities and initiatives in those areas.
Duties and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Director of the Governance, Economic and Financial Reforms Department (OSGE) and in close coordination with OSGE Division Managers and Lead Public Sector Governance Specialist, the Lead Macro-Economist will be undertake the following tasks and responsibilities:

* Serve as the Department’s anchor, on the cross-departmental work-stream on macroeconomic policy both in the context of lending and non-lending operations, including ESWs; Provide leadership in OSGE and outside through rigorous and analytic economic analysis and in the development of knowledge products. Strengthen the economic underpinnings of OSGE’s work on the investment climate and the enabling business environment.;;
* Lead on the economic analysis of lending and non lending work and provide quality control on the macroeconomic foundations and justifications of OSGE operations, including policy based operations and investment projects to strengthen quality at entry; Support Task Managers through technical advise and peer review on the macro-fiscal framework of operations at critical nodes of the project cycle, from project identification, concept note and appraisal report, and the review of reports on the different stages of the internal review process (identification, preparation, appraisal, supervision);
* Play a lead role in identifying work-streams, conducting policy dialogue and taking forward relevant analytic work to reinforce the Department’s operations and advisory services on economic analysis and macroeconomic policy developments; Lead on the identification management of knowledge activities (events) and products (studies), build synergies between the operational specialties within the Department, and ensure effective dissemination of lessons learned and best practices; Develop and promote knowledge-sharing networks within and outside the Bank, in relation to the Department’s areas of competence;
* Act as the Department focal point on budget support and policy-based lending, engaging with internal and external partners to further strengthen Bank strategic policies and operational guidance for policy-based lending and budget support, including through the development of knowledge products and effective engagement with the evaluation of budget support instrument and the refinements of Bank policies, strategies and guidance in 2011;
* Conduct, at the Director’s request, key missions, conduct policy dialogue and engage with relevant initiatives; Where appropriate, participate in operational missions to support policy dialogue and the design of complex operations; Represent the Department at conferences and report on best practice with a view to disseminating it to the Department’s staff;
* Advise OSGE Director and OSGE Division Managers on policy and strategy development, engagement with internal and external stakeholders, and the identification, design and delivery of operations in the Department’s scope of competence; Participate in OSGE Management Group overseeing its strategic orientations and operational effectiveness;
* Lead the Department’s contribution to the development, implementation and monitoring of the Bank private sector strategy, in close coordination with internal partners including the review of the Bank Group Medium-Term Strategy 2008-2012, the Governance Strategic Directions and Plan of Action for 2008- 2012 and the Bank Private Sector Strategy;
* Play an active part in formulation and implementation of Bank policies, initiatives and operations, in light of international best practice with the aim of strengthening the Department’s operations as well as the advice it provides; Lead the Department’s engagement with relevant international partners, regional institutions and special initiatives in the area of economic governance, investment climate, and enabling environment for private sector development; Lead on the Department’s engagement with relevant special initiatives, such as Making Finance Work for Africa or the African Investment Climate Facility
* Work with the Department’s divisions to produce reports on the Department’s activities and results and such other reports as requested by Senior Management in the Department’s areas of focus;

Selection Criteria

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

* At least a master degree in macro-economics and/or public economics, and preferably a PhD
* Proven skills and theoretical expertise in macro-economics and /or public economics, public sector reform; Publication of research work and experience in leading task forces and advisory groups in the above fields would be added advantages;
* Preferably a minimum of eight (08) years of relevant professional experience in economic policy and institutional reform, preferably in an international financial institution and/or managing reform in the public sector; Strong knowledge of macroeconomic reforms and challenges in Africa and field experience; Proven experience with aid instruments, including policy based operations and investment projects;
* Ability to rigorously analyze and strategically synthesize complex issues with precision and attention to detail; Ability to think strategically and conduct high-level policy dialogue with clients, internal stakeholders and external partners;
* Confirmed aptitude to build and lead teams of professionals; effective in coaching and coordination;
* Capacity to organize training/workshops for knowledge transfer;
* Capacity to manage sensitive situations requiring work under pressure to deliver results within the prescribed time limits; skilled report writer;
* Excellent written and spoken communication in both Bank working languages; a good knowledge of other working languages of RMC would be an asset;
* Competence with standard Bank Microsoft Office; familiarity with SAP recommended;
* Knowledge of Bank strategies, policies and procedures would be an asset

Only applicants who fully meet the Bank's requirements and are being considered for interview will be contacted. Applicants will only be considered if they submit (preferably electronically, to: recruit@afdb.org) a fully completed Personal History Form (PHF), available from the Bank’s web site, and attach a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) indicating date of birth and nationality. The President, ADB, reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level. The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.