Lead Economists – African Development Bank Group (AFDB)

Position title: Lead Economists (2 Vacancies)
Grade: PL-2
Reference: ADB/10/035
Publication date: 14/04/2010
Closing date: 15/05/2010
Objectives
The Regional Departments are responsible for the coordination of all programming activities and ensuring regional and country focus in Bank Group operations. They serve as the focal point for Bank Group operations in regional member countries (RMCs). The Regional Departments are also responsible for the continued enhancement of the Bank’s visibility and operations effectiveness at country and regional levels.
They will generate the Bank Group’s lending program, define the knowledge production side of the department and define the program at country and regional levels in a manner that will allow for a greater degree of focus on country strategy, policy dialogue and other country-related issues. They work to enhance partnership and cooperation, both from within the Bank and externally and ensure smooth communication and presentation of Regional Department’s work programme at different fora.
Under the leadership of the Regional Director, the Lead Economist will perform the following duties.
Duties and responsibilities

• Provide guidance and quality control for country economists in the preparation of country strategies, portfolio performance reviews, country policy & institutional assessments and economic and sector work;
• Take the lead in drafting regional assistance strategies,  in co-operation with staff, including other Lead Economists as appropriate, and lead the dialogue with Governments, Regional Economic Communities, civil society organisations, members of the public and other regional, public and/or private bodies when requested to so by the Regional Director;
• Advise upon country-level dialogue with governments, other development stakeholders and donors, ensuring that the Department’s interventions are compatible with the Bank’s commitments under the Paris Declaration, the Accra Agenda for Action, and other high-level agreements on harmonization and management for results, and leading such dialogue when the Regional Director judges it appropriate;
• Contribute to the design and execution of major policy and/or research initiatives; conceive, develop and promote innovations in Bank development policies, project design, organization and management to improve Bank project and sector work;
• Ensure that the Department is linked to knowledge sharing networks and is fully appraised of good, innovative theory and practice in development economics, organizing meetings and inviting speakers for brown-bag lunches and seminars as appropriate;
• Lead the development of a pipeline of economic and sector work in coordination with country economists and regional/sector departments;
• Lead the mobilization of resources and establishment of collaboration with key development partners ;
• Lead communication and outreach efforts to the department responsible for Trust Fund mobilization and ensure close collaboration with the Department responsible for Trust Fund in terms of securing Trust Fund resources;
• Lead political risk analysis exercises and advise the Director and task teams, as required, on sensitive operations;
• Take the lead on preparation of the Departmental budget and oversee the implementation of the annual budget exercise as per the regional department’s projected lending activities;
• At the Director’s discretion oversee the (Regional Department’s) country team process and take the lead in ensuring close collaboration with other Bank departments, especially Sector departments;
• Represent the Department (and Bank) at key economic meetings and on important missions when requested to do so by the Director or senior management;
• Serve as focal point and spokesperson on economic issues to external/internal constituencies and expert economic groups;
• Develop and build client relations at senior levels and play a promotional role in generating new business for the Bank;
• Provide a mentoring role for Country Economists in the Department and for Young Professionals (YPs) who are periodically attached to the Department.
• Regularly visit Country Economists posted to decentralized Country Offices.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A minimum of a Master’s degree or its university equivalent in Economics, and a sound knowledge of socio-economic development issues in Africa;
• Prior experience in development strategies is a must and experience with regional strategies and/or project management would be a plus;
• Strong analytical skills and capacity to produce and manage knowledge preferably as proved by a track record of prominent publications;
• Experience in executive briefings and working with senior management in a development institution;
• In-depth knowledge of the Bank’s major development partners and preferably a proven record in forging partnerships at international level;
• Fluency in English and/or French (both verbally and in writing), with a working knowledge of the other language. In addition, command of Arabic would be a plus;
• Knowledge of the Bank’s operations, policies and procedures would be a strong plus;
• Preferably a minimum of 8 years of highly relevant experience;
• Proven ability to build and lead a team of professional staff, and utilize talent and expertise of team members in a productive way;
• Ability to build partnerships and deliver results in a timely fashion that meet the needs and long-term interest of clients within and outside the institution;
• Proven aptitude to take measurable risks and effective and timely decisions;
• Ability to present ideas and to mobilize support around them; excellent listening skills ;
• Capacity to initiate and manage innovations and change;
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint).

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.

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