Job: Lead Economist

Location: Washington 
Deadline: Wednesday, 06 November 2013 

Description

Background / General description:

The Development Prospects Group (DECPG) is looking for a Lead Economist to work with its Global Modeling and Analytics (GMA) Team. The Prospects Group provides information, analysis and advice on the impact of global economic trends on developing countries; formulates the Bank's views on the state of the world economy; and examines economic prospects over the short to long-term horizons. As part of this work, DECPG produces two of the World Bank Group Corporate Flagships: the Global Monitoring Report and Global Economic Prospects.

The GMA team is responsible for the identification, analysis, and exploration of emerging global economic, financial and distributional trends that affect the medium-term and long-term prospects for developing countries' economic growth, poverty reduction and shared prosperity. The team's primary mandate is to investigate major structural changes in the world economy and to map out key policy challenges and options facing developing countries in their efforts to advance economic and social development. To assist in this effort, the team maintains several computable general equilibrium (CGE) models of the global economy and a micro-simulation model based on household surveys for some 130 countries as well as several country-specific CGE models (the MAMS system) used to analyze policy tradeoffs in individual countries.

The team's research feeds into the annual Global Monitoring Report, and the less regular Global Development Horizons report. Occasionally the team also prepares notes for internal distribution to the Bank's senior management; contributes to or leads work on other papers focused on emerging global financial and economic issues. The team provides analytical support and advisory services to the Bank's regions and global practices, and is building networking relationships with major academic institutions, think tanks, and policy forums through active participation in conferences and seminars and joint work on research projects related to its mission.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 5 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

The Lead Economist will report to the Manager of the Global Modeling and Analytics team. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Playing an active and leading role in the World Bank's analysis of poverty trends and of the impact of policies upon them by working with team members to use, extend and improve the Global Income Distribution Dynamics (GIDD) model.
• Cooperating actively with the team's CGE modelers to build meaningful and policy-relevant interactions between the GIDD model and the CGE models.
• Contributing to the Global Development Horizon, taking a leading role in the conceptualization and scenario building aspects of the report and assuming task management responsibility for at least one chapter of the report. In this role, the Lead Economist will supervise the inputs of junior staff and consultants and integrate them into a coherent chapter(s). The topics of the publication vary, from year to year, but relate to themes associated with structural change in global economic and the role of policy in shaping better development outcomes. This work will involve extensive consultations within the Bank as well as with external researches, agencies, and market participants.
• Identifying and developing new research agenda and work program on emerging global trends and shifts, as a basis for formulating and discussing forward-looking policy perspectives and options facing developing countries;
• Proactively initiating, and preparing occasional papers and briefing notes on international economics/policy issues and practices and their likely evolution over the medium-to long term horizon;
• Providing support for operational work in the Bank's regions and global practices depending on experience and needs.
  The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Selection Criteria:

PhD degree in economics or related fields with a minimum of 12 years of relevant experience preferred;

• Strong economic fundamentals and analytic skills with a broad knowledge of the world economy;
• Demonstrated capacity to manage the analytical work of a team of professionals;
• Established ability to draw on the best research within and outside the Bank, synthesize it, and draw policy implications, particularly on topics involving the linkage between global macroeconomic trends and growth and poverty reduction in developing countries;
• Familiarity with economic data both at the macro, sectoral and micro levels;
• Operating knowledge and experience with modeling techniques, preferably covering micro-simulation techniques, computable general equilibrium, and econometrics (panel data analysis at the macro and micro level);
• Effective and energetic communicator, using both written and oral presentations; ability to think beyond existing paradigms; building alliances and promoting open communication; and collaboration to achieve clearly set objectives would be highly desirable; and
• Focusing on the big picture and strategic issues, thinking on major development issues and the ability to developing coherent work programs and leading junior staff for achieving results.
  Required Competencies
• General Economic Knowledge and Analytical Skills - Possesses a track record of intellectual leadership and ability to integrate economic-specific knowledge and specific micro/sector fields of expertise; provides quality assurance and assesses technical soundness of work/reports.
• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Influences the design and execution of major policy and/or research initiatives; conceives and promotes innovations in development policies, project design, organization and management to improve operational and sector work.
• Policy Dialogue Skills - Has a track record of conducting effective policy dialogue with country counterparts; communicates and defends difficult issues and positions to senior bank management and government officials.
• Integrative Skills - Possesses in-depth understanding of Bank resources in all areas of work in the network, and proven fungibility.
• Macroeconomic Skills and Country Economics Experience - Has strong record of task leadership of complex policy-based lending operations, major economic reports or other published work relating to macro-economic, fiscal, growth, structural policy and poverty issues.
• Written and Verbal Communication - Demonstrates a strong command of all forms of communication and delivers messages in a consistently effective, timely and engaging manner
• Client Orientation - Translates insight into practice across disciplines, hierarchies, geographies and organizational units in service of clients.
• Drive for Results - Ensures successful implementation and delivery of key programs and projects, ensuring that outputs positively impact results.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Creates a team climate of practical and innovative action, facilitating collaboration between competing interests and stakeholders.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Demonstrates command of all forms of communication and presents in a clear, objective and engaging manner in high-level settings; ensures knowledge is captured and shared in a variety of ways.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Serves as a trusted advisor to others on their decisions, ensuring alignment across units and optimal impact on the organization as a whole.

More Info and Application