Country Economist at African Development Bank - AfDB

The Complex

• The core mandate of the Vice Presidency (ECVP) is to lead the Bank Group on prioritizing the generation, analysis, dissemination, brokering and implementation of relevant knowledge solutions in all High-5 operational priorities and the cross-cutting themes of its Ten-Year Strategy. Such solutions must be a clear response to priority development challenges facing regional member countries (RMCs), individually or collectively and need to involve RMCs in both the planning and implementation of the solutions.
• The solutions include:
  • Research on major development issues facing Africa and their relation to global economic governance and other major global public goods;
  • Country diagnostics and future perspectives
  • Policy dialogue and advisory services;
  • Economic, sector, and thematic knowledge work;
  • Improving national and sub-regional statistical systems;
  • Preparation, design and support to implementation of public financial management and Governance operations;
  • Capacity development for policy formulation and implementation;
  • Technical assistance and advice related to RMCs’ management of natural resources; and
  • Knowledge dissemination and development of national, regional, and inter-regional knowledge networks.

The Position

• The Country Economist will focus on macroeconomic work to deepen country knowledge and policy dialogue, preparation of Economic Sector Works and lead/participate in the preparation of Country Strategy Papers and related products.

Key Functions
Under the supervision and guidance of the Director, Country Economics Department, the Country Economist will:

• Analyse the economic and financial situations of assigned Regional Member Countries, using internal and external information sources, and determine the implications for the programming and updating of Bank Group operations such as defined in the Country Strategy Paper.
• Examine the impact of Bank Group operations, in the countries concerned, of regional economic integration programmes and make recommendations on the role of the Bank Group in assisting regional integration initiatives.
• Participate in the policy dialogue with Government authorities and development partners.
• Prepare economic and Sector Work and papers on relevant economic and financial issues in the development process and other country economic tasks such as the Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) and the CRFA exercises.
• Contribute to the identification, preparation, evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of macroeconomic programmes.
• Prepare Country Diagnostic Notes and Regional Diagnostic Notes to inform the preparation of Country Strategy Papers and Regional Integration strategy Papers.
• Maintain effective communication with the sector departments and other relevant units in the Bank to ensure a coordinated approach in the preparation of knowledge products in the assigned countries.
• Participate in Country Portfolio Reviews.
• Participate in the preparation and monitor implementation of measures under budget support operations.
• Participate in aid coordination activities with bilateral and multilateral donors, with emphasis on promoting the co-financing of projects and programmes.
• Participate in the preparation of the department’s budget and in the recruitment of consultants; prepare annual and triennial lending programmes and briefs on economic reform and institutional support programmes.
• Provide background research papers on a variety of economic topics for management discussions, decision meetings, corporate reporting, flagship publications, and client-facing interactions.
• Participate in the preparation of the pipeline and lending programs
• Develop and build client relations at levels and plays a promotional role in generating new business for the Bank.

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• Hold at least a Master's Degree in Economics or other relevant fields or related disciplines;
• Have a minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience in an International Organization, working on African Development Issues and country strategy papers preparation;
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Good grasp of the developing countries issues, and solid experience in macroeconomic management issues and the economics of development - understands policymaking processes and able to synthetize operationally relevant recommendations/lessons.
• Solid technical and quantitative skills as an applied development macroeconomist and a proven record in delivering high quality and technically sophisticated analytical work.
• Very good knowledge of portfolio management and demonstrated knowledge of economics and analytical skills
• Proven sense of initiative, results orientation, as well as effective teamwork skills, strong integrative skills and ability to work effectively across sectors.
• Strong experience in policy dialogue, as well as fragility assessment knowledge and skills.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills and ability to deliver results on time.
• Problem solving capabilities coupled to innovation skills and change management.
• Drive for results – able to take personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results.
• Participate in the preparation of the pipeline and lending programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications.