Education Economist/Specialist at World Bank

The selected candidate will work as a core member of the Nigeria Education team, both under close supervision of Task Team Leaders (TTLs) and independently with limited guidance. S/he will be required to consistently demonstrate first-rate abilities to simultaneously advance and complete various complex tasks, to pay attention to detail and quality, to balance priorities, to adapt to new solutions and ideas. S/he will participate in policy dialogue with the client on key issues in education and skills development and provide daily implementation support to the Federal and State governments on ongoing projects. S/he will contribute to design and preparation of new lending programs, both in education and multi-sectoral. S/he will also be responsible for contributing/leading analytical work to inform policy discussions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Operations

• Actively participate in the supervision of select projects under implementation, with focus on assigned component/sub-component/task under the project(s) 
• Monitor project implementation and disbursement progress vis-a-vis approved annual work plan and its activities
• Provide close technical support to PIUs, government counterparts and their partners on project implementation
• Follow up with the counterparts regularly to check on progress made against agreed intermediate actions and milestones 
• Support monitoring of results framework with project-specific data on relevant indicators (intermediate results, outcomes) and their trends, as part of evaluation of progress towards the achievement of project development objectives
• Contribute to preparation of Mission Aide Memoires, meeting minutes, just-in-time technical notes and implementation status reports (ISRs)
• Actively support the preparation of new education operations/activities, which includes participating in all stages of the project cycle: identification, preparation, appraisal, negotiations, and board approval. The selected candidate will contribute towards drafting of concept notes, Project Appraisal Documents, safeguard plans and other required documents. 
• Analytical Work, Technical Assistance and Client Capacity
• Contribute to the design, preparation, and dissemination of advisory services and analytical (ASA) products in the education sector (e.g. sector assessment, policy notes, impact evaluation, public expenditure reviews, country systems diagnostics, case studies, etc.)
• Undertake ASA activities on topics related to out-of-school children and learning poverty, opportunities for adolescent girls, job-relevant skills for youth including the at-risk youth, and cross-cutting areas such as digital technologies, financing and governance
• Contribute/responsible for management and analysis of data on education institutions/schools, households and children
• Contribute or lead on writing of technical and policy notes/reports, and preparation of power point presentations  
• Facilitate dissemination of ASA findings through workshops/events with counterparts and relevant stakeholders
• Provide technical advice and support building client capacity to use findings of policy research/analytical work for developing new policies and programs, and undertaking sector strategic directions/reforms 

Selection Criteria

The World Bank office in Nigeria is seeking an experienced, versatile, and highly motivated candidate to work on a large and growing portfolio as part of the education team based in Abuja, Nigeria. The ideal candidate will combine excellent technical capabilities, a capacity to translate analytical findings into policy and into innovative Bank operations to help clients shift policies in new directions or to pilot new approaches; and operational skills to provide effective implementation support for the Bank’s growing portfolio. The candidate should have:

Education

•  An Advanced degree (at least a Masters’ degree) in Education, Economics, Public Policy, Finance, Management, Business Administration or relevant discipline. 

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in relevant social sectors in government or non-government organization or in academic or in policy research or business/management consulting.
• Knowledge of education and other social sector issues and policies in Nigeria.
• Experience on project monitoring and tracking progress for multiple activities and goals.
• Demonstrated track record of production or contribution to education/human development sector related project and/or research studies.

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Strong conceptual skills and ability to translate abstract concepts into practical recommendations.
• Ability to write concisely and clearly.
• Solid presentation skills, including the ability to prepare visually compelling presentations using software.
• Strong analytical and data management skills, including knowledge of software applications for data analysis such as MS Excel.
• Experience with STATA and/or R use will be a plus.

Teamwork

•  Demonstrated ability to working as part of a team and independently in diverse teams, seeking guidance when needed on complex issues from senior staff.
•  Excellent interpersonal skills with proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively across and within practice boundaries, inspire commitment to excellence and teamwork, and to liaise tactfully as a member of a multicultural team. 
• Client Engagement, Results-Driven, Multi-tasking
• Demonstrated capacity to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders within and outside of your organization.
• Strong client orientation and potential/proven ability to work with government agencies at federal, state and local level.
• Good track record in sharing information with colleagues, clients and managers.
• Ability to juggle multiple competing demands and priorities, respond quickly to management requests, and manage time flexibly and effectively.
• Strong results orientation, persistence, patience, positive attitude, enthusiasm, and commitment to impacting lives of children and youth of Nigeria.