Lead Regional Economist at International Fund for Agricultural Development

Key Functions and Results

The Lead Regional Economist:

• Leads the implementation of the quality support process. Working with the Divisional Director, Country Directors and the Portfolio Advisor,  ensures key divisional outputs (including for new investments, COSOPs, country briefs, and completion reports) meet IFAD quality standards. Key areas of focus include economic and financial analysis of project design reports, institutional arrangements of new investments and integration of scaling up mechanisms. The incumbent leads or participates in the formulation, organization and management of mandated programmes of economic analysis, including macroeconomic modelling and forecasting, and the formulation of possible economic strategies, policies and actions for adoption by the international community. The incumbent leads or participates in the identification of new or emerging development issues of potential concern to the international community, particularly those of a regional or global nature, and designs and develops programmes to address them.
• In close collaboration with the Lead/Senior Portfolio Advisor, supports the divisional director in strategic planning and programme oversight activities, country assessments, and resource allocation analysis.
• Leads policy dialogue at the regional level with regional bodies and entities with the aim of improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the rural poor, provides authoritative advice to CDs on the design of country-specific policy dialogue processes, designs and manages sub-regional, regional and international policy dialogue that is relevant, and adds value to the work of the region at the country level, including interactions with other funding and technical assistance multilaterals and bilaterals.
• Liaises with counterparts in other regional divisions and works closely with divisional focal points (gender and youth, environment, rural finance, farmers'organizations, etc.) to provide timely advice and information on key issues in country policy dialogue to country teams (with particular emphasis on decentralized staff) through Country Programme Management Team meetings, participation in missions, and in response to direct requests, including helping identify relevant expertise within and outside of IFAD.
• Identifies major opportunities for strategic collaboration with multi-lateral and bilateral donors to better leverage IFAD's loan and grant operations.
• Leads the design of annual grant work plans and manages the grant portfolio, including creating and managing processes to facilitate the uptake of lessons learned and sharing these experiences with IFAD, its partners and policy makers. The incumbent conceives plans and manages expert group meetings, seminars and similar consultations that contribute to the finalization of the work and divisional outputs. Provides direct substantive support on development issues to intergovernmental bodies and regional commissions by offering strategic advice, giving technical guidance, and assisting in developing a consensus. Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings on development issues.
• Provides substantial support in the conceptualization and design of investment projects, ensuring they adequately reflect economic trends and knowledge regarding investments which would yield the highest development impact in a selected setting.
• Develops and maintains an overview of regional trends and identifies and analyses crosscutting issues and results to generate inputs for strategic/programmatic documents and agendas at divisional and corporate levels, including medium-term plans, annual reports, IFAD communication materials, briefs, and presentations by IFAD senior management.
• Designs and manages an integrated Knowledge Management and South-South strategy and work plan, including the development of effective instruments by implementing a work program that covers analysis of macroeconomic trends and policy changes, including forecasting of key economic and social indicators and analysis of growth performance (including analysis of pro-poor growth policies). Prepares key inputs and works closely with the Portfolio Advisor on the overall preparation of the annual portfolio performance review report.
• Acts as a key member of staff for ensuring IFAD operations and country programmes meet the context and needs of each country, e.g. adapting programmes to fragile situations or conflict-affected states, setting and monitoring progress on performance indicators linked to graduation, etc.
• Education:
• Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in economics or related field is required (*):
• Note:  For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD's Human Resources Implementing Procedures. 

Experience:

• At least ten (10) years progressively responsible experience in the field of economics with International Financial Institutions, international NGOs, rural development/financial institutions, foundations or government services.
• Knowledge of ESA regions is an asset. 

Languages:

• Required: English (4 - Excellent)
• Desirable: Spanish, French, or Arabic