Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (MTI) Global Practice leads the World Bank Group’s dialogue and engagement with clients in macroeconomics, fiscal policy, trade, competition and investment.  MTI links the macroeconomic dialogue with programs focused on expanding the role of the private sector in economic development. Almost half of MTI professional staff are decentralized to the field working closely with the Country Management Units (CMUs) and in proximity to the clients! MTI professionals often work across sectors helping carry out key integrative functions. In this context, we are responsible for the preparation and delivery of the majority of the Bank’s Development Policy Operations using both IDA and IBRD resources. We also lead or participate in a wide variety of AAA-Analytic and Advisory Activities and client advisory work requiring integrative functions that add to the core Macroeconomic expertise. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/mti-gp

In West and Central Africa, the World Bank is a leading partner with a growing portfolio of 350 projects totaling more than $38 billion in areas such as agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education, health, water and sanitation- all to support job creation, gender equality, poverty reduction, and better lives. Across the continent, the World Bank’s program has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. By 2030, about 87% of the world’s extreme poor are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, so this is where our mission to end extreme poverty and to promote shared prosperity will be achieved.

The EAWM1 unit covers work in 13 countries within the Africa Region, including the Senegal (AFCF1), Côte d’Ivoire (AFCF2), and Mali (AFCW3) Country Management Units (CMU).

The practice is seeking to hire Extended-Term Consultants (ETC) to join the MTI West Africa region which includes 13 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo. While the initial focus would be on Mali and Burkina Faso, they could potentially cover other countries in the unit based on business need.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The ETC will report to the respective MTI country economist team.  Responsibilities include the following:

• Prepare weekly economic updates for management and other management briefs;
• Maintain, update and develop macroeconomic databases;
• Supports the macroeconomic country monitoring, which includes the Macro and Poverty Outlook (MPO), CPIA, PPAs and the Country Economic Update;
• Supports the policy dialogue on macroeconomic and fiscal policy and economic growth issues with the country authorities, with the IMF and economic departments of other development agencies and non-government stakeholders;
• Supports fiscal and debt ASAs including Public Finance Reviews (PFR) and Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA);
• Supports core country diagnostics such as Climate Change Development Reports (CCDR), Country Economic Memorandums (CEM) and other growth diagnostics, working with other GPs to integrate structural, sectoral and macroeconomic issues;
• Supports Development Policy Operations, or other types of lending;
• Advises sector teams on the macroeconomic and fiscal implications of sector policies and investment decisions and provide cross-support where relevant.

Expected Delivery

Expected deliverables include but not limited to:

• Regular delivery of weekly economic updates.
• Up-to-date macro database.
• Economic write-ups, briefs, graphs, tables.
• ASA and lending operations as part of the MTI country team. 

Duration of Assignment

The ETC will work fulltime from September 2024 – August 31, 2025, with a potential extension by another year.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree in Economics (at least a Masters) with 3 years of relevant experience.
• Strong analytical skills in macroeconomic and fiscal management and proven ability to conduct macro-fiscal modelling and analysis.
• Experience in working with the World Bank in francophone West Africa will be a plus.
• Proven track-record of work on World Bank core ASA products such as Economic Updates, Public Expenditure Reviews, and Country Economic Memoranda.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Well-developed interpersonal and team working skills.
• High motivation, flexibility, reliability and a proactive approach to working with all staff in a team-driven environment, and initiative and ability to work on his/her own.
• Fluency in English is essential and in French is required.
• Computers skills in STATA, Matlab, and/or EViews are a plus.

The WBG Core Competencies: https://bit.ly/2kbIA7O

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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