E T Consultant – Senior Specialist

The Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Practice Group (EFI) is one of the World Bank Group’s four Practice Groups. EFI’s mandate is “Growth, Finance, and Institutions for all.” Our approach is to leverage public and private sector expertise, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to support a data-driven reform agenda. EFI supports clients in advancing evidence-based structural reforms to build the foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth.

EFI is composed of four Global Practices (GPs), the Prospects Group, and CGAP:

• The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (MTI) GP provides broad macroeconomic analysis in support of countries’ economic programs, including the analysis of macro-financial risks, and macroeconomic modelling services to the rest of the WBG. MTI supports sound fiscal frameworks and fiscal risk management as well as better institutions and capacity on debt management to improve efficiency of public spending and bolster macroeconomic stability.
• The Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation (FCI) GP, consisting of two directorates (the Finance directorate, and the Trade, Investment and Competitiveness (TIC) directorate) aims to support client countries to create an enabling environment in which financial stability, efficiency and firm-level solutions are provided in an integrated way to crowd in the private sector, support the creation of markets, and accelerate equitable growth.
• The Governance GP (GOV) helps countries build capable, effective, accountable, transparent and inclusive institutions that deliver citizen-centric services, facilitate private-sector growth and build trust in government; and provides fiduciary support to all Bank operations.
• The Poverty and Equity GP (POV) consists of micro, labor and development economists to build the evidence base, provide advice and operational support to ensure country policies and WBG interventions are inclusive.
• The Prospects Group provides analysis on global economic and financial developments and their impact on emerging market and developing countries. It is responsible for the publication of the Global Economic Prospects report, the Commodity Markets Outlook and Global Monthly.
• CGAP is a global partnership of more than 30 leading development organizations that works to advance the lives of poor people through financial inclusion.

MTI brings together about 530 professionals working across more than 100 countries. The Global Practice houses the Bank’s country economists and professional staff with expertise in macroeconomics, fiscal policy, growth, and statistics.  About fifty percent of MTI professional staff are decentralized to the field, working very closely with the Country Management Units (CMUs) and directly with clients.  MTI is responsible for delivering timely policy advice to support the following lines of work: (i) designing macro-fiscal frameworks that are aligned with the goals of reducing extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, as well as being grounded in economic, social and environmental sustainability; (ii) supporting fiscal and debt policy sustainability;  (iii) generating growth analytics and policy recommendations to sustain and boost growth; and (iv) analyzing the impact of external shocks and climate change risks on growth and the government fiscal position. MTI professionals are responsible for the preparation and delivery of Development Policy Operations using both IDA and IBRD resources, and lead or participate in the preparation of Advisory Services and Analytics, Technical Assistance and integrative outputs such as Strategic Country Diagnostics, Country Economic Memorandums and cross-sector Public Finance Reviews. Important additional engagements in macroeconomic and fiscal policies are carried out through work on debt management (including through the Debt Management Facility) and work on macro-fiscal climate issues (including in support of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action). Knowledge and learning is a central part of MTI with work focused on 5 thematic areas: (a) macroeconomics; (b) fiscal policy; (c) growth; (d) economic management in resource-rich environments; and (e) statistics.

Within MTI, the Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Growth Unit (EMFTX) provides effective support for World Bank Group operations to strengthen countries’ efforts in using tax and expenditure policy, the management of fiscal risks and fiscal planning for boosting equitable growth and underpinning macroeconomic stability. As a Global Unit, EMFTX provides technical advice, support and thought leadership on these issues to the wider GP’s operational work in the Regions. 

The fiscal policy work covers overall fiscal policy design, public expenditure polices, and domestic revenue mobilization. This work includes:

• Preparation of analytic work, guidelines, tools, and data that support the Bank’s global engagement and the work by regional units on fiscal policy issues and quality of spending;
• Development and management of the BOOST program and Public Finance Review (PFR) Platform;
• Quality review and support to the Bank’s operational work such as PFRs and DPFs;
• Fundraising and management of Fiscal Policy Umbrella trust funds;
• Cross support to regional teams on fiscal policy issues in PERs, DPOs, CEMs, etc.
• Knowledge management on fiscal policy issues and fiscal policy work;
• Knowledge sharing on fiscal policy issues, by hosting a Fiscal Policy Community of Practice and organizing knowledge sharing events such as fiscal policy brown-bags and fiscal policy training sessions;
• Providing inputs to and managing fiscal policy aspects of corporate initiatives such as CPIAs.
• Engagement with other international stakeholders such as the IMF and the OECD on fiscal policy issues.

POSITION

• EMFTX is seeking to recruit a Term Consultant in a Senior Specialist role that encompasses strategic, operational, and organizational functions to advance the unit’s objectives, with focus on DRM work.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Strategic Briefings and Presentations: Develop concise briefings and PowerPoint presentations on key DRM and Fiscal Policy issues for internal and external stakeholders. Consolidate, prepare, and update unit presentations, including strategy presentations, and facilitate regular presentations to regional and other GP units, external stakeholders and the Board.
• Support unit’s delivery on DRM agenda: Contribute to DRM analysis in selected areas; and, as a member of Unit’s select project teams provide day-to-day project management support (for instance, tax incentives, international taxation, progressivity) as well as support to knowledge sharing events, such as DRM training program on DRM for country economists.
• Partnership and Collaboration: Facilitate, cultivate and maintain partnerships with IFIs, regional organizations, and the private sector to advance DRM agenda objectives.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor production and outcomes of unit deliverables, including preparing narratives for DRM indicators.
• Scorecard Implementation and Monitoring: Lead unit’s monitoring of scorecards and IDA commitments implementation.
• Program Management Support: Assist Global Tax Program manager and contribute to the GTP and PCT Secretariats, both of which hosted in the Unit.
• Knowledge Management and Dissemination: Manage unit’s knowledge resources and facilitate dissemination of work. Organize BBLs, workshop, conference, support prepare blogs preparations and other dissemination activities.
• Reviews and Corporate Requests: Consolidate unit inputs for corporate reviews, coordinate peer-review meetings, and support responses to corporate Senior Management, the Board, and external stakeholders’ requests.
• Convey: Coordinate regular meetings of Leads and Program Managers, as well as Front Office meetings.
• Other Support: Provide additional support as requested by the Manager as needs arise.

Selection Criteria

• Advanced degree in Economics, Finance or Business Administration.  At least 8 years of relevant experience in Economics.
• Knowledge of and prior experience with the World Bank or MDB financial policies and products, and knowledge of fiscal policy and taxation is desirable.
• Strong conceptual and critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Ability to independently develop sound financial policy analysis and recommendations that are not only technically sound but also take into consideration political context.
• Excellent writing and PowerPoint skills are essential. Strong ability to develop succinct and to-the-point materials to communicate complex concepts and ideas in an easy-to-understand manner. Ability to quickly adapt materials to different audiences.
• Strong oral communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English is required.
• Fluency in French and/or Spanish would be an advantage.
• Strong inter-personal skills and diplomacy. Ability to work across boundaries to work through tough issues, resolve differences and build consensus by interacting with different levels of internal and external stakeholders.
• Creative and innovative thinker. Ability to think outside of the box.
• Ability to build or review financial models to support policy analysis. Sharp sense of numbers will be key.
• A great team player and excellent teamwork skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver against tight deadlines.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=27599&site=1