Economist

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

THE ROLE OF THE GLOBAL PRACTICE FOR MACROECONOMICS, TRADE and INVESTMENT (MTI) IN THE WBG

• The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (MTI) Global Practice is comprised of some 450 staff, with almost half working in country offices around the world. MTI houses the Bank’s country economists together with trade economists and specialists, debt and macro modeling experts, and fiscal experts. MTI offers integrated solutions to macroeconomic and structural reform programs.  In doing so, MTI staff work closely with other Global Practices (GP).
• MTI staff help to shape and lead knowledge and learning related activities across a range of thematic areas, including but not limited to: (a) macroeconomics; (b) fiscal policy; (c) growth; (d) economic management in resource rich environments; (e) macroeconomic modelling & statistics; (f) trade and regional integration.

THE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION (LCR)

• The World Bank Group serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle-income clients to International Development Association (IDA) borrowing countries as well as small Caribbean states and one fragile state. Despite immense resources, dynamic societies, and an average annual per capita income of about US$4,000, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearly a quarter of the Region’s people living in poverty. The Bank’s strategy in LCR is focused on three pillars: promoting inclusive growth, investing in human capital, and building resilience. This includes encouraging better governance and economic integration and leveraging the private finance necessary to address the region’s pressing development needs.
• The regional context has become even more complex in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will require fast and effective policy response from LAC countries. The Bank – and MTI in particular – will play an important role in supporting the countries in the region to face this unexpected and massive shock.
• We are seeking an outstanding economist to work on analytical and lending activities on tax policy. You will be an integral part of the global MTI GP and will report to the MTI Practice Manager covering Latin America and the Caribbean.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• The economist will contribute across the full range of the unit’s deliverables and activities, support the country team in areas of expertise and provide cross support to teams from other global practices in the preparation and supervision of projects, integrating economic perspectives in other sectors’ work as needed.

In particular:

• Support tax policy design in LAC countries with a strong focus on Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay;
• Support macro monitoring and MTI client engagement in Uruguay;
• Benchmark tax policies of LAC countries with other countries, including by looking at the efficiency, effectiveness, simplicity and fairness of tax systems;
• Assess tax expenditures of Personal Income Tax (PIT), Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) systems to assess fiscal costs and other effects based on different data sources and methodologies;
• Identify opportunities and constraints to tax reforms in LAC countries, including related to environment taxation;
• Assess impact of tax reforms, taking into account linkages with informality, evasion, fiscal multiplier effects and equity;
• Assess the interlinkages between taxation and environment, including carbon prices;

Quantify fuel subsidies;

• Support the implementation of tax policy reforms.

Location and Reporting:

• The economist will be based in Montevideo, Uruguay and will work in close cooperation with other members of the MTI team working, under the supervision of the Practice Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean. The economist will also coordinate closely with the Global Fiscal and Tax unit in EFI.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in economics plus at least 5 years of relevant professional experience or PhD degree in economics with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience (PhD preferred);
• Proven knowledge and experience in the areas of macroeconomic policy; economic growth and productivity; fiscal and debt sustainability;
• Demonstrated ability to undertake a diversity of tasks within a rapidly changing and demanding environment and capacity to meet tight deadlines;
• Attention to detail and ability to prioritize and deliver assignments on schedule;
• Proven ability to work in teams;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=27724&site=1