Economist (Climate) – GF

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group 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 130 locations 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 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. Within EMFTX, the Climate-Fiscal team provides effective support to strengthen countries’ efforts in climate-smart tax and expenditure policy for growth-friendly climate adaptation and mitigation, as well as managing macro fiscal impacts of climate change. EMFTX also engages with development partners and other stakeholders in the global debate on fiscal and climate issues. It works jointly with other Global Practices in the Vice Presidency for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions, and collaborates closely with other WBG units. 

 

The unit represents MTI in exchanges with other World Bank Group departments on integrating climate change into the institution’s wider work in a way that supports equitable growth. EMFTX also engages with development partners and other stakeholders in the global debate on climate-smart domestic resource mobilization (including the IMF, OECD and UN in the Platform for Collaboration on Tax).

 

EMFTX advises MTI units on achieving the Global Practice’s corporate commitments on climate co-benefits and supports the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action. Through the Coalition, 81 Finance Ministers are collaborating on the implementation of a set of “Helsinki Principles” for driving collective action of Finance Ministries on climate change and its impacts.

 

THEMATIC CONTEXT

 

Each of EFI’s core topic areas is increasingly affected by climate change, requiring new strategies for maximizing economic development in a climate-smart manner. The novelty of this challenge means that there is a great need for capacity building among economic policymakers in client countries as well as in EFI units advising them. This is both an operations challenge, rolling out best-practice solutions, and an analytical challenge, finding new approaches to combine progress on macroeconomic and climate objectives. The Practice Group is addressing this challenge by hiring a small group of experienced specialists who are at the global frontier in combining expertise in conventional macroeconomics and climate change. 

 

POSITION

The Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice (MTI) is seeking to recruit a highly qualified Economist to work on its climate macroeconomics program in the unit for “Fiscal Policy and Sustainable Growth” (EMFTX). The position is based in Washington D.C., USA. 

The Economist will work on tax policy and sustainable long-term growth issues, with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation. She/he will be an integral part of MTI GP’s wider work on climate change and will report to the Manager of MTI’s Global Unit EMFTX. 

 

Duties and Responsibilities 

The Economist will provide technical expertise for the integration of climate mitigation and adaptation considerations into World Bank advisory and lending programs. The ideal candidate is expected to have specialist knowledge in the following areas:
 

• Technical guidance on fiscal strategies for combining climate and macroeconomic progress: While the low-carbon transition can be a major macroeconomic burden for developing countries, it is equally possible to design climate policy such that it enhances conventional macroeconomic policy objectives.  Achieving this integration is, however, technically challenging for country teams. The Economist will help guide country teams at achieving this integration, providing technical advice on tax policy designs for combining climate and macroeconomic progress. 

• Integration of climate considerations into core macroeconomic assessments: The Economist will provide hands-on specialist support to teams for climate-smart Public Finance Reviews, Country Economic Updates, Growth Diagnostics Reports, and Country Climate and Development Reports.

• Integration of macroeconomic considerations into central, economy-wide climate strategies: Most developing countries have made binding international commitments to regularly update and submit national climate action plans (NDCs) and many are preparing long-term strategies (LTS). These plans guide unprecedented macrostructural change, but the perspectives of finance ministries are often poorly included. The Economist will advance technical work on supporting finance ministries in the substantial fiscal and macroeconomic implications of NDC and LTS, including the balance of revenue-raising and expenditure interventions, General Equilibrium effects, macrostructural change, and the alignment with broader national development and growth strategies.

• Pioneering the roll-out of new country-level technical analyses in key climate-fiscal priority areas: The Economist will create best-practice technical examples for colleagues on approaches that reduce conflicts between climate priorities and deteriorating fiscal space, such as revenue-raising approaches like environmental taxation and fuel-subsidy reforms, revenue-neutral systems like Feebates, and measures to quantify and manage climate-related fiscal risks. 

• Integration of climate measures into policy lending: The World Bank seeks to increase the proportion of climate reforms supported through its policy lending (Development Policy Financing). The Economist will support efforts to not only raise the quantity of these measures but also to better integrate climate measures into the core macrostructural, growth and institutional objectives of these loans. The Economist will identify and pioneer approaches how growth-oriented fiscal climate measures can become a more natural component of macroeconomic DPFs.

• Connecting fiscal and financial stability programs on climate macroeconomics: Many central banks are collaborating on climate risks to financial stability.  The ideal candidate would be able to integrate dialogue with central banks, especially on issues that affect fiscal policy, such as the effect of climate-induced financial instability for fiscal risks and debt. 

 

The Economist will regularly engage with climate macroeconomists from Regions as well as the EFI Chief Economist Office. This collaboration entails: 

 

• Development of analytical tools:  To make it easier for MTI Country Economists to integrate climate considerations into their work programs, to raise technical quality and consistency across projects, the Economist will be collaborating with peers from across Regions to develop and improve analytical tools, diagnostics, and models. 

• Trainings: The Economist will be developing and rolling out trainings on climate-macro issues for Country Economists and country clients. 

• Global knowledge products: The Economist will engage in global knowledge products to push the global frontier on the core unsolved analytical climate-macro issues constraining EFI.

 

Selection Criteria

• A Ph.D. in economics or a closely related discipline, with considerable experience in working on climate and development is preferred. The minimum requirement to apply is a master’s degree with 5 years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong analytical skills in climate economics and in using models of fiscal policy.
• A proven track record of publications in the macroeconomics and fiscal policy of climate change.
• Operational experience in Development Policy Operations and other lending projects that include environmental fiscal reforms as a component of wider reform would be an asset.
• A track record of outstanding report writing and communications skills, including the ability to present complex analyses to non-specialist audiences. 
Required Competencies
• Ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments and adjust to a variety of complex evolving tasks to meet tight deadlines.
• Advanced ability to apply economic and econometric tools to environmental, fiscal and growth sustainability.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills – A strong command of all forms of communication, delivering messages in a consistently effective, timely and engaging manner.
 

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

 

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