Expert on debt sustainability

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN’s five regional commissions, ECA’s mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa’s development.
The ECA Office for North Africa is located in Rabat, Morocco, and serves seven member states: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. The main objective is to contribute to achieving structural transformation and balanced development through implementation of an environment conducive to the creation of employment for women and young people in North Africa.

Many African Governments are facing challenges in implementing effective public debt management practices and fiscal policies aligned with national development priorities, and macro-fiscal sustainability remains a concern. African countries are facing rising debt and debt service burdens, exacerbated by protracted crises and global macroeconomic uncertainty. Public budgets struggle to cover essential expenditure on social services and to meet commitments to climate action.
In this context, UNECA SRO NA is implementing a project titled “Enhancing Fiscal Resilience and Sustainable Finance in Africa”. The initiative aims to help African governments address the growing debt burden and unlock new opportunities for sustainable, low-carbon economic development. The project will build the capacity of national debt management offices (DMOs), develop sustainable finance mechanisms, and help ensure macroeconomic stability in line with SDG and climate objectives.
To achieve these objectives, the project will: i) organize a series of national/regional meetings and training workshops to generate/share knowledge and identify data gaps and challenges in sustaining and enhancing the effectiveness of debt management and (ii) develop a set of scenarios and guidelines to assist countries to better manage their debt and enable policy-makers to adopt appropriate policies to attract sustainable finance
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), through the Subregional Office for North Africa (SRO-NA), is therefore seeking a qualified Associate Researcher to support its debt management initiative. This UNV assignment is a part of the UNECA SRO NA debt management initiative, and the primary focus of this role will be to support project activities through research, logistical coordination, documentation, and effective communication. This position aims to support UNECA SRO-NA in helping its Member States improve public debt management and enhance fiscal space to finance national development priorities in climate action and the SDGs. The Research Associate will work in close cooperation with the Project Coordinator and the project team at UNECA.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the project manager or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Expert on Debt sustainability will:
A. Research and Analytical Support
• Conduct literature reviews, data collection, and analysis related to debt sustainability, public finance, and sustainable financing strategies.
• Review reports on debt management, debt sustainability and debt distress.
• Prepare research summaries, policy briefs and technical reports.
• Identify trends and noteworthy issues for review and discussion by project management.
B. Support logistics arrangement and project Implementation
• Support for project management and implementation throughout all phases of the project cycle.
• Research, compile, analyze, and summarize basic project data; highlight issues and trends for the supervisor’s consideration.
• Assist in the drafting of project budgets and forecasts in alignment with the programme of work.
• Work with the manager on financing arrangements, obtaining necessary clearances, and ensuring effective monitoring systems through regular reporting, review meetings, and missions.
• Ensure compliance with project guidelines and objectives, identify issues, seek clarifications, assess replies, and prepare summaries with actionable suggestions.
C. Coordination and Administrative Tasks
• Provide secretariat support to technical/steering committees and ad hoc task forces: circulate agendas, meeting invitees, prepare background documents, draft meeting minutes, and monitor follow-up actions.
• Support the coordination and scheduling of internal and external meetings.
• Prepare official documents and briefing materials for project coordination purposes.
• Maintain and update internal databases for tracking project correspondence, deliverables, and contacts.
• Manage storage and updating data, reports, and other project-related information to ensure easy access and version control.
D. Logistical and Operational Support
• Organize and execute logistics for workshops, field missions, and stakeholder consultations.
• Coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements for project staff and participants.
• Prepare and distribute workshop and mission materials (e.g., participant packs, presentations, name tags).
• Coordinate onsite logistics including venue setup, catering, interpretation, and technical support.
• Monitor project activity timelines and delivery schedules to ensure timely execution and reporting.
E. Communication and Reporting
• Assist in drafting mission reports, formal letters, and stakeholder communications.
• Support the development of clear and structured communication material for external dissemination.
F. Other Duties
• Perform any other duties as required for the successful implementation of the project.
Expected Deliverables
• Timely and high-quality research contributions aligned with project goals.
• Efficient logistical arrangements for project activities.
• Together with the project coordinator, provide well-prepared mission reports
• Positive feedback from stakeholders on effective communication
• Completion of official communication documents.
• A well-maintained database of project documents that supports project continuity and knowledge sharing.