Regional Economist  

The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment. 

About this position

The Department of Southern Cone Countries (CSC) is responsible for the strategic, programmatic and operational relationship with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Likewise, the Department fulfills the function of coordinating and facilitating so that the corporate and operational activities and processes are duly integrated and attended to in the administrative bodies of the institution, including the Board of Directors, Senior Administration and the different departments of the IDB Group (IDBG). The Department is also responsible for the macroeconomic monitoring of the countries and the generation of knowledge on strategic and operational issues.

CSC is seeking a highly motivated professional with outstanding economics credentials to fill the position of Specialist or Senior Specialist in our office in Washington D.C. You will need to demonstrate enthusiasm for development, mastery of applied macro/micro/econometric advanced concepts, excellent verbal, and written communication skills, and strong policy skills.

Furthermore, you must be a driven, creative and great teammate professional.

The candidate will report directly to the Regional Economic Advisor (REA) for CSC.

What you’ll do:

•       Undertake regional economic, social, and political surveillance, in close coordination with country economists – emphasis on interpreting macroeconomic and financial trends.
•     Prepare high-quality conjuncture analysis, risk assessments, and outlook reports (in both written and data visualization formats) applying appropriate methodologies and datasets.
•       Lead/participate in applied economic research using robust theoretical and/or empirical tools to generate policy evidence relevant to Southern Cone countries that contributes to the IDB’s operational work.
•        Perform debt sustainability analysis.
•        Make technical contributions to project teams by integrating, analyzing, and interpreting complex and diverse information.
•        Provide technical feedback in peer-review processes and quality control exercises, as well as Bank’s documents.
•        Contribute to the dissemination of analytical work, promoting cooperative research initiatives, and discussing policy issues within and outside the Bank.
•      Participate in economic policy dialogue and broad discussions on substantive development issues with policy makers, influencing policy discussion through advanced knowledge of sector and/or economic issues.
•        Build networks with international organizations, academic institutions, government officials and professional bodies to exchange information, promote research initiatives, and expand the influence of the IDB.
•        Foster and nurture strategic partnerships with other IDB Group areas to advance a wide range of multi-sectorial and applied knowledge products / activities.
•     Meet requests arising from the need to carry out the activities related to the Southern Cone Department. This includes, but it is not limited to, working collaboratively with operational and/or administrative staff to execute technical cooperation and/or knowledge products, attending meetings on behalf of the Regional Economic Advisor or Manager, and helping fulfill ad-hoc requests received by CSC.

What you’ll need:

Education: PhD in Economics.

Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, depending on grade. Expertise in policy issues and development problems is required along with a proven track record to perform analysis of economic conditions and risks, conduct applied research on economic and development issues, and relate research and policy. Of special interest are expertise in areas such as climate change and sustainability, and regional integration. Proficiency in quantitative methods, statistical packages and programming languages such as Stata, Eviews, Matlab, R or Python is also required.

In addition, the position requires strong initiative, along with the ability to juggle numerous demands and priorities, respond quickly to requests, and work collaboratively.

Languages: You are proficient (written and oral) in English and either Spanish or Portuguese. Proficiency in all three is a plus.

Key Skills:

• Learn continuously
• Collaborate and share knowledge
• Focus on clients
• Communicate and influence
• Innovate and try new things

Requirements:

Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries. We may offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you.

Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB, IDB Invest, or IDB Lab.

Type of contract and duration

• International staff contract, 36 months initially, renewable upon mutual agreement. 

What we offer 

The IDB group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:

• A competitive compensation package, including an annual base salary expressed on a net- of-tax basis.
• Leaves and vacations: 24 days of paid time off + 8 personal days + sick leave + gender- neutral parental leave.
• Health Insurance: IDB Group provides employees and eligible dependents with a robust medical benefits program which covers medical, dental, vision, preventive care, and prescription drugs. 
• Pension plan: defined benefit pension plan that provides financial security and support employees in planning for their future. 
• We offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your family, when it applies.
• Hybrid and flexible work schedules. 
• Health and wellbeing:  Access to our Health Services Center which provides preventive care and health education for employees. 
• Development support: We offer tools to boost your professional profile such as mentoring, 1:1 professional counseling, training and learning opportunities, language classes, mobility options, among others. 
• Other benefits: Lactation Room, Daycare Center, Gym, Bike Racks, Parking, Spouse Career Program, and others. 
   

Our culture

At the IDB Group we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work, willing to try new approaches without fear, and where they are accountable and rewarded for their actions. 
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are at the center of our organization. We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and encourage women, LGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. 

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job interview process. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at [email protected]  to request reasonable accommodation to complete this application. 
Our Human Resources Team reviews carefully every application.  

About the IDB Group

The IDB Group, composed of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest, and the IDB Lab offers flexible financing solutions to its member countries to finance economic and social development through lending and grants to public and private entities in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

About IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank is committed to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts ground breaking research and provides policy advice, technical assistance, and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.

This is how cinfo can support you in the application process for this specific position:

• Before you apply for this position: Improve your application documents by registering for a Job Application Support.
• When invited to the interview: Prepare for the interview by registering for a Job Application Support.
• For Swiss nationals who get invited to the first round in the selection process (written test, interview, assessment centre, etc.):
  • Please let us know so that we can inform our HR partners from the respective organisation and the Swiss Government to increase  your visibility: [email protected]
  • Benefit from free interview preparation by registering for a Job Application Support.