Economist (SEO) at British High Commission Nairobi

The Economist is a critical member of the Prosperity and Climate team and wider British High Commission in Nairobi. This is a fantastic opportunity to be at the heart of defining the UK’s strategy and policy on economic development in Kenya, ensuring that our approach is evidence-based and robust. You will be responsible for leading analysis of key macro-economic issues and managing relationships with critical partners across the Government of Kenya, regulators and other stakeholders. You will also play a key role in providing technical input on policy priorities in the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership and specific UK-funded projects and programmes to promote financial sector development and debt sustainability in Kenya. You will report to the First Secretary for International Finance, who is also based in the British High Commission Nairobi.

Roles and responsibilities:

Leading economic, financial sector and political economy analysis and reporting for the British High Commission, to advance understanding of key developments and shape UK strategy, policy and programming in Kenya. You will:

• Shape the UK’s strategic direction on economic development in Kenya, by providing evidence-based policy advice.
• Provide regular analysis on macro-economic performance to inform and strengthen the British High Commission’s policy decisions. This will require establishing excellent working relationships with key economic and financial institutions including the National Treasury, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, the IMF, the Central Bank and think tanks.
• Contribute to UK Government commissions and briefings, including for UK Ministers and the British High Commissioner, on economic and financial sector issues.
• Understand the market and political dynamics in Kenya, to help identify opportunities and challenges to the UK’s objective to support clean, green and inclusive economic growth and financial sector deepening.

Leading the British High Commission’s working level engagement on public finance, to ensure strong outcomes for Kenya and alignment with UK priorities. You will:

• Lead UK analysis and engagement on key policy issues relating to public finance, including debt sustainability, revenue mobilization and state corporation reform. Build strong relationships with organisations such as the Kenya Revenue Authority.
• Collaborate across the High Commission and represent the UK in donor groups such as Public Financial Management. Influence key partners such as the World Bank on key policy and programming issues in Kenya, including World Bank Development Policy Operations. This will require building strong working relationships with partners such as the Kenya Revenue Authority and advising the UK High Commissioner and senior colleagues in the High Commission on policy direction.

Providing technical advice across the prosperity pillar and wider High Commission, including to shape the UK’s policy priorities and portfolio of Overseas Development Assistance-funded programming on the macro-economy and financial sector development in Kenya. You will:

• Provide technical leadership and advice on UK-funded programmes and projects that support macro-economic stability and financial sector development in Kenya, to ensure UK ODA is deployed effectively.
• Specifically, this will include shaping technical support to National Treasury and providing advice on financial sector programming through Financial Sector Deepening Kenya and Financial Sector Deepening Africa. Ensure that projects represent strong value for money and align with UK priorities and market needs. 
• Provide flexible technical support across the prosperity pillar, including on issues such as tax, trade and investment. Act as the British High Commission’s lead on the portfolio of financial sector investments by BII, the UK’s Development Finance Institution, in Kenya.
• Provide flexible technical support across the High Commission, delivering high quality analysis of priority sectors such as Health, Education, social protection and devolution funding.  

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• P1: Macroeconomic knowledge (Macroeconomics, financial stability and debt) A strong understanding of macroeconomic dynamics, the drivers of financial stability and debt sustainability, and the tools that can used to support this.
• P5: Effective communication for economists: Being able to effectively communicate complex technical ideas, orally and in writing, to colleagues and stakeholders of different backgrounds.
• Political economy: A strong understanding of the political economy in Kenya, the challenges of working with donors, government and multilateral agencies, and how to work within this context to deliver change.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Experience providing advisory support, particularly working with government and financial institutions.
• Experience working for a Government and/or donor agency on economic and financial sector policy issues.
• Experience managing complex programmes and projects.