Lead Regional Economist at International Fund for Agricultural Development

The Lead Regional Economist:

• Leads the implementation of the quality support process. Working with the Divisional Director, Country Directors and the Portfolio Advisor,  ensures key divisional outputs (including for new investments, COSOPs, country briefs, and completion reports) meet IFAD quality standards. Key areas of focus include economic and financial analysis of project design reports, institutional arrangements of new investments and integration of scaling up mechanisms. The incumbent leads or participates in the formulation, organization and management of mandated programmes of economic analysis, including macroeconomic modelling and forecasting, and the formulation of possible economic strategies, policies and actions for adoption by the international community. The incumbent leads or participates in the identification of new or emerging development issues of potential concern to the international community, particularly those of a regional or global nature, and designs and develops programmes to address them.
• In close collaboration with the Lead/Senior Portfolio Advisor, supports the divisional director in strategic planning and programme oversight activities, country assessments, and resource allocation analysis.
• Leads policy dialogue at the regional level with regional bodies and entities with the aim of improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the rural poor, provides authoritative advice to CDs on the design of country-specific policy dialogue processes, designs and manages sub-regional, regional and international policy dialogue that is relevant, and adds value to the work of the region at the country level, including interactions with other funding and technical assistance multilaterals and bilaterals.
• Liaises with counterparts in other regional divisions and works closely with divisional focal points (gender and youth, environment, rural finance, farmers'organizations, etc.) to provide timely advice and information on key issues in country policy dialogue to country teams (with particular emphasis on decentralized staff) through Country Programme Management Team meetings, participation in missions, and in response to direct requests, including helping identify relevant expertise within and outside of IFAD.
• Identifies major opportunities for strategic collaboration with multi-lateral and bilateral donors to better leverage IFAD's loan and grant operations.
• Leads the design of annual grant work plans and manages the grant portfolio, including creating and managing processes to facilitate the uptake of lessons learned and sharing these experiences with IFAD, its partners and policy makers. The incumbent conceives plans and manages expert group meetings, seminars and similar consultations that contribute to the finalization of the work and divisional outputs. Provides direct substantive support on development issues to intergovernmental bodies and regional commissions by offering strategic advice, giving technical guidance, and assisting in developing a consensus. Represents the organizational unit at international, regional and national meetings on development issues.
• Provides substantial support in the conceptualization and design of investment projects, ensuring they adequately reflect economic trends and knowledge regarding investments which would yield the highest development impact in a selected setting.

Organizational Competencies:

Level 2:

• Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
• Communicating and negotiating - Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills
• Demonstrating leadership - Leads by example; initiates and supports change
• Focusing on clients - Contributes to a client focused culture
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture
• Managing performance and developing staff - Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization
• Managing time, resources and information - Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
• Problem-solving and decision-making - Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
• Strategic thinking and organizational development - Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles
• Team working - Fosters a cohesive team environment

Education:

Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in Economics or related field is required (*):
(*) Note:  For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD¿s Human Resources Implementing Procedures. 

Experience:

• At least ten (10) years progressively responsible experience in the field of economics with International Financial Institutions, international NGOs, rural development/financial institutions, foundations or government services.
• Knowledge of ESA regions is an asset.