Senior Economist at UN High Commissioner for Refugees

The position

The Senior Economist will head of the Bureau Economic Advisory Unit and will be responsible for facilitating close collaboration with DRS and country-based economists, facilitate collaboration with the World Bank, the Joint Data Centre (JDC), OECD, African Development Bank and other stakeholders on a range of bespoke economic analyses, including: (i) economic impact assessments of the presence of refugees and IDPs; (ii) measuring poverty and welfare among refugees and host communities; (iii) socio-economic profiling of persons of concern; (iv) economic modelling of various protection and solutions policy options; and (v) cost-benefit analysis and project appraisals. The Sr. Economist will provide technical support and advice to help various Bureau units and UNHCR country operations effectively use economic data and analysis to inform programming and policy dialogue. Preparation of economic briefs and policy notes. To guide the Bureau leadership, the Sr. Economist will prepare economic briefs and policy notes on various topics relevant to the provision of asylum, the protection of persons of concern and the pursuit of durable solutions in line with the GCR. The Sr. Economist will also prepare periodic economic updates to inform the strategic decisions made by the Bureau Director and heads of pillars. More information on the duties and responsibilities of the Sr. Economist are provided below.

Duties and responsibilities

In close collaboration with DRS, Sr. Economist will facilitate collaboration with development actors and other stakeholders in the areas outlined below.

• Economic analysis
• Facilitate collaboration with the World Bank, the Joint Data Centre (JDC), OECD, African Development Bank and other stakeholders on a range of bespoke economic analyses, including:
  • assessing the economic impact of the presence of refugees and IDPs;
  • measuring poverty and welfare among refugees and host communities;
  • socio-economic profiling of persons of concern;
  • economic modelling of various protection and solutions policy options;
  • analyzing economic trends in the EHAGL Region that will impact the protection and solutions of Persons of Concern; and
  • cost-benefit analysis and project appraisals.
• Provide oversight, vision and guidance to country-based economists on the collection of raw primary and secondary datasets and the preparation of final datasets to be used for analysis.
• Supervise cleaning of all datasets and creation of necessary indicators for measuring a wide range of socio-economic indicators and impact indicators.
• Provide technical guidance to country-based economists and research teams on: (i) research design; (ii) data analysis plans; (iii) the preparation of descriptive statistics and regression analysis; and (iv) the preparation of various outputs such as briefs, presentations and academic papers.
• Translating the economic analysis into advocacy/policy dialogue and programs
• Provide advice to the Bureau management on: (i) macro-economic themes relevant for the protection and solutions agenda of UNHCR; (ii) economic outlook for the EHAGL countries; and (iii) the economic implications of various protection-related decisions.
• Provide technical support and advice to help various Bureau units and UNHCR country operations effectively use economic data and analysis to inform programming and policy dialogue.
• Advise programme, protection and technical unites and country operations during program design, implementation and evaluation using the economic analysis to support quality programming and advocacy.
• Lead the preparation of research papers including formatting and creating tables, graphs, and related analysis.
• Provide guidance/recommendations on obstacles and possible improvements to UNHCR¿s programming by preparing and supporting the use of available economic statistics, industrial surveys and other available data.
• Preparation of economic briefs and policy notes
• Prepare presentations, technical reports and non-technical reports to communicate the findings of economic analyses.
• Prepare cutting edge economic briefs and policy notes on various topics relevant to the provision of asylum, the protection of persons of concern and the pursuit of durable solutions in line with the GCR.
• Prepare periodic economic updates to inform the strategic decisions made by the Bureau Director and heads of pillars.
• Contribute to Bureau external engagement products, including Bureau publications, regional updates, funding appeals, and other reports.
• Oversight, strategy and coordination
• Lead the Bureau Economic Advisory Unit, by providing strategic vision and leading the engagement with senior management, internal business units and external partners.
• Prepare strategy for economic analysis and advisory.
• Mainstream economic analysis in UNHCR¿s protection and assistance activities.
• Provide guidance and input to the External Engagement Pillar annual programme planning and review process to support the development and approval of sound plans and the effective allocation and use of resources.
• Ensure good communication and coordination with Bureau units, UNHCR country operations, UNHCR HQ, the Joint Data Centre, the World Bank, governments, researchers and partners.
• Participate in official missions and deliver capacity building and training activities for partners and governments.
• Identify research opportunities and contribute to proposals for research partnerships and funding.
• In close collaboration with DRS, provide a technical oversight to country-based economists. Guide and mentor junior economists in the Bureau and country operations.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least a Master¿s Degree in Economics.
• At least 10 years of professional experience on economic analysis and advisory with international financial institutions (IFIs), development finance institutions (DFIs), reputable management consulting firms, or economic advisory units of investment firms.
• Demonstrated ability to provide professional advice and analysis within a complex political environment.
• Extensive experience of working in a reputable management consulting firm on economic advisory at a strategic and global level.
• A substantial track record of effective interaction, influencing and collaboration with senior stakeholders in government, international organizations and the private sector.
• Demonstrated core consulting skills of research, analysis, presentation, and attention to detail.
• Aptitude to grasp new concepts and effectively produce results.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills an analytical, innovative, and creative mindset.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to be self-directed and be an independent contributor to the team.
• Proven track record of successful management and a leading role in the formulation of policies and strategies.
• Successful track record of building effective, productive and relevant working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Facility in data analysis using econometric program (e.g. Stata or R).
• Experience overseeing primary data collection and analysis.

Location

The successful candidate will be based with the team in the UNHCR GCR Section, External Engagement Pillar, in the Regional Bureau in Nairobi.

Conditions

The Temporary Appointment is for a period of up to 31 December 2021  and the start date is in November 2020. It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week).

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees)