Regional Economist P-5 - Near East and North Africa Division
Duty Station
HQ - Rome (in principle this position is Rome based, however, candidates should be willing and ready to take field assignments and/or rotate within IFAD)
Duration of Assignment
2 years fixed-term (renewable)
Organizational Context
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD's headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and is present in more than 90 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.
Division Context
The Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five (5) regional divisions, a Policy and Technical Advisory Division and an Environment and Climate Division. The Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) handles the lending programme and strategic and policy dimension of these regions.
Within the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN), the Regional Economist works with staff to deliver IFAD's services to the rural populations of the region--with increasing effectiveness and efficiency--by:
Providing timely and authoritative analytical and advisory capacity to staff in appropriate forms to enhance the quality, relevance and effectiveness of NEN's work and instruments (Results- Based Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes [RB COSOPs], projects, grants, policy dialogue, knowledge management, South-South Cooperation, portfolio review and M&E).
Developing and implementing strategies, systems and approaches to better integrate the different types of operations, allowing IFAD to enhance its value-addition capacity, its scale of operations, and its impact on poverty reduction in the region.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN), the incumbent will:
Be co-responsible with Country Programme Managers (CPMs) for the design of the Country Strategic Opportunities Programme, including the identification of scaling up opportunities.
Provide high-level and authoritative advice to CPMs and consultants to ensure quality design of projects.
Design and manage an integrated Knowledge Management and South-South strategy for NEN, including the development of effective instruments. Facilitate the uptake of evidence-based lessons learned for sharing these experience with IFAD, its partners and policy makers.
Participate in all Country Programme Management Teams and provide authoritative advice to CPMs on the design of country-specific policy dialogue processes; design and manage sub-regional, regional and international policy dialogue that is relevant and adds value to the work of NEN at the country level, including, on key aspects such as: partnership building, co-financing/innovative financing.. Support Country teams and the Director, NEN, in quality control at Concept definition level and for NEN documents going to the Executive Board of IFAD.
Support the portfolio review process by providing an overview of regional trends and by analyzing cross-cutting issues and results to generate inputs for strategic or programmatic decisions.
Represent the NEN Region in relevant internal strategy-setting and policy formulation processes.
Design and manage a programme of regional and thematic analysis that generates relevant, timely and high-quality inputs for the development and implementation of NEN's results in the region and to IFAD. This includes developing and managing an informal network of strategic partners in the region and elsewhere that can contribute with specialized knowledge and analysis.
Provide on-demand position papers, substantive inputs and talking points relevant to the work of IFAD in the region.
Lead and present policy papers to IFAD governing bodies as requested.
Provide support to the Director in all strategic planning in the division.
Carry out other related tasks as assigned by the Director.
Education and Experience
Minimum requirement is an advanced university degree (Master's level or equivalent) and preferably at the PhD level, in economics or any related field.
At least 10 years of relevant post qualification professional experience with International Financial Institutions, international NGOs, rural development/financial institutions, Foundations or government services in applied research and policy design and analysis in fields directly relevant to the mission of IFAD.
Excellent knowledge through direct work experience of NEN's rural sector and policy environments.
Proven experience in managing teams and supervising and guiding staff.
Technical/functional competencies:
Analytical skills:you will have very strong analytical and numerical capacities and experience in quantitative and qualitative analytical methods as well as the capacity to lead specific analytical work.
Leader and team worker/builder: you will possess excellent management skills, and will be ableto deploy these in a multicultural setting. You will have the capacityleading results based teams with a capacity to deliver high quality products within tight deadlines to achieve stretching objectives; Ability to lead and manage organizational change.
Planner and organiser/decision-maker: you will have excellent judgement and the ability to think strategically, assessing and responding to new challenges in rural development. You will be able to set clear priorities within a boundless and often challenging agenda with tight deadlines.
Communication
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic are essential, including the ability to set out a coherent argument in presentations and group interactions.
Working knowledge of French is an asset.
Excellent communicator, who can deliver analytical and policy messages clearly and convincingly; ability to communicate with rural development practitioners from the international to the grassroots level.
Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft packages and electronic communication.
Other Information
Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.
IFAD reserves the right to appoint a candidate at the appropriate grade commensurate with experience and knowledge.
Interested candidates are requested to apply by completing IFAD's Personal History Form (PHF) in English. A separate CV may be attached if you so desire, only as a supplement and not a substitute to the PHF. THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH THE ONLINE SYSTEM ONLY.
In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.
Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.
Regional Economist P-5 - Near East and North Africa Division
HQ - Rome (in principle this position is Rome based, however, candidates should be willing and ready to take field assignments and/or rotate within IFAD)
Duration of Assignment
2 years fixed-term (renewable)
Organizational Context
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD's headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and is present in more than 90 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.
Division Context
The Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five (5) regional divisions, a Policy and Technical Advisory Division and an Environment and Climate Division. The Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) handles the lending programme and strategic and policy dimension of these regions.
Within the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN), the Regional Economist works with staff to deliver IFAD's services to the rural populations of the region--with increasing effectiveness and efficiency--by:
Providing timely and authoritative analytical and advisory capacity to staff in appropriate forms to enhance the quality, relevance and effectiveness of NEN's work and instruments (Results- Based Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes [RB COSOPs], projects, grants, policy dialogue, knowledge management, South-South Cooperation, portfolio review and M&E).
Developing and implementing strategies, systems and approaches to better integrate the different types of operations, allowing IFAD to enhance its value-addition capacity, its scale of operations, and its impact on poverty reduction in the region.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN), the incumbent will:
Be co-responsible with Country Programme Managers (CPMs) for the design of the Country Strategic Opportunities Programme, including the identification of scaling up opportunities.
Provide high-level and authoritative advice to CPMs and consultants to ensure quality design of projects.
Design and manage an integrated Knowledge Management and South-South strategy for NEN, including the development of effective instruments. Facilitate the uptake of evidence-based lessons learned for sharing these experience with IFAD, its partners and policy makers.
Participate in all Country Programme Management Teams and provide authoritative advice to CPMs on the design of country-specific policy dialogue processes; design and manage sub-regional, regional and international policy dialogue that is relevant and adds value to the work of NEN at the country level, including, on key aspects such as: partnership building, co-financing/innovative financing.. Support Country teams and the Director, NEN, in quality control at Concept definition level and for NEN documents going to the Executive Board of IFAD.
Support the portfolio review process by providing an overview of regional trends and by analyzing cross-cutting issues and results to generate inputs for strategic or programmatic decisions.
Represent the NEN Region in relevant internal strategy-setting and policy formulation processes.
Design and manage a programme of regional and thematic analysis that generates relevant, timely and high-quality inputs for the development and implementation of NEN's results in the region and to IFAD. This includes developing and managing an informal network of strategic partners in the region and elsewhere that can contribute with specialized knowledge and analysis.
Provide on-demand position papers, substantive inputs and talking points relevant to the work of IFAD in the region.
Lead and present policy papers to IFAD governing bodies as requested.
Provide support to the Director in all strategic planning in the division.
Carry out other related tasks as assigned by the Director.
Education and Experience
Minimum requirement is an advanced university degree (Master's level or equivalent) and preferably at the PhD level, in economics or any related field.
At least 10 years of relevant post qualification professional experience with International Financial Institutions, international NGOs, rural development/financial institutions, Foundations or government services in applied research and policy design and analysis in fields directly relevant to the mission of IFAD.
Excellent knowledge through direct work experience of NEN's rural sector and policy environments.
Proven experience in managing teams and supervising and guiding staff.
Technical/functional competencies:
Analytical skills:you will have very strong analytical and numerical capacities and experience in quantitative and qualitative analytical methods as well as the capacity to lead specific analytical work.
Leader and team worker/builder: you will possess excellent management skills, and will be ableto deploy these in a multicultural setting. You will have the capacityleading results based teams with a capacity to deliver high quality products within tight deadlines to achieve stretching objectives; Ability to lead and manage organizational change.
Planner and organiser/decision-maker: you will have excellent judgement and the ability to think strategically, assessing and responding to new challenges in rural development. You will be able to set clear priorities within a boundless and often challenging agenda with tight deadlines.
Communication
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic are essential, including the ability to set out a coherent argument in presentations and group interactions.
Working knowledge of French is an asset.
Excellent communicator, who can deliver analytical and policy messages clearly and convincingly; ability to communicate with rural development practitioners from the international to the grassroots level.
Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft packages and electronic communication.
Other Information
Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.
IFAD reserves the right to appoint a candidate at the appropriate grade commensurate with experience and knowledge.
Interested candidates are requested to apply by completing IFAD's Personal History Form (PHF) in English. A separate CV may be attached if you so desire, only as a supplement and not a substitute to the PHF. THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH THE ONLINE SYSTEM ONLY.
In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.
Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.
Regional Economist P-5 - Near East and North Africa Division
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