Economists at the World Bank Group

Regional/Country/Global Unit Context
The World Bank Group serves 48 client countries in the Africa Region (AFR). Clients range from low income countries among them many fragile and conflict states to a small but growing number of middle income countries (MICs) but with weak human development indicators. Average annual per capita income varies widely and inequalities persist in most AFR countries, with most of the Region's people living in poverty. The Bank's strategy in AFR is focused on two pillars - competitiveness and employment, and vulnerability and resilience - and a foundation - governance and public-sector capacity.

The Education Sector Unit for Eastern and Southern Africa is responsible for policy, analytical and operational work in the education sector in the sub-region. The unit currently has a portfolio of IDA projects, Trust Funds and major studies and technical assistance products in IDA and middle-income countries. The portfolio spans the full spectrum of the education sector from early childhood education to higher education and research. The unit is committed to delivering high quality technical products to support education development in the Bank’s client countries, and to do so in a manner that builds capacity through collaborative interactions with country counterparts.

The unit’s core goals are to (i) expand coverage of early childhood development in a cost-effective manner (ii) ensure universal completion of quality primary/basic education (iii) improve learning outcomes, particularly in reading, mathematics and science and (iv) expand access to and quality of secondary, TVET and higher education, with a focus on applied sciences, engineering and technology and strengthening the links between post-basic education systems and labor markets. The unit is also developing innovative approaches to education, including the use of ICT to expand access and improve quality and results-based modalities for Bank projects. It tries to achieve these goals through education sector interventions (financial and analytical) and through interventions in other sectors that influence education outcomes, as well as through partnership activities with a variety of partners.

The unit is seeking an Economist, based in Washington DC , to undertake high quality economic and analytical work, prepare knowledge pieces for inputs into policy dialogue and projects and provide technical support for operational projects. The selected candidate will report to the Education Practice Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Duties and Accountabilities

• Undertake or contribute to high quality, policy-oriented analytical work on a broad range of issues, with a particular focus on skills development in the formal and informal sectors, efficiency and effectiveness of education expenditures, reform of education finance, and education and its relation with equity and poverty.
• Provide technical support for the design, preparation, appraisal, supervision, and evaluation of new education and multi-sector operations (including investment loans, Program for Results and policy based lending). Support the incorporation of evidence from studies and impact evaluations into lending products.
• Design and manage economic analyses of education operations from preparation to completion; designing and monitoring project results frameworks with attention to the quality of data and indicators.
• Contribute to enhancing client capacity to carry out and use economic analysis and impact evaluations in policy and decision making, including through preparation of short policy briefs and discussion documents.
• Participate in multi-sector (eg. Social Protection, Poverty, Health, Nutrition, Macro-Fiscal Management, Urban) lending and non-lending tasks
• Contribute to business development in the unit.

Selection Criteria

• Education: At least a Master's degree in Economics, preferably Ph.D.
• At least five years of relevant analytical work experience and proven skills in managing and exploiting large datasets; undertaking econometric analysis in the social sectors, preferably related to education, labor markets, poverty analysis, public expenditures.
• Authorship/ co-authorship (with substantial written inputs) of analytical reports or research papers, on Skills, Public Expenditure Reviews, education sector assessments or other relevant areas.
• Demonstrated combination of analytical rigor and practical and solution oriented approaches, including ability to contextualize research findings and apply them to specific country contexts.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to convey complex technical ideas to a non-specialist audience.
• Strong client orientation and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively across within and across sector boundaries, inspire commitment to excellence and teamwork, and to liaise tactfully as a member of a multicultural team.
• High levels of energy, initiative, and flexibility in quickly adjusting to changing work program requirements
• Ability to juggle numerous competing demands and priorities, respond quickly to country and management requests, and set priorities for self and others

Competencies:

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena - Translates technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
• Education Knowledge and Experience - Possesses experience in working on challenging education projects, and policy-relevant analytical work.
• Integrative Skills - Understands relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
• Deliver Results for Clients - Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client.
• Collaborate within Teams and across Boundaries - Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.
• General Economic Knowledge and Analytical Skills - Possesses cross-country knowledge in economic specialty and demonstrates ability to link the macro, institutional, and micro-level behaviors; able to support findings/policy recommendations with credible analysis and tools.

Recruitment Timeline
End of July - September 2016 - Review applications and update application status to candidates
August - September 2016 - Contact all shortlisted candidates and conduct interviews in Washington, D.C. and locations in Africa

Application Closing Date
7th August, 2016.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Shortlisted candidates may be contacted as early as August 2016 for interviews which may be conducted in Washington, D.C. or locations in Africa. Interviews will be conducted through September 2016. Based on the availability of interviewers and candidates some interviews may be conducted virtually.
• Candidates who have previously submitted applications through the Recruitment Drive for African Nationals in 2015 must submit a new application to be considered for opportunities in this year's campaign. We apologize that we are unable to consider previously submitted applications.
• If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a term appointment.