Senior Agriculture Economist

Job #: req37432
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Agriculture
Grade: GG
Term Duration:  5 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Kigali,Rwanda
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s): French
Closing Date: 7/30/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and fifteen Global Practices and five Global Themes to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.
The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Africa (AFE) Region

Home to almost 60% of Africa’s population, the Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) region is geographically, culturally, and economically diverse and comprises 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. 

AFE boasts some of the world’s richest natural resources, including minerals that will be critical to low carbon development.  Signs of economic transformation are also emerging in ICT, infrastructure and a vibrant private sector that is supported by a young and dynamic population.  Despite the region’s potential, economic growth remains low in many of the AFE countries. Key challenges include persistent inequality and limited access to productive employment, heavy debt burdens exacerbated by slow growth, low agricultural productivity, weak infrastructure, low human capital and limited resilience to climate change and conflict.   This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.  
The World Bank’s Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,200 staff, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the five dimensions of People, Prosperity, Planet, Infrastructure, and Digital to realize rapid economic transformation that unlocks the region’s growth potential, addresses unemployment and underemployment, reduces poverty and inequality, manages debt and fiscal pressures, and builds resilience.
Eastern and Southern Africa Planet Department

The Africa East and South Planet Department (AFEPD) provides a wide range of financial, knowledge and convening services to help address Eastern and Southern Africa countries’ most complex development issues.  The AFE Planet Department is led by the Regional Practice Director and consists of four global practices (GPs); Agriculture and Food, Environment, Social Development, and Water, and leads on the Climate Change agenda. The Department has a robust engagement in the region, including, in the last fiscal year, $1.6B in new lending, a portfolio of $17 billion in financing in 96 projects, and annual disbursement of over 21% of that financing.  Our knowledge program is extensive and provided through a mix of Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA), including Reimbursable Advisory Services.  The AFE Planet Department also innovates in the use of financial instruments and partnerships, leveraging One World Bank Group working in close partnership with IFC and MIGA.

The Agriculture and Food Global Practice 

Our AFE agriculture and food work contributes to and benefits from our efforts across the globe and is brought together under the leadership of a Global Director, supported by ten regional Practice Managers and two Managers for Global Engagement. In addition, the Agriculture and Food GP Leadership team includes seven Global Leads: Data and Digital Agriculture; Agribusiness, Finance and Jobs; Public Policy and Expenditure; One Health; Climate and Nature; Food & Nutrition Security, and Science, Knowledge and Innovation. 

Agriculture and Food in Rwanda

Agriculture has been a key driver of consumption growth and poverty reduction. Between 2001 and 2011, increased agricultural productivity and commercialization accounted for one-third of household consumption growth, reducing poverty by 2.4 percentage points annually. However, poverty reduction slowed to 1.3 percentage points annually between 2011 and 2017, despite steady agricultural GDP growth averaging 4.8 percent per year. Irrigation coverage remains limited as only 6 percent of cropped land was irrigated in 2024. The sector accounts for 33 percent of new jobs created. With food demand expected to double and the population projected to increase by 47 percent by 2040, the opportunities are massive for agriculture value chains to create jobs, especially in high-value crops and animal products with strong market potential and comparative advantage. 

The active World Bank portfolio in agriculture totals US$244 million, including the Commercialization and De-risking for Agriculture Transformation Project and Second Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project. The support aims to strengthen farmers’ organizations, increase agricultural productivity, develop competitive value chains, enhance commercialization, and improve the enabling environment for private sector investments. Key interventions include community irrigation systems and Farmer-Led Irrigation Development, expanding access to finance through credit line to value chain actors – including farmers and cooperatives, scaling up the national agriculture insurance scheme, and sustainable land management to enhance resilience to landslides and boost agricultural productivity. 

Rwanda is one of the first-mover AgriConnect countries in AFE. The government has prepared an AgriConnect Compact that is at advanced stages of approval by authorities. A pipeline project is currently under discussion to begin the operationalization of AgriConnect in Rwanda with expected delivery in FY27. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Agriculture Specialist/Economist will be a key member of the Agriculture and Food Leadership Team in AFE, reporting to the Practice Manager (SAEA2). Specifically, s/he will lead a team to deliver impactful projects and strategic advisory and analytical tasks in Rwanda while working closely with the Practice Manager and WBG Country Manager for Rwanda. The specific responsibilities will include:

(a) Provide technical and thought leadership with clear vision, coherent strategy, and current knowledge to position the agriculture food systems in country programs, including designing innovative solutions to create jobs in agriculture value chains in close collaboration with IFC and MIGA.

(b) Lead the design, preparation and supervision of complex operation projects as Task Team Leader (TTL), ensuring high-quality outputs, and leveraging instruments such as DPLs, IPFs, P4Rs, and trust funds.

(c) Lead strategic and high-priority policy reforms dialogue with clients, manage strategic knowledge products, and position key sector reforms in development policy lending programs. 

(d) Assume an active role in the CMU to ensure adequate and appropriate integration of relevant aspects of the agriculture and rural development agenda in core Bank products, including country partnership frameworks, strategic country diagnostics, country economic memoranda, and CCDRs.

(e) Serve as an active member of the AFE Planet team and contribute to the integration of Planet solutions into coherent programs, including on water, sustainable land management, and emission reductions, while working closely with the Planet leadership team, CMUs, and the clients. 

(f) Actively engage with stakeholders and development partners and represent the Agriculture and Food team at relevant events and speaking engagements to identify opportunities for partnerships to improve program delivery.

(g) Serve as focal point for Agriculture and Food in Rwanda through close client engagement, liaison with the CMU, and provide quality assurance of the portfolio,

(h) Provide mentoring, advice and support to Agriculture and Food staff in the Rwanda CMU, including TTLs of demanding operations.

Selection Criteria

Candidates must demonstrate proven professional excellence, outstanding oral and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to convert strategic thinking into practical solutions.  The following specific criteria will also apply: 

• A master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics, agribusiness, agriculture or closely related discipline.

• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in agriculture, agribusiness, and other disciplines related to food systems, including experience of being the World Bank focal point in agriculture and food or related practice for a country.

• Recognized by peers and/or managers for cutting edge knowledge, the ability to identify problems and translate knowledge into innovative and concrete solutions, while maintaining strong client focus. 

• Demonstrated intellectual leadership in the sector, based on strong technical capabilities and analytical credentials, and the capacity to lead discussions on policy reforms at high levels.

• In-depth knowledge of the issues faced by smallholders in agricultural value chains and the potential of agriculture value chains to address core development objectives in the AFE region, including jobs. 

• Ability to take principled and balanced positions on complex issues and to communicate and defend them orally and in writing to senior Bank management and senior government officials.

• Effective verbal, analytical and written communication skills in English, and a demonstrated ability to produce high-quality documents and analytical reports.

• Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and team skills with ability to think innovatively and strategically to find balanced, pragmatic and implementable solutions.

• High degree of ethics, tact, diplomacy, political judgement, negotiating skills and sensitivity in handling confidential and sensitive information.

• Self-motivated with ability to work under pressure and challenging conditions while retaining perspective and poise. 

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.

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