Lead Economist

Lead Economist

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. https://ww.worldbank.org.

East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) Region

EAP is a large and diverse region. Despite substantial economic growth and poverty reduction, the EAP region faces huge development challenges. Growth has been uneven across and within countries, institutions still need strengthening, and most countries are heavily affected by climate change. The Bank plays a significant role on global public goods, including climate, biodiversity, water pollution, and health. The COVID pandemic, and more recently food and energy price increases are compounding the impact of the global economic slowdown. The World Bank Group is seen as a premier development institution in the Region, with a leadership role on analytical and advisory services as well as financing.

East Asia and the Pacific Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/ea

The World Bank's Fiscal Policy and Growth (FPG) Global Practice supports client countries in achieving sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth through macroeconomic and fiscal policy advice, analytical work, and lending operations. The East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region encompasses some of the world's most dynamic economies, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam — each at a distinct stage of development but sharing common challenges around fiscal sustainability, private sector-led growth, and job creation.

The Philippines is one of the region's fastest-growing economies, yet faces persistent structural constraints including limited fiscal space, infrastructure gaps, and labor market informality. Malaysia, an upper-middle-income economy, is actively pursuing high-income status and requires continued reform of its fiscal framework and growth model. Brunei, a high-income hydrocarbon-dependent economy, is navigating an ambitious economic diversification agenda.

The World Bank is seeking a Lead Economist to provide intellectual leadership and strategic oversight of its economic and policy engagement across these three countries.

The Lead Economist will serve as the primary economic interlocutor for the Philippines and support FPG teams in Malaysia and Brunei, leading the Bank's analytical and advisory work on macroeconomic policy, growth, and fiscal and structural reform. The role combines high-quality economic research, policy dialogue at the highest levels of government, and cross-country knowledge synthesis to generate impact on development outcomes.

The Lead Economist will report to the Practice Manager for Fiscal Policy and Growth in the East Asia and Pacific region.

Job duties and accountabilities

1. Intellectual Leadership and Economic Analysis

• Lead and oversee the preparation of flagship analytical products, including core economic diagnostics.
• Develop and apply rigorous quantitative and qualitative analytical frameworks to assess macroeconomic trends, fiscal sustainability, structural transformation, and productivity dynamics.
• Synthesize cross-country lessons and global knowledge to inform country-level policy recommendations.
• Contribute to regional and global knowledge products, including the EAP Economic Update and FPG flagship publications.

2. Policy Dialogue and Client Engagement

• Serve as the Bank's primary economic spokesperson and trusted advisor to senior government counterparts, including Ministries of Finance, central banks, and planning agencies.
• Lead high-level policy dialogue on fiscal reform, growth strategy, and job creation, translating analytical findings into actionable policy recommendations.
• Represent the World Bank in senior-level forums, including meetings with policy makers, technical counterparts, and international conferences.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government, the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners.

3. Operational Support and Program Development

• Provide economic leadership and quality assurance for lending operations, including Development Policy Loans, Investment Project Financing, and Program-for-Results instruments, ensuring that operations are grounded in robust macroeconomic and fiscal analysis.
• Contribute to Country Partnership Frameworks and Systematic Country Diagnostics by providing high-quality economic inputs and strategic direction.
• Support the design and implementation of technical assistance and capacity-building programs in fiscal policy, economic statistics, and growth analytics.

4. Team Leadership and Mentoring

• Lead and manage a team of economists and researchers, providing strategic direction, quality oversight, and professional mentoring.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance team culture.
• Contribute to the recruitment, onboarding, and professional development of junior staff.

5. Knowledge Management and External Visibility

• Disseminate research findings through publications, policy briefs, blogs, and public events to maximize development impact.
• Engage proactively with media, think tanks, and the broader research community to raise the visibility of the Bank's analytical work in the three countries.
• Contribute to MTI and EAP knowledge-sharing platforms and communities of practice.

Selection Criteria

Education & Experience

• Advanced degree (PhD or Master's) in Economics, with a strong specialization in macroeconomics, fiscal policy, or development economics.
• At least 12 years of relevant professional experience in economic research, policy advisory work, or related fields, with a demonstrated track record of impact, along with experience at least in two regions, or a combination of regional and corporate assignment.
• Deep expertise in at least two of the following areas: fiscal policy and management, macroeconomic modeling, structural transformation, trade and competitiveness, labor markets and jobs.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-level policy dialogue with senior government officials.
• Track record of producing high-quality, policy-relevant research and analytical products.
• Ability to enhance the quality of Bank products through early guidance, constructive feedback, encouraging innovation and risk taking, and establishing links with other networks and relevant partners;
• Proven ability to lead, team work, mentor staff, inspire staff commitment to technical excellence and teamwork, and resolve conflicts constructively; 
• Ability to juggle numerous competing demands and priorities, respond quickly to country and management requests, and set priorities for self and others
• Demonstrated maturity and ability to mentor and incentivize teams, inspire trust with counterparts, and work in culturally diverse environments.
• Solid written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present complex analyses to non-specialist audiences.

Core Competencies

• Intellectual Leadership — Recognized authority in economics with the ability to shape policy discourse and generate new analytical insights.
• Client Orientation — Demonstrated ability to build trusted, long-term relationships with senior government counterparts and deliver advice that is responsive to client needs.
• Drive for Results — Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder programs and deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
• Communication — Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex economic concepts clearly to non-specialist audiences.
• Teamwork and Inclusion — Demonstrated commitment to building inclusive, diverse, and high-performing teams.
• Knowledge and Learning — Commitment to continuous learning and knowledge-sharing across the institution and with external partners.

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.